🫒 Oils & Fats

Can You Substitute Ghee for Butter? Complete Guide & Ratios

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Quick Answer

Yes, you can substitute ghee for butter and butter for ghee in most recipes using a 1:1 ratio. Ghee works better for high-heat cooking, while butter is better for baking and spreading. The main difference is ghee's higher smoke point and lack of milk solids.

Best Substitutes

Butter for Ghee

1:1

Direct substitution with some cooking considerations

Best for:

bakinglow-heat cookingspreadingsauces

Butter contains milk solids that ghee doesn't have, which can affect high-heat cooking

Ghee for Butter

1:1

Excellent substitute with higher smoke point

Best for:

high-heat cookingsautéingroastingfrying

Ghee has a higher smoke point and won't burn as easily as butter

Clarified Butter

1:1

The closest substitute to ghee

Best for:

all cooking methodsbakinghigh-heat cooking

Clarified butter is essentially ghee with different processing

Cooking Tips

  • 💡For high-heat cooking (above 350°F), use ghee instead of butter to prevent burning
  • 💡In baking, butter often works better than ghee due to its milk solids content
  • 💡When substituting ghee for butter in cookies, the texture may be slightly different
  • 💡For sautéing vegetables, ghee provides better flavor and won't burn as easily
  • 💡In pie crusts, butter's milk solids help create flakiness that ghee might not provide
  • 💡For spreading on bread, butter is more practical than ghee at room temperature
  • 💡In Indian cooking, ghee is preferred over butter for authentic flavor

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Learn if you can substitute ghee for butter and vice versa. Complete guide with ratios, cooking tips, and when each works best in recipes.