The best vegan butter

Butter is one of those common ingredients in our kitchens that we all use frequently for a number of different meals and snacks. But if you've recently made the switch to Veganism, butter is something you'll have to ditch as it is made with cow's milk.

Thankfully, there are now plenty of reasonably priced and delicious alternatives to butter so you don't need to go without your morning buttered toast, cakes and more.

Vegan butter UK

In this article:

Pure Dairy Free Buttery Spread

Flora Plant B+tter

Vitalite Dairy Free Spread

Stork Original Baking Block

Vegan Gold Butter

Biona Olive Oil Spread

Naturli Vegan Block

We spoke to Siobhan Dolan, PR Manager at Viva!, the UK's leading vegan campaigning charityto find out everything you need to know about vegan butter.

How is vegan butter made?

Vegan butter is often created from a combination of the following oils - coconut, sunflower, rapeseed or palm. The oil is melted and blended with salt and various types of emulsifiers (which helps to bind the ingredients together) then left to set. Once the oils’ cool the butter is then ready to use in baking, frying or spreading, just like traditional butter.

Is vegan butter just margarine?

By definition, margarine is an emulsion of fat and water – so technically perhaps it is. However, today’s vegan butters boast significantly more flavour, health benefits and versatility than their outdated counterparts. Brands like Naturli have paved the way with their vegan butter - creating a delicious creamy, salty spread capable of converting diehard dairy butter lovers.

What should I look out for when buying vegan butter?

It may seem obvious but watch out for dairy! Many brands label their products with vegan sounding ingredients such as ‘olive oil spread’ or ‘sunflower spread’, however these items often still include milk in the ingredients – so be sure to read the ingredients list and watch out for ‘milk’ or ‘buttermilk’ in bold. We advise avoiding palm oil wherever possible. Some vegan butter products claim to use sustainable palm oil. The term ‘sustainable palm oil’ has been greeted with cautious optimism as concerns have been raised about the monitoring and enforcement of standards for certification. If in doubt, visit the manufacture's websites and read their policy.

The best vegan butter to buy

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections.

Does vegan butter need to be refrigerated?

This depends on what preservatives have been used to produce the butter. We recommend to play it safe and keep your vegan butter in the fridge. Many plant-based butters can be frozen too, just check the label for guidance.

Is peanut butter vegan?

Traditionally peanut butter is vegan as it is usually made from nuts, oil and salt. Watch out for some of the nut butters mixed with other ingredients as sometimes they can include milk – check the ingredients and look for milk in bold. Cheaper peanut butters often use palm oil, sugar and salt – if you’re looking for a more ethical, low-sugar option you can try using an organic or Fair Trade brand instead.

Is cocoa butter vegan?

Raw cocoa butter is vegan as it comes from a plant not an animal. Despite this, there are other ethical issues surrounding the production of cocoa butter which consumers should consider before purchasing. The vast majority of cocoa comes from Ghana and Ivory Coast. These countries are responsible for producing about 70 per cent of the world’s cocoa. Sadly, many farmers working in this industry are living below the global poverty line and there have been many reports of child labour and slavery within the industry. To avoid these issues look out for products with the Fair Trade label.

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