Can I replace butter with margarine?

[morningstar]

I am want to make the sugar cookie . And in my supermarket they the butter is very expensive and the margarine is cheap . But in the recipe it said need to have butter. Can I replacement the butter ?

 

[Dawgluver]

I would use butter. Is it a lot more expensive than margarine? Margarine will not give that same flavor as butter.

 

[bakechef]

If you choose margarine, choose one that is suitable for baking, the package will usually indicate that. Always use sticks and NOT spread that comes in a tub, spread in a tub is not suitable for baking.

I much prefer butter, but in a cookie recipe like that margarine will work also.

 

[CWS4322]

If your cookie recipe is similar to a spritz cookie, you cannot substitute margarine for butter because the spritz cookie requires a specific fat to moisture ratio. If you can share a link to the recipe or the recipe, it might help answer the question. I read s/where that margarine that is 60% oil is preferred for baking, but I don't use margarine. Butter freezes quite well, so watch for specials on butter and freeze it so you have it for baking.

 

[msmofet]

I am probably breaking ALL the rules BUT I interchange BUTTER flavored Crisco for butter sometimes and I have had no problems. I NEVER use margerine.

 

[CharlieD]

A lot of times we (my family) cannot have dairy. My wife is a baker and she always uses margarine, especially when making cookies. It is absolutelly possible to substitude, you just have to paly with recipe to get it right.

 

[Addie]

Because margerine is mostly oil, you will find that your cookies will spread more than if you used butter. They will be flat. If you do use margerine, I would suggest that you put the cookie tray in the fridge after you have place your cookie dough on it and let them chill before you put them in the oven. This will help to keep the spread to a minimum.

 

[Oldvine]

In your kitchen you can do what ever works for you. Many recipes work exchanging butter and margarine. However with the taste of margarine, I can believe it's not butter.

 

[jennyema]

Yes you can substitute stick margarine for butter.

But butter tastes better and is better for your health than margarines that have trans fats.

 

[Claire]

My mom always used margarine. It was what they could afford. It was no problem, and few people knew the difference. Since us kids never had butter, we sure as heck didn't. Just use stick butter for same = same measurements, not soft or whipped.

 

[ThePunkHippie]

You can, if you don't mind eating plastic & trans fats :P

 

[Steve Kroll]

I grew up on margarine, so I didn't know the difference until I got older and started using butter. I can absolutely taste the difference now, and won't ever go back to margarine again.

 

[Snip 13]

You could use baking margerine but it taste gross to me. I've never liked it, I prefer the real thing and just use it less often.

 

[Claire]

Hey, Snip, glad to see you back. When people use the cheaper alternative, sometimes it is because going with more expensive means going without, period. My parents are doing quite well now, but only because Mom could always make a dime go where most people needed a dollar. By the way, my sibs and I are all in our fifties (I'm the eldest and pushing 60) and none have suffered any dire diseases because we grew up on margarine. And, I have to say, some of us still prefer margarine to butter, and salad dressing (i.e., brand name Miracle Whip, but Mom never bought a brand name anything if something else was cheaper) instead of mayonaise.

She also used to buy "GI brand" canned goods. That was before stores had store brands. At the commissary you'd find cans of food that were unlabelled and just stamped something like, Beans, Green, SN#12341533. One day she bought a can of "Peas, Green", got them home and realized they were La Soeur baby peas (the best of the best in canned peas in those days). She got back in the car and bought a case! (most of the "GI Brand" stores were excess stuff that the companies sold to the military at cut rates).

 

[taxlady]

When I'm broke, I don't want to waste any of my money on food that I don't think is food. I buy butter,not margarine, and use less or none when I'm broke. I'm not just talking about running out of cash. I'm talking about not having money for a long time, like the winter we ate rabbit most nights because they came from exDH's snare line.

 

[justplainbill]

My mom always used margarine. It was what they could afford. It was no problem, and few people knew the difference. Since us kids never had butter, we sure as heck didn't. Just use stick butter for same = same measurements, not soft or whipped.

Even with the off base subsistence allowances and commissary privileges?

 

[ThePunkHippie]

By the way, my sibs and I are all in our fifties (I'm the eldest and pushing 60) and none have suffered any dire diseases because we grew up on margarine.

Billions of people smoke cigarettes, & not all of them get health issues because of it. Others are prone or have weak immune systems & get deathly ill.
I'd rather not risk my health for a difference of $2, & I wouldn't recommend anyone else do either.

 

[bakechef]

If you look out for sales or go to club stores, butter can often be had for a similar price as brand name margarine. I paid $1.79 per pound for my last batch of butter. I think that since the cost of veg oil went up a couple years ago margarine isn't as cheap as it used to be. The cheap ones are full of water and things to help them hold their shape.

I grew up on margarine, I prefer butter, and stay away from processed fats when possible. That's a personal choice and what others do is their business.

 

[justplainbill]

One of my grandmothers used oleo and the other butter and / or leaf lard . The oleo using grandmother's cookies were like a rock and she lived 5 years less than the butter / lard user. Danish butter cookies are more esteemed than Danish margarine cookies. I'm in the camp that believes smaller portions of the good stuff is better than larger portions of the not so good.

 

[Addie]

If you look out for sales or go to club stores, butter can often be had for a similar price as brand name margarine. I paid $1.79 per pound for my last batch of butter. I think that since the cost of veg oil went up a couple years ago margarine isn't as cheap as it used to be. The cheap ones are full of water and things to help them hold their shape.

I grew up on margarine, I prefer butter, and stay away from processed fats when possible. That's a personal choice and what others do is their business.

I paid $1.69 for Cabot butter. House brand was $1.59. Sometimes Cabot is the same price as the house brand. That is when I stock up on it. Cabot is out of Vermont. We get daily freshly made shipments each day. Our closest factory for Land of Lakes is in NJ. And it cost more than Cabot's. I hope the price for Cabot's stays stable for at least another month. That way I can stock up for the winter. Otherwise, it is back to house brand.