Salted vs. Unsalted Butter: Which Should You Use?

It’s an age old question, which is better – salted or unsalted butter? The answer? Well, it depends.

The only difference between the two types of butter is literally just salt. You’re getting the same creamy butter flavour in both types, it’s just a matter of whether or not you want salt in your butter. And that will depend entirely on what you’re doing with it.

Unsalted Butter

Without salt, this butter is just very creamy. It’s usually best for baking, since you can add salt to baking without overdoing it. Too much salt will stop bread from rising and can negatively affect the outcome of any baking recipe. By choosing unsalted butter, you know exactly how much you’re adding.

If you plan to make a sweet butter spread yourself, such as with cinnamon and honey, then you want something that will take the flavour without making it too savoury. In this case, unsalted butter is your best choice. This also includes making buttercream and mints, as you will need to let the creamy butter flavour shine through.

Salted Butter

Salt is a flavour enhancer, so when it’s included in butter, it can really bring out the richness of the creamy butter. This makes salted butter ideal for spreading on bread and pastries, as it really bumps up the flavour.

Salt also preserves, so you can expect your salted butter to last even longer than unsalted butter (about five months, as opposed to three for unsalted). While most people will use it up sooner, it’s useful to know the shelf life of your ingredients.

The main issue with salted butter is that every brand is different. You can’t predict how much salt is included in the butter, so for more precise things like baking, it could end up being too much. This is why so many recipes specify unsalted butter.

Whatever type of butter you choose, make sure it’s as fresh as possible. The fresher it is, the longer it will last and the better it will taste. Whether you plan to use it for baking or cooking, you’ll find that both types will work well when used properly. As a general rule of thumb, if a recipe calls for butter and salt, you should probably use unsalted butter so you can adjust the taste as needed.

Are you looking for a better place to get your butter? Contact Freshways today to learn how we can help you.