No Butter, No Problem
Running out of butter usually feels like a disaster when cookie cravings hit, but the truth is, you don’t need it to whip up something tasty. Plus, you might be surprised at how chewy or crispy things turn out without it—no one will miss the butter once every crumb has been wiped off the plate. So instead of stressing about a missing stick, grab what you’ve got and get mixing, as here are 20 cookies you can make without butter.
The Bite-sized, Cookie Version of Carrot Cake by Sugar Spun Run
1. Olive Oil Sugar Cookies
Unlike traditional butter-based sugar cookies known for their crisp texture, olive oil variants create distinctly softer, chewier results. This Mediterranean-inspired adaptation features oil-based dough that proves remarkably versatile, readily embracing classic flavor additions from bright lemon zest to smooth vanilla.
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies by Dished
2. Oil-Based Snickerdoodles
The humble snickerdoodle, born from the German Schneckennudel pastry, finds fresh expression through oil-based innovation. Modern bakers craft these cookies with vegetable and coconut oils, preserving the characteristic chewiness while offering a lighter alternative to butter versions.
Snickerdoodles (no butter recipe) by cookwithmee
3. Almond Biscotti
When medieval Prato faced the challenge of creating long-lasting provisions, the ingenious solution emerged: a twice-baked, almond-studded bread that would evolve into today's beloved biscotti. Today, modern versions brilliantly achieve their signature crunch by replacing butter with vegetable oils and almond milk.
The Best Homemade Almond Biscotti | Just Like Grandma Used to Make - Cookie Corner by Cookie Corner
4. Carrot Cake Cookies
Think of these as carrot cake’s cool little cousin—just without the butter. Back in WWII, when sugar was rationed, carrots stepped in as a natural sweetener. That same trick still works today, giving these cookies a dense, chewy bite. And a swirl of vegan cream cheese frosting seals the deal with that classic tangy finish.
Amazing Carrot Cake Cookies by Preppy Kitchen
5. Hazelnut Chocolate Cookies
Nutty, chocolatey, and melt-in-your-mouth—these cookies tick every box. Hazelnut meal gives them tenderness, garbanzo flour adds strength, and plant-based milk pulls everything together. Add in cocoa, dark chocolate chips, and a splash of vanilla or hazelnut liqueur, and you’ll have bakery-level cookies baked right in your kitchen.
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies | MyKitchen101en by MyKitchen101en
6. Coconut Macaroons
At their simplest, coconut macaroons combine just shredded coconut, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Yet this humble mix transforms through a remarkable process, as coconut breaks down into a smooth butter before binding with sweet syrup to achieve its characteristic chewiness.
Coconut Macaroons by El Mundo Eats
7. Maple Walnut Drop Cookies
Imagine biting into a cookie that’s tender, nutty, and just sweet enough. That’s the magic here. Maple syrup sets the stage, walnuts bring balance, and cinnamon adds warmth. Imperfectionally shaped but completely delicious, these cookies are the kind you’ll keep reaching for.
8. Fig And Honey Cookies
While traditional butter cookies tend to snap and crumble with each bite, these cookies deliberately break the rules. By swapping butter for coconut oil and incorporating honey's natural moisture-retaining properties, they achieve an irresistibly chewy, doughy center.
Italian Fig Cookies by Laura in the Kitchen
9. Shortbread Cookies With Vegetable Oil
When wartime butter shortages threatened beloved baking traditions, resourceful cooks discovered that vegetable oil could revolutionize shortbread cookies. The simple combination of flour, powdered sugar, oil, salt, and optional flavorings yielded a distinctly different treat, which was lighter and crisper.
Cookies recipe with vegetable oil. Quick and easy recipe. Tasty cookie dough recipe. by DIY club
10. Jewish Oil-Based Mandel Bread
At the heart of Jewish Mandel Bread lies vegetable oil, which blends harmoniously with eggs, vanilla extract, and a precise mixture of flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. This twice-baked cookie delivers a softer bite than traditional biscotti—a characteristic that traces back to its Ashkenazi origins.
How to make Mandel Bread by Courtney's Sweets
11. Sesame Tahini Crisps
Where butter once ruled the cookie realm, tahini steps in to revolutionize these remarkable crisps. Its sesame paste converts traditional expectations, delivering a chewy rather than crisp texture, while its distinctive Middle Eastern character introduces a nutty, subtly bitter depth.
Easy Tahini Cookies (Vegan & GF) | Minimalist Baker Recipes by Minimalist Baker
12. Oil-Based Gingersnaps
The science behind oil-based gingersnaps reveals why they're distinctly softer and chewier than their crispy, butter-based relatives: it's all in the choice of canola oil. These tender treats combine cinnamon with ginger, a flavor pairing that dates back to medieval Europe when the spice trade changed cookie-making forever.
13. Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies prove you don’t need butter to nail that classic texture. Olive oil steps in, creating golden edges with soft, gooey centers inside. Use a mild extra-virgin variety and you’ll never guess the secret swap hiding in every bite.
Olive Oil Choc Chip Sea Salt Cookies by Good Chef Bad Chef
14. Oil-Based Lemon Cookies
Traditional butter-based lemon cookies can be limiting, but light olive oil revolutionizes these treats with remarkable results. That’s because the oil creates an irresistibly soft, cake-like interior while maintaining a delicately crisp exterior. And though the dough spreads faster, the classic 11-13 minute baking time ensures perfect results.
Lemon Cookies Recipe | Lemon Thumbprint Cookies by The Cooking Foodie
15. Almond Meringues
Creating an exceptionally light dessert might seem impossible without modern ingredients, yet 17th-century European bakers discovered the perfect solution in almond meringues. For this, just a few ingredients—egg whites, sugar, and a little cream of tartar—whip up into something impossibly airy and crisp.
Almond Meringue Cookies | SUNNY YUMMY EP.19 by SUNNY YUMMY
16. No-Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies
In just 30 minutes, you can create irresistible chocolate treats without ever turning on the oven. These classic no-bake cookies combine bubbling butter, milk, and sugar with cocoa powder, then welcome peanut butter and oats into the mix. After a brief cooling period, the cookies set into perfectly firm, chocolatey delights.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Recipe by The Cooking Foodie
17. Chinese Almond Cookies
The foundation of Chinese almond cookies lies in their unique composition of neutral cooking oil and almond flour, which work together to create a textural experience of tender crumbliness. Besides, these treats carry deep cultural significance as symbols of good fortune during the Chinese New Year.
Chinese Almond Cookies | MyKitchen101en by MyKitchen101en
18. Almond Flour Shortbread
From the first crumb, almond flour shortbread delights with its distinctly light, crisp texture and subtle chewiness. Plus, coconut oil melds seamlessly with almond flour and sweeteners like maple syrup, while additions of vanilla and almond extract create endless flavor possibilities.
Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies by Coconut Mama
19. Coconut Oil Gingersnaps
Think of these cookies as tradition with a twist. Coconut oil gives them crisp edges and soft centers, while molasses and baking soda make the texture just right. On top of that, the warm spice mix feels familiar, and the tropical hint of coconut makes them feel fresh and modern.
20. Banana Walnut Cookies
Banana walnut cookies bring together the natural sweetness of bananas with the crunch of toasted walnuts, creating a soft, chewy treat. Perfect for an afternoon snack, these cookies balance comforting flavors with just the right touch of nutty texture.
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