Whether sweet or savory, avocado could fit right in! Some of our favorite menus that include avocadoes are guacamole dips representing the salty dishes and a smoothie blend for drinks that are usually sweet. It’s such a versatile fruit, and you can practically use it everywhere!
What you don’t know is that avocadoes can also be used to make yummy out-of-the-oven recipes, such as brownies. It’s a shocker that avocado can be used in a sweet treat, but its texture and creaminess are good for desserts.
If you are following a baking recipe that needs avocado, but you currently don’t have it and are rushing to finish your sweets, here are some of the best substitutes we recommend!
- Butter
- Pumpkin or Butternut Squash
- Greek Yogurt
- Macadamia Nut Butter
- Banana
- Cashew Nut Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Tofu
- Pesto
Of course, if you are feeling unlucky and still unable to find anything suitable from the above, read on as we have tabulated the full comprehensive list of Avocado Substitutes below.
15 Best Substitutes For Avocado
Everybody can’t deny that they don’t want the bright green fruit missing, especially the bakers with a recipe that calls for a piece of avocado.
Unlike cooking, baking pies, slices of bread, or treats requires excellent attention to ingredient measurements, as you don’t want a watery pie or stiff bread. You don’t want a failed baking session, but avocadoes are usually not as accessible as any other fruit, whether in your home or the market.
We recommend butter as the best substitute for avocado in baking as avocados are known to taste “buttery” like butter. Of course the only challenge is the high calories count in butter.
If you can’t find both, check out the rest of the substitutes below.
Make sure to read their descriptions, too, as we added a quick guide on how they can match your recipes.
Butter
In baking, it’s common to replace butter with avocadoes for a more nutritious and natural treat. Therefore, you can have butter as an alternative for avocadoes too! It’s also easy to use this substitute as you don’t have to tweak any measurements.
If your recipe needs a cup of avocadoes, you can add a cup of butter to replace the said missing ingredient.
Butter might be one of the best substitutes for avocado if you don’t mind adding a bit more to the calorie count of your baked goodies.
One cup of butter contains a whopping 1600 calories, and avocado of the same amount only has around 360 calories. It’s a big difference, so if you’re a health junkie who wants to bake a treat for a cheat day, you might prefer something else on this list.
Pumpkin or Butternut Squash
Either pumpkin or butternut squash has the same taste and texture as avocadoes, earning a spot on this list. The three are all rich and creamy, especially when mashed.
Even if you’re switching avocado with either of the two, you will not lose the health benefits that avocadoes can give. Since pumpkin and squash are forms of vegetables, expect that your sweets will be filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s being healthy while enjoying sugar!
To use pumpkin or butternut squash, you can have it mashed or pureed before you dump it in your recipe. Use it just like how you would prepare avocado for your baking recipe.
Greek Yogurt
Besides the smoothness and richness, Greek yogurt resembles the consistency of mashed avocado. This substitute works just like butter, minus the fat and calories of the latter.
It is offered in different variants, wherein you can choose the best one that matches your bread’s flavor. We also love how it is packed with protein, and you can have it in fat-free versions if you prefer.
Greek yogurt is the best substitute for baked goods that should come out dense after baking, such as sweetbreads. It’s best for giving moisture and structure to the bread you are baking.
The measurement is easy too. A cup of avocadoes is equal to a cup of Greek yogurt.
Macadamia Nut Butter
Different types of nut butter make an excellent option if an avocado is currently out of your touch. Not only is the alternative rich in protein, but it’s also delicious!
It’s relatively easy to make macadamia nut butter. Crush your nuts, stir it a little bit, and have your finished product, nut butter.
Go for macadamia if you’re swapping out the avocado in your ingredient list. To add, it’s not only suitable for baking as it also works as a spread or a dip.
The only disadvantage of the alternative and why this is low on the list is that it’s usually not available in marketplaces. It’s a challenging ingredient to find, even harder than an avocado.
Banana
Another fruit that made it into this list is the banana. It’s the best alternative for non-demanding baking stuff like pancakes and waffles.
Even if mashed bananas are easily one of the best substitutes, it’s not in the top three because there is no exact measurement you can refer to when using bananas as an alternative.
You can only eyeball your recipe whether it’s still too dry. If that’s the case, add more mashed bananas. Please be cautious, as adding too much can make the batter too watery.
Add the mashed banana slowly in tiny amounts, and you would be good to go!
