Unsalted vs Salted Butter for Cookies: Does It Really Matter?

Unsalted butter is the gold standard for baking cookies but if all you've got is salted butter, you're not doomed, you just need to know how to adjust.

open stick of butter with knife — Unsalted butter is best for baking cookies but you can use salted butter if that's all you have on hand. Just reduce the amount for salt you add to the dough.

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How Much Salt Does Salted Butter Have?
How to Use Salted Butter in Your Cookies
Still learning the basics of baking? Here are some resources.
Comments

Your oven isn’t going to collapse into the earth if you use salted butter.

But pastry chefs (and yes me) will still recommend unsalted because it gives you full control over flavor.

How Much Salt Does Salted Butter Have?

Salt is added to butter to improve shelf-life and add flavor.

The salt level in salted butter depends on the manufacturer.

Most salted butter contains roughly a quarter teaspoon of salt or 1.6 grams of salt but it varies wildly by brand. Some contain significantly more.

Check the nutrition information on your package of butter to see how much is really in there.

package of butter with label — Check the nutrition label on your package of salted butter to see how much salt it contains.

One more thing home bakers don't always realize: salt affects freshness.

Salt in butter extends the fat's shelf life by nearly double. So unsalted butter will most likely be fresher.

If you store butter on the counter, a covered container helps protect it and extend freshness.

A glass butter container with a lid is a sensible choice to keep butter fresh and protects it f.rom kitchen smells.

You can use this dish to store butter in the fridge.

I've never used a butter crock but I like the idea of water keeping the butter fresh like this one does.

Salted butter lasts five months while unsalted butter only two months. Both types of butter can be frozen, if well-wrapped.

How to Soften Butter Quickly?

What Does Room Temperature Butter Mean?

How to Use Salted Butter in Your Cookies

So if you only have salted butter, use it but adjust the salt in your recipe accordingly.

For every stick of salted butter you're using, reduce the added salt by a quarter teaspoon.

While I agree with virtually every pastry chef in the U.S. that unsalted butter is superior and may be fresher for baking cookies, I'm not a fan of running to the store for one missing ingredient.

stick of butter and a knife on silver tray — Unsalted butter is best for baking cookies but you can use salted butter if that's all you have on hand. Just reduce the amount for salt you add to the dough.

Still learning the basics of baking? Here are some resources.

What Should a Beginner Bake? will help you get started if you've never done any baking by yourself.

Also, Baking Cookbooks for Beginners are an excellent source of inspiration and recipes.

What about tools? Do you know what size to make cookies? A cookie size chart will help.

Where can you find cheap baking supplies?

What about making cookie production better, faster and easier. Find out what OG bakers recommend to make cookies better, faster and easier.

What about those big pieces of sugar on top of muffins?

Fixing Cookie Dough

How to fix cookie dough that's too sticky.

Try these tips if your cookie dough is too dry.

Why are your cookies flat as pancakes?

Does butter naturally have salt?

No. Salt is added to butter by manufacturers to increase butter's shelf life.

Why is salt added to butter?

To improve longevity for one. Salted butter lasts five months. Meanwhile, unsalted butter lasts about two months. However both salted and unsalted butters can be wrapped well and frozen indefinitely.
Manufacturers also add salt to butter to add flavor.

Can I use salted butter for baking?

If you're baking anything other than a batch of cookies, check the recipe and do a little research first. Baking relies on chemical reactions. Depending on the other ingredients in your baked good, salted butter may affect your results. If a baking recipe lists butter as an ingredient but doesn't specify, you can safely assume you should use unsalted butter.

Does cheaper butter have more water in it?

Yes, it usually does. The more expensive butter, think European butters, brands such as Plugra, contains the highest percentage of fats--at a minimum 82 percent fat. Meanwhile, the minimum percentage of fat for USDA Grade A butter is 80 percent fat. That leaves you with a water content of 15 to 20 percent.