Unsalted Butter
Solid fat churned from cream containing no added salt, the standard fat used for precise baking control.
1 Stick Butter = 113g (4 oz) = 0.5 Cup = 8 Tbsp • 1 Cup = 226g
Unsalted butter (commonly referred to as sweet cream butter) is a solid emulsion made by churning cream until the butterfats separate from the liquid buttermilk. In the United States, standard butter must contain at least 80% milk fat, about 16-18% water, and 1-2% milk solids (proteins and lactose). Unsalted butter is the default fat specified in professional baking recipes because it gives the baker complete control over the salt levels of the dough. Salt acts as a flavor enhancer, yeast inhibitor, and gluten strengthener using salted butter can introduce variable amounts of salt that throw off these delicate chemical balances.
Furthermore, unsalted butter is typically fresher because salt acts as a preservative, meaning salted butter can sit on grocery shelves longer. In baking, butter plays key structural roles: when creamed with sugar, it traps air to aid rise when cold butter melts in the oven, its water content vaporizes into steam, creating the flaky layers in croissants and pie crusts.
Substituting melted butter for softened butter in cake recipes. Melted butter cannot trap air bubbles when beaten with sugar, resulting in a dense, heavy cake that fails to rise.
US butter sticks are 113g. European style butter (which is standard in the UK, AU, and Europe) contains higher fat content (82-85%) and less water, producing flakier pastries.
Use in all baking recipes—cakes, cookies, pie crusts, pastries, and buttercreams—unless salted butter is explicitly requested.
Replace 1 cup unsalted butter with 1 cup salted butter, but reduce the added salt in the recipe by 1/2 teaspoon.
Keep wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 months, or freeze for up to 1 year. Keep away from strong-smelling foods.
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