Question about baking with butter vs. margarine...

A

andreaindc

Well-known member
It seems cookie recipes in particular will sometimes allow for using either butter or margarine, or even call for margarine specifically. I always bake with butter, but I'm left wondering what the different result would be using margarine and if there's ever an advantage to using margarine over butter. Any thoughts?

 
I don't bake from scratch often, but when I do I use unsalted butter

for everything. I'm curious as to what recipes call for margarine? Pardon my lack of baking knowledge...

 
I've used both and here's my take on it

When I want a really crispy edge and "harder" cookie I use butter- usually unsalted but sometimes salted. If I am making a chewy or soft cookie I use margarine.

Flavor-wise I have to say I don't notice a big difference. You would think the margarine would give sort of a "fake" flavor like you get when you spread it on toast vs the flavor of butter but in cookies it tastes fine.

 
if you do use margarine, don't bake with the light/low fat types, as the water content

is so high it can throw your recipe right off. i've always used butter as i can't bear the plastic taste of margarine, but as cathy said there isn't a huge taste difference in baking. that is unless you were doing a pound cake or shortbread, something where the actual butter flavor is important.

 
Same here Cathy. If I use salted butter, I cut down on the salt in the recipe.

I have started using 1/2 margarine or shortening and 1/2 butter in some recipes that called for all butter if I want the cookies a bit softer. I think I notice a difference.

 
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