Herb-Infused Butter vs. Oil: Which Should You Use?
Your infusion base changes how a recipe turns out. Here is a quick guide to picking the right one.
Butter
Best for: cookies, brownies, cakes, frosting, pie, sauces, mashed potatoes, and anything spread on toast. Butter adds rich flavor and helps baked goods brown. Clarified butter (ghee) infuses best and keeps longer.
Coconut Oil
Best for: gummies, chocolate, peanut butter cups, and warm drinks. It is solid at room temperature, so chocolate sets well, and it is dairy-free.
Olive Oil
Best for: dressings, dips, pesto, roasted vegetables, and drizzling over finished dishes. Use it where you would normally use olive oil, at low to medium heat.
Tincture
Best for: fat-free drinks like juice, tea, or lemonade, and for adding a few drops to gummies. It mixes into liquids without floating.
Quick Rules
- Swap infused butter or oil 1:1 for the regular version in most recipes.
- Use low heat. Add infused fats at the end of cooking when you can.
- You can mix infused and regular butter in one recipe to make it milder.
Storage: Infused butter: refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 6 months. Infused coconut or olive oil: refrigerate up to 2 months. Tincture: cool, dark place for a very long time.
