question for bakers

[Guest guest]

I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

bit or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

for cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

thanks!~Danielle

[Guest guest]

I, quite often, substitue the oil in a cake/muffin recipe with at least half

applesauce which works very well. Have never tried it for cookies. As

discussed here before, baking unlike cooking is pretty much of an exact science.

You need X amoun of each ingredient for your baked item to be successful. The

only thing I can suggest is replacing half of your butter with applesauce and

see if you like the results (which would be more of a moister cookie as opposed

to a crisp one).

 

 

 

I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

it or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

or cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

hanks!~Danielle

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I like TenderMoon's applesauce suggestion, and agree that I wouldn't try

just decreasing the amount of butter. The Postpunk Kitchen also

suggestion prune puree. I haven't tried that often, and then only in

dense, chocolatey things (if I'm remembering correctly--It was over a

year ago), but their suggestions (and recipes!) tend to be fantastic in

general Here's a link if you want more details:

http://www.theppk.com/veganbaking.html . I love this page The butter

substitutions are near the bottom.

 

Peace,

Mo

 

DanielleB wrote:

> I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

bit or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

for cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

> thanks!~Danielle

>

>

[Guest guest]

Danielle, here are some of my experience on this topic:

 

For muffins I use apple sauce instead of oil when I make zucchini muffins. I

sometimes add either walnuts or pecans if I want to make them richer tasting. I

do not use oil or butter on any muffin recipe.

 

For cookies, I have been making cookies that are based on egg whites and ground

nuts. I have 4 versions (almond, pistachio, hazlenuts and pecans). They use no

butter and no oil. They are made in a similar way but taste completely different

because of the different nuts. The fat comes from the nuts, but I like that type

of fat. I also use chocolate toppings on some of them, dark chocolate with no

milk products. They taste very rich and were a favorite this Christmas. I need

to make more.

 

For corn bread, I simply use corn meal, white wheat flour, baking powder, salt,

soy milk and either honey, rice syrup or maple syrup. The last corn bread was

delicious, butter can be added by whoever is eating it if they want to.

 

Let me know if you or anyone else needs more details. I have pretty good

recipes for the first two, and a looser set of instructions for the corn bread.

 

, " DanielleB " <mylameoww wrote:

>

> I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

bit or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

for cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

> thanks!~Danielle

>

[Guest guest]

Butter (margarine) adds flavor but it also adds tenderness and flakiness to

baked goods. Personally I would try using a quarter less butter, or even the

butter flavored vegetable shortening, but not much more than a quarter less

because it will change the texture of the cookie.You can get away with reducing

it more or substituting other ingredients in cakes but it will impact the

texture, mouth feel and flavor unless you're making a spice cake (baby food

prunes are good in this) or something like gingerbread. 

Jeanne in GA

 

http://jeannefromgeorgia.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Danielle,

I have used applesauce in cookies to replace oil. What I have found is that

trying to replace all the oil will result in a cookie that taste like apple

sauce. I have been able to replace 1/4 of the oil with applesauce without

changing the taste of the cookie.

 

 

TendrMoon

Mon, 4 Jan 2010 12:46:02 -0500

Re: [veg_grp] question for bakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I, quite often, substitue the oil in a cake/muffin recipe with at least

half applesauce which works very well. Have never tried it for cookies. As

discussed here before, baking unlike cooking is pretty much of an exact science.

You need X amoun of each ingredient for your baked item to be successful. The

only thing I can suggest is replacing half of your butter with applesauce and

see if you like the results (which would be more of a moister cookie as opposed

to a crisp one).

 

 

 

I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

 

it or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

 

or cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

 

hanks!~Danielle

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

For all you bakers check out www.ochefs.com to see substitutions.

[Guest guest]

You know, Danielle,

I used to worry about doing just that same thing and even tried it

once.....years and years ago. I don't remember exactly how they turned out but

they " didn't work " and I never tried it again. I finally decided that I would

rather have one perfect, scrumptious, delicious REAL cookie than several cookies

that are inferior and don't taste all that great.

 

There are recipes where you can reduce the actual fat and use applesauce or

strained baby food prunes.......and they can be passable as cookies but are just

not as satisfying. I will post a couple of fat-free cookies for you in a

minute......Sugar Cookies and Oatmeal Cookies.

 

Since I don't have cookies every day, and make them a special treat, it works

out great for me.

 

Nancy C.

East Texas

 

 

 

I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

bit or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

for cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

thanks!~Danielle

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. Mo, that link with all the

substitutions is great!! I know that baking is very precise so thats why I hate

to just start randomly tampering with ingredients, and I figure butter in

cookies is one of the hardest to cut down, wasn't sure if it made them more

moist or crips or what? I have some good ideas to try now!

Danielle

 

, Maureen <ailanthus wrote:

>

> I like TenderMoon's applesauce suggestion, and agree that I wouldn't try

> just decreasing the amount of butter. The Postpunk Kitchen also

> suggestion prune puree. I haven't tried that often, and then only in

> dense, chocolatey things (if I'm remembering correctly--It was over a

> year ago), but their suggestions (and recipes!) tend to be fantastic in

> general Here's a link if you want more details:

> http://www.theppk.com/veganbaking.html . I love this page The butter

> substitutions are near the bottom.

>

> Peace,

> Mo

>

> DanielleB wrote:

> > I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down

a bit or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

for cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

> > thanks!~Danielle

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Usually if you cut the butter of another ingredient down, you have to replace it

with someting else.  Sometimes a butter-like ingredient with less fat will

work.  I have made this exchange in peanut butter cookies and some cakes that

permit it.

 

--- On Mon, 1/4/10, DanielleB <mylameoww wrote:

 

 

DanielleB <mylameoww

[veg_grp] question for bakers

 

Monday, January 4, 2010, 12:02 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am curious about what would happen to a recipe if you cut the butter down a

bit or even by half. I know it would depend on the recipe, I was thinking like

for cookies, and is there any substitue for that to cut calories??

thanks!~Danielle