Baking is often a scary word when you're looking to eat healthier. Baked goods are often packed with sugar, dairy, fats - basically all the things you're supposed to avoid. But there are ways to make baked goods while cutting back on the unhealthier ingredients.

Using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter in your holiday baked goods cuts back on saturated fat, promotes good cholesterol with monounsaturated “healthy” fat, and adds wonderful depth of flavor. That’s a triple whammy!

So how exactly do you bake the healthier way, while using olive oil? We've got you!

Here Are Our Expert Tips For Heart-Healthier Holiday Baking with Olive Oil

- Extra virgin olive oil can replace butter in most baked good recipes by using a 3:4 ratio – 3 parts olive oil is equal to 4 parts butter. For additional help, see our conversion chart here.

- Brownies, cookies, sponge cakes, scones, granola, biscotti, quick breads, and muffins are all ideal for using olive oil as the fat.

- The only time you shouldn’t use olive oil as a butter substitute is when the recipe calls for creaming butter with sugar, as in light, fluffy cakes, and when the fat should stay solid, like in frosting.

- If your recipe calls for vegetable oil or canola oil, use extra virgin olive oil instead! A one-to-one ratio works well.

- Use high quality, fresh pressed extra virgin olive oil for baking. If you wouldn’t use it on your salad, don’t use it on your baked goods! Any olive oil off the grocery shelf could overpower other ingredients and leave an unwanted aftertaste.

- If you don’t want to commit to substituting all fats with olive oil, try using half olive oil and half butter. You’ll still replace loads of saturated fat!

- Bake with flavored evoo for an additional layer of flavor, like using our Lemon Infused Olive Oil in your favorite lemon loaf recipe.

- A mild, fruity or buttery varietal of olive oil works best for baking. Try Sola Stella Extra Virgin Olive Oil for your heart-healthier holiday baking.

Get to Healthier Holiday Baking!

Now that you know all the great ways to incorporate olive oil into your baking (aka the healthier choice) you're ready to get into the kitchen!

Looking for recipe ideas? Try our Lemon Ricotta Cannolis with Pistachio or our Olive Oil Sugar Cookies to get you into the healthier holiday spirit. Both of these recipes are made better using our award winning olive oil (and even some balsamic!).