Best Type of Butter for Baking: Achieve Flaky, Rich Results Every Time

Butter is a dairy product made from churned milk or cream. The churning process separates the butterfat (solids) from the milk (liquid). The butter we buy is most often made from cow’s milk, although other types are available made from sheep, goat, or buffalo milk. Here are the best types of butter for baking at bakers choice.

What is Butter?

Butter is a fatty dairy product made from churning buttermilk or cream. It consists primarily of milk fat, water, and some milk proteins. 

There are several types of butter depending on the processing method, milk source, and added flavors. Here are the best types of butter for baking:

• Salted butter: Salt is added as a preservative and to add flavor.
• Unsalted butter: No salt is added and is often used in baking and desserts where the precise amount of salt is important.
• Fresh cream butter: Made from pasteurized fresh cream.
• Cultured cream butter: Made from cream that has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria, giving it a more complex and citrusy flavor.
• Organic butter: Made from the milk of grass-fed cows according to organic farming standards.
• Ghee: A type of butter from which the solids and milk have been removed, leaving pure fat. It has a high smoke point and a rich flavor.
• Margarine: A butter substitute made from vegetable oils.

Best type of butter for baking

Choosing the right butter plays a major role in the success and taste of your baking. Here are the best types of butter for baking:

Unsalted butter:

• This is the ideal choice for most baking recipes.
• It gives you complete control over the amount of salt added to your recipe.
• It allows the natural flavors of the other ingredients to shine through.

Salted butter:

• It can be used in some baking recipes, especially if the recipe doesn’t call for a lot of salt.
• You should pay attention to the amount of salt in the recipe to ensure you don’t end up with a salty final product.

European butter (high fat):

• It has a higher fat content (usually 82-85%) compared to standard American butter (around 80%).
• It produces baked goods with a richer, softer texture.

Organic butter:

• Made from the milk of grass-fed cows that have not been exposed to any chemicals or hormones.
• It may have a richer, more natural flavor.

What type of butter is best for cookies?

For cookies, unsalted butter is the best type of butter for baking. Here’s why:

• Control the amount of salt: Using unsalted butter gives you complete control over the amount of salt you add to your cookies. Salt enhances other flavors in cookies and balances sweetness, but it’s important to add the right amount. Salted butter contains varying amounts of salt depending on the brand, which can result in cookies that are too salty or too salty.
• Pure Butter Flavor: Unsalted butter allows the pure butter flavor to shine through in the cookie without the salt flavor interfering. This is especially important if you’re using high-quality butter with a superior flavor.
• Recipe Consistency: Most good cookie recipes are designed using unsalted butter, with the required amount of salt specified separately. This ensures consistent results every time you bake.

What is the best type of butter for making bread?

• Salted Butter: If this is the only butter you have on hand, you can use it, but you’ll need to reduce the amount of salt added to the recipe to compensate for the salt in the butter. A general rule of thumb is to reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon per 1/2 cup (113 grams) of salted butter. However, the salt content may vary between different brands.
• European Butter: It has a higher fat content (usually 82-86%) and a lower water content than standard American butter (about 80% fat). This can result in richer, more tender bread. Some professional bakers prefer it for pastries and layered breads like croissants.
• Cultured Butter: It undergoes a slight fermentation process before churning, giving it a more complex, slightly acidic flavor. It can add a distinctive depth to some types of bread.

How do you store butter?

Butter can be stored in several ways to maintain its quality for as long as possible:

• Ideal Method: Keep butter in its original packaging or in an airtight container in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the refrigerator door where the temperature is warmer and more fluctuating.
• Storage Life: Butter can last in the refrigerator for between one week and two months past the production date printed on the package, depending on the type of butter and storage conditions.
• Additional Tip: If you have opened the original packaging, place the butter in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container to prevent it from absorbing odors from other foods in the refrigerator.
• Proper Conditions: A small amount of salted butter can be left at room temperature for a day or two if the room temperature is below 21-25°C (70-77°F) and it is protected from light and air. Salt helps preserve it.
• Protection: Use a butter dish with a tight lid or an airtight container to protect the butter from air, light, and contamination.
• Important Notes: It is not recommended to leave unsalted or whipped butter at room temperature as it spoils more quickly. In hot climates, it’s best to refrigerate all types of butter.
• Method: Wrap the butter tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in an airtight freezer bag or freezer container. This helps prevent freezer burn and odor absorption.
• Storage Life: Butter can be frozen for six to nine months (for unsalted butter) and up to one year (for salted butter) without losing much of its quality.
• Thaw: To thaw frozen butter, refrigerate it overnight. It’s not recommended to thaw butter at room temperature or in the microwave, as this may affect its texture.

The best butters for both eating and baking

• European butter: Considered the best type of butter for baking, it features a high fat content, creamy texture, and rich flavor. Escherie butter and Irish Kerrygold butter are considered excellent varieties.
• Organic butter: Made from the milk of grass-fed cows, giving it a natural, rich flavor.
• Flavored butter: Such as garlic and herb butter or chocolate butter, it adds a distinctive flavor when spread on bread.
• Unsalted butter: Preferred by most bakers because it gives them complete control over the amount of salt in a recipe. Its high purity also makes it ideal for delicate recipes such as cakes and pastries.
• Salted butter: Suitable for baking that doesn’t require a high level of salt, it can enhance the flavor in some recipes such as biscuits. It typically contains about 1-2% salt. Grass-fed butter: This is a good choice for baking and cooking, as it contains a higher percentage of healthy fats like omega-3.
• Ghee (Indian ghee): It is free of water and proteins and has a high smoke point, making it excellent for cooking at high temperatures.

