I have been making butter substitutes of various sorts for a couple of decades. I first made one years ago when I couldn’t find a commercial vegan margarine hard enough for croissants, and sweet enough for buttercream. The fact is, as marvelous as many of the commercial products are, they are too salty for my tastes, and certainly too salty for an excellent buttercream. When you make your own, you can adjust the level of salt for different applications, as well as make it harder or softer. Want a butter that “curls” with a knife? Make the hard version. Want a whipped, soft one? Add a little more oil and process at a high speed in the blender. So many variations are possible, and we’re not even talking about adding flavors. My recipe for butter has evolved over the years. One day, while surfing the net, I came across another vegan butter recipe that added a teaspoon of vinegar. I tried adding it, and found that it added that “cultured” butter taste missing from vegan versions. My recipe here therefore includes that, but it can be omitted if desired. Below, you’ll find the basic recipe, followed by some easy variations.