Butter to Oil Converter: 1 Cup Butter in Oil
Swap butter and oil amounts in baking recipes without hunting through conversion charts. Enter your amount, choose the direction, and get practical cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, and gram estimates, including the common answer that 1 cup butter equals about 3/4 cup oil.
Convert butter and oil amounts
The default baking rule here is simple: use about 3/4 as much oil as butter, or convert oil back to butter by dividing by 0.75.
Oil makes many cakes and muffins moist, but butter adds flavor and structure. Expect a softer crumb and slightly less buttery taste.
Butter to oil conversion chart
| Butter in recipe | Use oil | Approx. oil grams |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup butter | 3/4 cup oil | 163 g |
| 1/2 cup butter | 6 tbsp oil | 82 g |
| 1/4 cup butter | 3 tbsp oil | 41 g |
| 1 tbsp butter | 2 1/4 tsp oil | 10 g |
How much oil equals 1 cup butter?
For most cakes, muffins, quick breads, and brownies, 1 cup butter converts to about 3/4 cup oil. That is the same as 12 tablespoons oil, or about 163 grams of oil. Use less oil than butter because oil is nearly all fat, while butter also contains water and milk solids.
Common butter to oil shortcuts
For quick recipe math, multiply the butter amount by 0.75. That means 1/2 cup butter is about 6 tablespoons oil, 1/4 cup butter is about 3 tablespoons oil, and 1 stick of butter is about 6 tablespoons oil.
When this substitution works best
Oil-for-butter swaps are usually easiest in cakes, muffins, quick breads, brownies, pancakes, and some savory bakes. These recipes often benefit from the extra moisture oil provides.
Be more careful with pie crusts, laminated dough, shortbread, and butter-forward cookies. Those recipes depend on solid butter for texture, layers, or flavor.
Butter and oil conversion FAQ
What is the butter to oil ratio for baking?
A practical starting point is 3 parts oil for every 4 parts butter. In other words, replace 1 cup butter with about 3/4 cup oil.
How much oil is 1 cup of butter?
Use about 3/4 cup oil for 1 cup of butter in many baking recipes. That equals 12 tablespoons oil, 36 teaspoons oil, or roughly 163 grams of oil.
How much oil replaces one stick of butter?
One stick of butter is 1/2 cup, so a common baking swap is about 6 tablespoons oil. For cookies and pastry, replacing only part of the butter may protect the texture better.
Is butter to oil conversion the same by weight?
Not exactly. Butter contains water and milk solids, while oil is nearly all fat. This converter uses the common baking ratio first, then estimates grams using typical tablespoon weights.
Which oil should I use instead of butter?
Use a neutral oil such as canola, vegetable, avocado, or light olive oil when you do not want a strong flavor. Extra virgin olive oil can work when its flavor fits the recipe.
Will oil make my recipe dairy-free?
Replacing butter with oil removes butter from the recipe, but check all other ingredients for dairy if you need the finished bake to be dairy-free.