Whether you’ve been baking for years or are just getting into this wonderful, delicious hobby, there’s a simple swap that might surprise you.
Replace some (or all) of the butter with plain yogurt.
Not only does this swap keep everything moist, but it also adds a subtle tang, cuts down on saturated fat, adds protein and works in most recipes without any other adjustments. We’ve tested this with muffins, quick breads, cakes, and even brownies.
The results are consistently good, and in some cases, better than the original. Just ask our little taste testers (our kids!)
The Basic Swap: 1:1 Ratio
The easiest way to start is a direct replacement. Use the same amount of yogurt as the recipe calls for in butter.
If your recipe calls for ½ cup of butter, use ½ cup of Tree Island Plain Yogurt instead.
This works especially well in recipes that are already on the moist side, like banana bread, zucchini muffins, or carrot cake.
For Richer Recipes, Try Half and Half
If you’re making something that relies on butter for flavour and structure, like pound cake or shortbread, you might want to keep some butter in the mix.
Try replacing half the butter with yogurt and leaving the other half as-is. This gives you the richness of butter with the moisture and tang of yogurt.
Why Yogurt Works in Baking
Moisture
Keeping baked goods soft and tender, even a day or two after baking, yogurt is especially useful for muffins and quick breads that can dry out quickly.
Acidity
Plus, the natural tang in yogurt reacts with baking soda, if your recipe includes it, which helps baked goods rise and develop a light, fluffy texture.
Added Protein
Baking is often heavy on fat and sugar, and can be light on protein. Adding a cup of Tree Island Yogurt changes that balance, making your bread, muffins, cake and other goods a more balanced snack. Plus, it’s a way of boosting nutritional value without changing the taste or texture in a heavily noticeable way.
Fat Content
Tree Island Plain Yogurt is made with whole milk, so it still has enough fat to provide richness without being as heavy as butter.
What to Expect
Your baked goods will taste slightly different. The yogurt adds a very subtle tang, similar to the way buttermilk works in pancakes, while making the texture a little more tender.
Any crust might be a touch softer than a butter-based version, and the crumb will be more moist.
If you’re baking something that needs a crispy top or firm structure, you may want to stick with the half-and-half method.
Best Recipes to Start With
If you’re new to baking with yogurt, try it first in recipes that are already forgiving when it comes to personal experimentation:
- Banana bread
- Blueberry muffins
- Zucchini bread
- Coffee cake
- Chocolate muffins or brownies
These recipes are moist to begin with, so the yogurt swap will feel more natural to try for the first time. Once you’ve tried it a few times, you’ll get a sense of where it works best.
Use Natural, Full-Fat Yogurt
Tree Island’s Plain Cream Top and Natural Greek Yogurt work best because they are creamy and made with whole milk. It doesn’t have added stabilizers or gelatin, so it behaves like a real ingredient in your batter.
To find Tree Island Yogurt at a grocery store near you, click here.