What is better for baking: salted or unsalted butter/margarine?

In baking, unsalted butter is generally considered the best choice. Here’s why:

• Salt Control: When using unsalted butter, you have complete control over the amount of salt in your recipe. This is especially important in baking, as salt can affect gluten structure and the balance of flavors. The amount of salt in salted butter varies between brands, which can lead to inconsistent results in your baked goods.
• Pure Butter Flavor: Unsalted butter allows the natural flavor of butter to shine through in your finished product without the salt flavor interfering.
• Specific Recipes: Many baking recipes specify the type of butter called for. If no butter type is specified, it’s generally safe to use unsalted butter.

What’s the Main Difference Between Salted Butter and Unsalted Butter?

• The main difference between salted and unsalted butter is the salt content.
• Salted butter: Contains added salt, which acts as a preservative and gives it a slightly salty flavor. The amount of salt varies between brands.
• Unsalted butter: Contains no added salt, giving it a pure, creamy butter flavor.

When to Use Unsalted Butter?

• When baking: Unsalted butter is preferred in most baking recipes. This is because the amount of salt in salted butter varies between brands, which can lead to inconsistent baked goods. By using unsalted butter, you can precisely control the amount of salt added to a recipe. Additionally, unsalted butter allows for a pure butter flavor that shines through in some baked goods, such as butter cakes and cookies.
• When cooking: Unsalted butter gives you complete control over the saltiness of your dish. You can add salt as desired to balance the other ingredients. This is especially important in dishes that rely on the natural flavors of other ingredients.
• When pure butter flavor is most important: Sometimes, you want to highlight the sweet, creamy flavor of the butter itself. In these cases, unsalted butter is the best choice.

When to Use Salted Butter?

Salted butter is used in the following situations:

• For direct spreading: Salted butter is ideal for spreading on toast, pancakes, or grilled corn, as the salt adds extra flavor and enhances the buttery taste.
• In cooking: It can be used in many savory dishes, such as sautéing vegetables, making sauces, or basting meat and poultry before grilling, as the salt in it contributes to the seasoning of the food.
• In some baked goods: Although unsalted butter is the preferred choice in most baking recipes due to its precise salt control, some recipes that don’t require a high salt content can use salted butter, but consider reducing the amount of salt added to the recipe.
• As a preservative: Salt acts as a natural preservative, so salted butter lasts slightly longer than unsalted butter.

How to Brown Butter?

• Cut the butter into small, even cubes to melt evenly.
• Melt the butter: Place the butter in a pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan or stir continuously until the butter is completely melted.
• Bubbling and foaming stage: After melting, the butter will begin to bubble and foam will appear on the surface. This is normal, as the water in the butter evaporates. Continue cooking and stirring gently.
• Color and aroma change: You will notice the foam begin to subside, and the butter will begin to turn golden. At this stage, a distinctive nutty aroma will begin to emerge.
• Monitoring browning: Pay close attention to the butter at this stage, as it can burn quickly. Continue stirring and scrape up any solid brown bits that form on the bottom of the pan; these are what give it its distinctive flavor.
• Achieve desired color: When the butter is deep golden brown and a strong nutty aroma is released, remove the pan from the heat immediately.
• Stop cooking: Pour the browned butter directly into a heatproof bowl. This stops the cooking process and prevents it from burning due to the residual heat of the pan.

What is Clarified Butter?

Clarified butter is butter from which the milk solids and water have been removed. The result is a clear, yellow butter that can be heated to higher temperatures before it burns.

FAQ

What is the best type of butter for baking muffins?

Unsalted butter is the best choice for baking muffins. Here’s why:

• Greater control over flavor: Unsalted butter gives you the ability to control the amount of salt in your recipe, ensuring the perfect balance of flavors.
• Pure butter flavor: The naturally sweet flavor of unsalted butter allows it to shine through in your muffins without the interference of added salt.
• Predictable results: Because there isn’t a fixed amount of salt in salted butter (it varies between brands), using unsalted butter ensures more consistent results every time you bake.

What type of butter is better for baking?

Bakers typically prefer using unsalted butter in baking recipes. Here are some reasons why:

• Salt Control: Unsalted butter allows you complete control over the amount of salt in your recipe. This is especially important in baking, as salt can affect the gluten structure and flavor of the final product.
• Purity of Flavor: Unsalted butter gives a pure, creamy butter flavor without any interference from salt. This allows the other flavors in your recipe to shine through.
• Consistency: The amount of salt in salted butter can vary between brands and even between batches of the same product. Using unsalted butter ensures consistent salt content every time you bake.

What butter do professional chefs use?

• Unsalted butter: This is the most versatile option and is used for most purposes, especially in baking and desserts, as it allows the cook to precisely control the amount of salt.
• Salted butter: This butter is used to add extra flavor to dishes, such as spreading it on bread or melting it over vegetables. It should be used with caution when cooking to adjust the amount of salt in the dish.

Which butter should not be used for baking?

• Low-fat or whipped butter: These types contain a high percentage of water and air, which can affect the texture of baked goods and make them less fluffy.
• Flavored butter: May contain additives that affect the recipe’s texture or the final flavor of baked goods, especially if the flavor is strong.

Is it better to bake with salted or unsalted butter?

• For everyday use and as a spread on bread, salted butter is a popular and convenient option for many.
• If you prefer to control the amount of salt or appreciate the pure flavor of butter, unsalted butter is the better choice.

Finally, we discussed the best type of butter for baking. Unsalted butter is the ideal choice for most types of baking, especially when precise salt intake is important, such as in cakes, pastries, and yeast-based breads. 

It gives you complete control over the amount of salt and allows the other flavors in the recipe to shine through.