Can olive oil be used in baking?

In confectionery the main ingredients are some kind of fat and sugar.

The traditionally used fats have been lard, butter, and more recently margarine. The first two are of animal origin, so they contain many saturated fats; and margarine is of plant origin, but has been processed, so it is generally made up of trans fats, which are quite infamous for their unhealthy effects.

In conclusion, none of the traditional fats in confectionery are especially beneficial for the health.

However, either because consumption habits have become healthier, or because the general quality of olive oils has improved a lot in recent years, the fact is that the use of olive oil in confectionery has been progressively increasing.

We'll give you some tips so you can start successfully substituting butter with olive oil:

• Since butter is usually 85% fat and 15% water, and olive oil is almost 100% fat, to substitute butter for oil, you should reduce the amount of oil by 15-20% compared to what is indicated in the recipe.
• We recommend that you only partially substitute the butter the first few times till you find the right measurement.
• There are sweets and desserts in which the substitution gives a very good result: biscuits, muffins, sweets with almonds and hazelnuts, chocolate, etc. You can also use olive oil to make ice cream.
• In the same way that there are recipes in which it gives good results, there are also those in which it is not very advisable to use it, such as croissants and puff pastry.
• In general, when baking with olive oil, be sure to add a few minutes to the baking time and reduce the heat by a few degrees.
• We recommend that you use olive oils or extra virgin olive oils of varieties with sweet and mild flavors, and try to avoid bitter varieties. That is why the varieties arbequina and empeltre are the most suitable to successfully substitute butter.