Scientists Just Identified the Best Vegan Butter for Shortbread, and It’s So Obvious

From vegnews.com

A new University of Strathclyde study finds that vegan butter with higher fat content bakes shortbread most like the original, offering insights for more inclusive, dairy-free baking

Butter’s role is pivotal when it comes to baking, and that is especially true in traditional recipes like Scottish shortbread. However, for individuals who are lactose intolerant or prefer vegan options, finding suitable butter alternatives can be challenging. Researchers from the University of Strathclyde delved into this issue by examining various vegan butter substitutes in the context of Scottish shortbread.

“We have a PhD student in the group who is a vegan, and he turns all of our baking habits upside down,” said study author Juliane Simmchen. “One day I bought some vegan butter alternatives, and I thought, ‘This doesn’t look anything like it should.’”

Testing different types of vegan butter

Perplexed by the difference in consistency, Simmchen and her colleagues decided to test these alternatives using the equipment in their lab. They selected three types of vegan butter substitutes with different levels of fat and compared their consistencies and responses to heat. Following those experiments, they moved on to taste testing with actual biscuits.

Malidate Van | Pexels

The researchers gathered a few dozen volunteers to sample shortbread cookies baked with dairy butter and the vegan alternatives. Their goal was to find the vegan butter that produced a biscuit closest to the traditional shortbread, and there was one clear winner. Simmchen recommends choosing a vegan butter with a fat content similar to butter’s typical 80 percent. 

“When comparing the vegan alternatives, the one with the highest fat content gave the most positive results from the testers,” said Simmchen. “It behaved very similar to butter, which also has a high fat content. The one with the lowest fat content made a very different dough. It didn’t bake that well, and was more doughy and less crumbly. Many people strongly disliked it.”​

‘I go for the vegan option’

While Simmchen says she also really likes the traditional Scottish shortbread, she’s begun adapting her recipes with vegan options because they’re more inclusive. “If I can make something of a similar quality and have more people participate, then I go for the vegan option,” Simmchen said.

Recognizing the growing demand for vegan products, traditional brands are also adapting. Walker’s Shortbread, established in 1898 and renowned for its pure butter shortbread, announced plans in 2023 to develop a vegan version of its iconic biscuit. Managing Director Nicky Walker expressed the company’s intent to “move with the times” and make their products “globally accepted,” including catering to vegan consumers.

Canva

Recent studies highlight the health benefits of plant-based oils over traditional dairy butter. Research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025 analysed over three decades of data from more than 200,000 US adults. The findings suggest that substituting a tablespoon of butter daily with plant-based oils can reduce the risk of premature death from all causes and cancer by 17 percent. Lead author Yu Zhang noted, “Our study found that higher butter intake was associated with increased deaths from all causes and cancer, while higher intake of plant-based oils was associated with lower deaths from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

https://vegnews.com/best-vegan-butter-shortbread-study