Substituting Unsalted Butter For Salted: How To Swap Them In Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Substituting Unsalted Butter For Salted: How To Swap Them In Recipes? ›

The same holds true if substituting unsalted butter for salted: for every 1/2 cup of salted butter, you can substitute 1/2 cup of unsalted and add an additional 1/4 teaspoon to the amount of salt for which the recipe calls.

But here's a general rule: reduce or add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per 1/2 cup (1/4 lb; 115g; 1 stick) of butter. Explained: If you come across a recipe that calls for salted butter and all you have is unsalted butter, use unsalted butter and increase the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon for every 1/2 cup of butter.

Both salted butter and unsalted butter can be used interchangeably in any recipe, but if the recipe calls specifically for unsalted butter, it's probably because the recipe has been tested with it and is preferred for that particular recipe.

The flavor of different brands of butter will vary somewhat, but a good rule of thumb is to start with the addition of ¼ teaspoon of salt per ½ cup of butter — that's a standard stick of butter in the United States.

UNSALTED BUTTER has less salt and lower water content. In baking, butter with a low water content is preferred, since excess water can interfere with how the gluten develops. You may notice a positive difference in baked goods that use unsalted butter, specifically in taste and texture.

Flavor: Made up of butterfat, unsalted butter does not contain any extra salt. If you're eating unsalted butter, you will taste the natural flavor of butter—less salty, sweeter, and smoother than its salted counterpart.

It all comes down to what you're cooking. If you're sauteing vegetables, toasting bread, basting pork chops, scrambling eggs, or making a sauce, chances are you can use salted butter and that added sodium will also add some flavor enhancement to whatever you're making.

However, the proportion of butter to other ingredients is fairly low in rich fruit cakes, so it matters less here. We would therefore suggest using whichever butter you have in your fridge and if you use unsalted butter then you may like to add a pinch or two of salt to the cake batter when you make the cake.

How to make 1 cup unsalted butter salted? ›

Some recipes call for salted butter but if you only have unsalted butter, don't worry, there's an incredibly easy way to get it to work for the recipe you're using. Use ¼ teaspoon of salt for 8 tablespoons of butter.

Many salted butters contain ¼ teaspoon per stick, but others can have up to double that amount. You can anticipate your salted butter's sodium to fall within this general ¼ to ½ teaspoon range, though it's usually safe to err on the lighter side and assume there's a quarter of salt teaspoon per stick.

What can I use as a substitute for unsalted butter? You can use salted butter, vegetable shortening, coconut oil, avocado, applesauce, or full-fat Greek yogurt. Olive oil is also an excellent alternative due to its versatility and health benefits.

If a recipe calls for unsalted butter and you only stocked up on salted, don't worry! Both varieties can be used as butter substitutes for each other. "It's good to familiarize yourself with how salty a particular butter is," Merhar suggests.

If you use salted butter, different brands may be more or less salty. If you use unsalted butter, you can measure the salt in the same amount every time you bake. Salted butter won't ruin a batch of cookies, but it is a good idea to cut back on any additional salt in the recipe.

Short of asking cooks and bakers to rely on a specific salted butter, which might not be available to them, the only other way to level the playing field in a recipe that does need both solidified fat and sodium is to break each down into component parts — unsalted butter, and later, a dash of salt, often "to taste." ...

You can use salted or unsalted butter and opinions are divided on which is best. Many recipes for this icing suggest unsalted. However a little salt brings out the flavour so they then often add salt.

One stick of butter is 1/2 (half) cup. Two sticks of butter is 1 cup. Four sticks is one pound, and you'll see a lot of pound cake recipes call for four sticks, or a whole box of butter.

The best butter for your baked goods depends on what type of recipe you're whipping up. Unsalted, American-style butter works well in goods like cookies, pound cakes and pancakes that require the high-fat content of conventional butter and more flexibility with salt and flavor content.

Pour hot water into a ceramic or glass cup or bowl (something that can fit over your butter). After a few minutes, dump the water out of the vessel and quickly cover your butter. The heat from the cup will soften your butter in just a few minutes.