Not everyone is a fan of butter, and if youre a part of the anti-butter club, you likely scratch your head when it comes to baking. After all, plenty of baked treats call for butter not margarine or other butter alternatives.
The good news is that you can successfully substitute butter for margarine in your baking recipes. The key is to find high-fat, low-water margarine. Too much water content and your dough or batter will become too thin and wet for success. Sticks are more effective than tubs.
But which brand has the best margarine? While there are many top-notch kinds of margarine out there, theyre not all created equally especially when it comes to baked goods. Thats why Ive hand-selected these top eight margarine brands so that you can be confident in your treat with no mishaps along the way.
Howdy! Im Shea, and Ive been baking for the last ten years. While I have a slight obsession with butter, Ive still dabbled with margarine here and there. Im adding my favorite margarine brands, plus some other top choices based on reviews and features.
Let me butter you up with these top eight margarine brands for baking.
Contents
- 1. Land O Lakes
- 2. Imperial
- 3. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
- 4. Country Crock
- 5. Fleischmanns
- 6. Melt
- 7. Earth Balance
- 8. Buckeye Flex
- FAQs
- Get Ready to Bake with These Top Margarine Brands!
- FAQs
- Which margarine is the best to bake with?
- What margarine tastes most like butter?
- What is the best margarine to use?
- Is Land O Lakes margarine good for baking?
- What butter do professional bakers use?
- Why is margarine not recommended in baking?
- Which butter substitute tastes the most like butter?
- What butter tastes like real butter?
- Is Blue Bonnet butter or margarine?
- Is stick of margarine better for baking?
1. Land O Lakes
Land O Lakes has been around for over 100 years. Theyre my personal favorite brand for margarine. Not only is this companys margarine delicious, but their margarine sticks have an impressively high-fat content.
Needless to say, Land O Lakes is a brand you can trust, whether youre using margarine for baking cookies, cakes, cupcakes, or other baked goodies.
2. Imperial
If I had to pick a runner-up behind Land O Lakes margarine, Id definitely go for Imperial. Imperial is one of the cheapest choices on the market, making it the go-to for those baking on a budget.
But dont let the low price fool you. These margarine sticks have a surprisingly high-fat content that is ideal for baking so much so that the company plastered a chocolate chip cookie recipe right on the back.
3. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
I cant believe youre not using I Cant Believe Its Not Butter margarine sticks! Okay, that was a bit of a tongue-twister. But in all honesty, I cant believe youre not using it.
I Cant Believe Its Not Butter was a staple in my home growing up, and I have many fond memories of baking goodies with my mom using this margarine.
Now that Im all grown up (or at least I like to think I am!), I still use this margarine here and there. Im a big fan of their cooking spray, but the margarine sticks also work well for baking.
4. Country Crock
Another name I recognize from childhood and you might, too is Country Crock. Like most other households, my family was a big fan of those delightful tubs of Country Crock (which eventually got used as a storage container for leftovers am I right?).
But while their tubs may take center stage, Country Crock offers wonderful, high-fat margarine sticks for baking. That said, save the tubs for baked potatoes and toast. Opt for the sticks when making muffins and cupcakes.
5. Fleischmanns
Fleischmanns was founded in 1868 and has created quite a fan base. People love their tried-and-true products, and the margarine sticks are no exception.
While their yeast packets may be their best seller, their margarine sticks are undeniably impressive. Their high-fat content ensures that your baked goods dont end up thin, watery, and repulsive. When you use Fleischmanns, you might forget youre using margarine altogether!
6. Melt
Are you looking for margarine with impressive creaminess and flavor? Then Melt margarine sticks are exactly what youre looking for.
Aside from the flavors, these margarine sticks are crafted with various fruits and plant oils, allowing the margarine to contain heart-healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Its also USDA-certified organic, a label plenty of people are looking for in this day and age.
7. Earth Balance
Where have all my vegan bakers gone? Earth Balance is the best choice for those who want to use margarine but want to avoid any type of dairy.
