Ingredient hub

Butter, unsalted

Butter is the backbone of baking flavor. Measuring solid butter by cup is notoriously difficult due to air pockets. Professional bakers rely on weight because a 'stick' wrapper may be misprinted, and packing cold butter into a cup usually results in less fat than the recipe requires. Weighing ensures your cookies spread correctly and your cakes stay tender.

Storage & tools

• Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F/32°C).
• Keep the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C) and the freezer at 0°F (-18°C).
• Cool hot foods in shallow containers so they chill faster and more safely.
• Use an appliance thermometer to verify fridge and freezer temperatures.

Sources: CDC · FDA

FAQ

Why choose unsalted butter for baking?

It gives you full control over the sodium. Salt brands vary in density, so adding your own fine salt ensures perfect balance without accidental saltiness.

How do I measure cold butter without a scale?

Use the 'Water Displacement Method': Fill a 2-cup measure with 1 cup of cold water. Add butter chunks until the water level rises to the amount you need (e.g., for 0.5 cup butter, water should hit 1.5 cups). Drain water.

All conversions for this ingredient

• Cup → g /en/convert/butter_unsalted/cup-to-grams/
• g → Cups /en/convert/butter_unsalted/grams-to-cups/
• Tbsp → g /en/convert/butter_unsalted/tbsp-to-grams/
• Tsp → g /en/convert/butter_unsalted/tsp-to-grams/
• mL → g /en/convert/butter_unsalted/ml-to-grams/
• oz → g /en/convert/butter_unsalted/oz-to-grams/