Cashew Nut Butter
Another variant of nut butter is the cashew version. Unlike macadamias, cashews are a tad easier to find.
Cashew nut butter shares the same creamy consistency and taste as avocados, and it’s a preferred ingredient to use when you are missing avocados.
The downside is that you’d have to whip it up from your kitchen using a food processor, and it can cost a lot of time making the nut butter. If you have stocks of nut butter, then that would be better!
To swap out the avocadoes with cashew nut butter, use the same amount of avocado the recipe asks for when using this rich and creamy nut butter.
Cream Cheese
For the texture, cream cheese is an excellent soft cheese to stand in place of an avocado. Although it has the same texture, cream cheese might change its form under the heat of your oven.
This substitute is very risky to use, except if you already know how cream cheese works if you put it in the oven.
The only instance wherein cream cheese would be the best stand-in for avocado is if you’re using it for the toppings, frostings, creams, or somewhere that doesn’t involve exposure to heat.
Another problem with this alternative is that you might prefer things to be dairy-free. If that’s the case, stay away from using cream cheese.
Have you decided that cream cheese would still be the best choice for the baking job? For the substitution process, if the recipe asks for a cup of avocado, only put half of the cream cheese.
Tofu
Tofu might seem to stick out like a sore thumb on this list, but its creaminess is worth mentioning! Since tofu is usually tasteless by default, it’s suitable for any dish, whether savory or sweet. You’ll be the one to create the flavor for your tofu.
Like avocadoes, tofu is a superb addition to dishes, specifically for the same nutrition benefits and texture.
This substitute can work in some recipes and is the best alternative for smoothies. It’s a tricky alternative to use, so if you have the previously mentioned ones, don’t attempt to use tofu if you’re not knowledgeable about its properties. Still want to push through with it anyway? We recommend the silken tofu variety for better chances of success in your attempt.
Pesto
Another peculiar thing that made its appearance on the list is pesto. First of all, everyone’s impression of pesto’s taste is something along the lines of savory. You might think that that reason alone will make an unusual combination with your cakes or pieces of bread.
We added pesto to this list since it has the same flavor as mashed avocado. It is oily and mushy, just like the fruit.
There are numerous factors why pesto is not the best alternative: it can stain your batter with a green color, and its pine nuts and basil can change the flavor of your treats.
Again, it’s better to use this if you’re making savory bread that needs a pipe of cream and toppings.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are entirely different from avocado, as we all know. As the name suggests, they’re seeds, while avocado is straight-up fruit. However, if you’re adding avocado for the nutritional value, then chia seeds can be an alternative!
Like avocado, chia seeds are packed with fiber, protein, and omega-3 fats, which are healthy for the body. You can try mixing chia seeds into the batter, but remember that these are seeds and are not smooth like avocadoes are!
Just like the cream cheese alternative, chia seed is only workable when used as a topping for your baked loaves of bread.
Peanut Butter
This one is still a variant of nut better. Other than peanut butter, you can also push your luck by using almond nut butter or practically any variety of nut butter you can find. These nuts differ in flavor, but they can all be used as a replacement!
Keep in mind, though, that since nuts’ flavor profile varies from one nut to another, other kinds of nut butter might not achieve the flavor of avocado like how macadamia and cashew do.
Olive oil
If your baking recipe needs avocado oil and not the avocado fruit, then olive oil can be used as a substitute.
Take into account that olive oil has a more intense flavor and lower smoke point than avocado oil.
Applesauce
Banana is one of the leading substitutes in this list, and bananas can be further substituted for homemade or store-bought applesauce. Applesauce makes chewy baked treats as a product.
However, you must avoid adding too much of this liquid ingredient as it can cause your batter to be too runny. If you push through with a watery batter, your treats will become too dense and might be unevenly cooked at worst.
Shortening
Avocadoes, specifically the mashed ones, have a creamy and smooth texture. Shortenings have the same quality as that, and not to mention that it is also high in fat like the avocado!
Your sweets will end up moist if you use this alternative.
Eggs
Eggs can also be used in a recipe that needs mashed avocado. One-fourth cup of mashed avocado equals one whole egg for your baked goods. It gives the same final product as the shortening, where the treats become rich and moist.
The main difference between eggs and shortening is that the former can provide additional health benefits, making it a better fit as an alternative for an avocado packed with nutritious stuff! You can also use avocado if you’re missing your eggs.