And dont worry just because these margarine sticks dont contain dairy doesnt mean theyre destined for failure. The fat content is surprisingly on-par with the margarine mentioned above, ensuring lovely baked goodies every time.
8. Buckeye Flex
When something is marketed specifically for baking, you know youll get an excellent product for all your baking needs and thats exactly what the Buckeye Flex margarine sticks are all about.
With high-fat content specifically designed for baking, you can feel confident that your goodies will come out perfect every time. Yummy, yummy!
FAQs
Now that you know which brands are best for baking, you should have no trouble whipping up delicious treats using margarine! If you want to learn more about this fun topic, here are a few more frequently asked questions to check out.
What is the best margarine to use?
The best margarine will have a high-fat content and be a stick, not a spread. My personal favorite is Land O Lakes, but any of these brands will be excellent choices for your baked goods.
Do bakers use margarine?
Ive known bakers who use butter (like myself) and some that use margarine. There is really no rule for bakers when it comes to which ingredient they use for their treats, so dont think that youre not making real goodies like a baker if you opt for margarine!
Is Blue Bonnet margarine?
Blue Bonnet has margarine sticks that are wonderful for baking! They didnt make my top eight list, though, solely because they have a slightly lower fat content. This means that baked goods may not turn out exactly how you planned. For instance, cookies may be thinner and crispier but thats not necessarily a bad thing!
Get Ready to Bake with These Top Margarine Brands!
There you have it, folks! The top eight baking margarine brands. While I am personally a big fan of Land O Lakes, any of these margarine companies will do justice for your baked treats.
What is your favorite brand of margarine for baking? Please share in the comments!
FAQs
Which margarine is the best to bake with?
Best Margarine Brands for Baking
Land O Lakes.
Imperial.
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
Country Crock.
Fleischmanns.
Melt.
Earth Balance.
Buckeye Flex.
What margarine tastes most like butter?
Becel® Buttery Taste* behaves just like any full fat margarine and butter, some degree of splattering will occur because it contains water.
What is the best margarine to use?
We endorse. When it comes to healthy margarine, Smart Balance may come to mind. With no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, Smart Balance may be one of the best cholesterol-reducing margarine brands on the market. Additionally, it contains zero trans fat.
Is Land O Lakes margarine good for baking?
The Land O Lakes Regular Margarine is ideal for baking and cooking applications. Made with 80% vegetable oil and same fat content as regular butter, it is a great alternative to spreads with mostly water content. This margarine offers a high-quality and consistent output.
What butter do professional bakers use?
Cabot makes the best American-style butter.
This slightly higher amount of water (compared to European-style butter) steams in the heat of the oven, puffing up flaky pie crusts, plush cakes, and crispy-edged cookies, making them light, fluffy, and tender.
Why is margarine not recommended in baking?
Butter’s high fat content is also what gives baked goods their texture. Margarine, which can contain more water and less fat, may make thin cookies that spread out while baking (and may burn). Butter is also the better choice for frying.
Which butter substitute tastes the most like butter?
Ghee. Ghee is a type of clarified butter with an aromatic and nutty taste. It contains virtually no casein or lactose and is thus a safer choice for people with milk allergy or lactose intolerance. In baked goods for which a strong, buttery flavor is desirable, it can replace butter at a 1:1 ratio.
What butter tastes like real butter?
Finlandia butter has a natural, well-rounded, clean flavor. Most of the evaluators came to the butter tasting thinking that Kerrygold was king and left with a new favorite: Finlandia.
Is Blue Bonnet butter or margarine?
Blue Bonnet is a ConAgra Foods brand of margarine and various bread spreads and baking fats.
Is stick of margarine better for baking?
Butter: Which Is Better For Baking? Margarine and butter can be used interchangeably in baking. Just make sure if a recipe calls for sticks of butter, you use sticks of margarine instead of the spreadable tub or the other way around.