Oils are plant-based fats that remain liquid at room temperature and provide various benefits when used for baking. They help with lubrication, dough handling, shelf life, texture, flavor, moisture, and creating a tender, airy final product. Popular baking oils include olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, and palm oil. Each oil has a distinct flavor and smoke point - the temperature at which it burns - making some better suited for certain baking applications than others.

1. Baking with Oils
Lin Carson, PhD

2. What Are Oils?
Oils are fats that hold a liquid
state at room temperature and
are derived from a plant source.
1
They are low in saturated fats,
high in monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats, and void
of cholesterol.
USES: BAKING, FRYING, COATING

3. Why Bake With Oils?
Oils help with:
✓ Lubrication
✓ Dough handling and expansion
✓ Shelf life
2
✓ Texture and flavor
✓ Moisture
✓ Tenderization and aeration

4. Popular Oils
Oils have either a high or low smoke point—or the
temperature at which the oil burns.
In the baking industry, there are a few widely
used oils and some speciality ones. Which one
you use depends on what you’re baking or the
desired effects.
3

5. Olive Oil4
In baking: can be used as a substitute
for butter, and will add a strong, rich
flavor.
Derived from the pressing of olives.
Extra virgin olive oil is from the first
pressing of cold olives, while pure
olive oil is a blend of refined olive oil
and extra virgin olive oil.
SMOKE POINT: HIGH & LOW

6. Canola Oil5
In baking: Perfect for making cakes,
muffins, brownies, cookies, quick
breads and box mixes. It adds flavor,
mositnes, texture and tenderness.
Usually extracted by a solvent from
Rapeseed or Canola seeds.
SMOKE POINT: HIGH

7. Coconut Oil6
In baking: Very light oil, adds subtle
flavoring. It can be used as a butter
replacement and is popular in vegan
recipes. High in saturated fat, coconut
oil imparts a sweet flavor.
Pressed from the fruit of a coconut
palm tree. There are four grades:
refined - deodorized, refined, white
oil, and industrial oil.
SMOKE POINT: LOW

8. Corn Oil7
In baking: Has a rich taste and
nutritional value. It’s often found in
salad dressings, chips, sauces, bread,
cookies, cereals and margarine. Adds
aeration and tenderness to cakes,
cookies and biscuits.
Extracted from the germ of the
corn kernel.
SMOKE POINT: HIGH

9. Sunflower Oil8
In baking: Mild tasting, it has a similar
make-up as extra-virgin olive oil.
Nutritionally, it’s high in vitamin E and
low in saturated fat.
Extracted from the germ of the
sunflower seed.
SMOKE POINT: LOW

10. Soybean Oil9
In baking: it has a clean natural taste
and enhances natural flavors in
products. It mixes well with other fats
and oils. Works well as an emulsifying
agent but it has a short shelf-life.
Made from the press of soybean.
SMOKE POINT: HIGH

11. Peanut Oil10
In baking: Favored for frying over
baking, due to its distinct texture and
flavor.
Made from peanuts.
SMOKE POINT: HIGH

12. Palm Oil11
In baking: is a non-PHO alternative
that doesn’t sacrifice quality or add
flavor. An excellent substitute for
butter, it works well in breads, cookies,
and especially whipping cream.
Extracted from the oil from the
mesocarp and oil from the inside
kernel. The mesocarp of palm fruit
contains about 56% to 70% edible
oil when fully ripened.
SMOKE POINT: HIGH

13. Find all your baking answers on
BAKERpedia.com