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

by Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com · Leave a Comment

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Substituting unsalted butter for salted (and vice versa) can be helpful depending on what your recipe calls for and what is in the fridge! I'm going to show you some simple conversions to help your use them interchangeably! Keep on reading to find out everything you need to know!

Using Salted & Unsalted Butter

Butter is used in a ton of different recipes all the way from baking to cooking. You may have noticed at the store that there are two distinct kinds: salted and unsalted. In fact, some recipes just ask for butter, while some specifically request salted or unsalted butter.

Of course, you may only have unsalted butter on hand and don't want to run to the store for some salted butter (or the opposite). Don't worry, I'm going to show you a quick and simple way to swap them out!

Substituting Unsalted Butter For Salted: How To Swap Them In Recipes (1)
Jump to:
  • What's The Difference
  • Swapping Butters
  • Unsalted To Salted Chart
  • Salted To Unsalted Chart
  • 📖 More Baking Guides
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Reviews

What's The Difference

Obviously, the difference between salted and unsalted butter is, of course, salt. Some recipes call for salted and some require unsalted, but do you know why?

Many bakers prefer to have unsalted butter on hand as it gives them complete control over the amount of salt that goes into the dish (which can make a major difference in desserts and other baked goods).

In fact, the exact amount of salt in butter can vary among brands, making it hard to replicate recipes exactly if you aren't consistently using the same brand of butter.

Salted butter, on the other hand, can last much longer in the fridge which makes it more convenient.

If you want to know more about the differences between these two kinds of butter, I have an entire post dedicated to salted vs unsalted butter! Check it out!

Swapping Butters

As a general guideline, for every half cup (or 1 stick) you have of unsalted butter, simply add in ¼ teaspoon of salt for the salted butter equivalence!

If working backward, and you only have salted butter on hand but the recipe calls for unsalted, simply reduce the extra salt added to the dish by ¼ teaspoon per every half cup. It's really that easy!

Unsalted To Salted Chart

Unsalted ButterSalted Butter
¼ cup (½ stick)Add ⅛ teaspoon of salt
½ cup (1 stick)Add ¼ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks)Add ⅜ teaspoon of salt
1 cup (2 sticks)Add ½ teaspoon of salt

Salted To Unsalted Chart

Salted ButterUnsalted Butter
¼ cup (½ stick)Reduce ⅛ teaspoon of salt from the recipe
½ cup (1 stick)Reduce ¼ teaspoon of salt from the recipe
¾ cup (1½ sticks)Reduce ⅜ teaspoon of salt from the recipe
1 cup (2 sticks)Reduce ½ teaspoon of salt from the recipe

Now you know how to substitute unsalted butter for salted! Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think!

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Substituting Unsalted Butter For Salted: How To Swap Them In Recipes (2)

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Substituting Unsalted Butter for Salted Butter: Homemade Powdered Milk Butter

Substituting unsalted butter for salted (and vice versa) can be helpful depending on what your recipe calls for and what is in the fridge! I'm going to show you some simple conversions to help your use them interchangeably! Keep on reading to find out everything you need to know!

Author | Angela

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 78kcal

Prep 5 minutes minutes

Cooking 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  • ¾ cup powdered milk (whole, not non-fat)
  • cup water
  • ¼ cup oil (olive, avocado, coconut, etc)
  • 1 pinch salt (optional for salted butter)
  • yellow food coloring (optional)
  • butter flavoring (optional)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions

  • In your food processor (or mason jar) add powdered milk, water, oil, and salt, if using. Also, add in the optional butter flavoring and food coloring, adjusting it to taste.

  • Blend (or shake), making sure to check occasionally to test the consistency. It will take a few minutes- you want it to be thick and creamy.

  • Once the butter has reached your desired consistency (*see note), it can be served immediately. Place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

  • You have to use whole fat powdered milk (Nido brand). If you use a non-fat variety, it will not have a very good flavor.
  • This butter will not be quite as thick as typical butter, but it will be super creamy and easier to spread!
  • Once the butter spends some time in the fridge, it will firm up considerably.
  • The yellow food coloring and butter flavoring are not necessary- your butter will still be delicious without them! It is all personal preference.
  • To store: Put your butter into an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 78kcal (4%) | Carbohydrates: 3g (1%) | Protein: 2g (4%) | Fat: 7g (11%) | Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg (3%) | Sodium: 33mg (1%) | Potassium: 106mg (3%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 75IU (2%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 73mg (7%) | Iron: 0.04mg

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!

DIY butter, how to make butter, how to swap salted and unsalted butter, salted to unsalted butter conversions, substituting unsalted butter for salted butter

Course Condiments, Substitutions

Cuisine American

Substituting Unsalted Butter For Salted: How To Swap Them In Recipes (3)

Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

bakeitwithlove.com/about/

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

FAQs

How to swap unsalted butter for salted butter? ›

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.

When a recipe calls for unsalted butter can you use salted? ›

Adjust Salt

Next, if you're swapping unsalted for salted butter, reduce the amount of salt listed in the recipe to adjust for the salt in the butter. Take ¼ teaspoon of salt away for every stick of butter used*. Do the opposite if you're swapping salted for unsalted butter.

What to do if you accidentally use salted butter instead of unsalted? ›

If you're cooking something savory and using salted butter, taste as you go to avoid over-salting your dish. If you're baking with salted butter, and the recipe calls for unsalted, some cooks recommend halving the amount of salt in the recipe.

How much salt to add to unsalted butter to make it salted? ›

However, sometimes a recipe calls for salted butter, but all you have is unsalted butter. So here's a simple rule of thumb to use so you can make the recipe with unsalted butter. Just remember, for every half cup (1 stick or ¼ lb) of salted butter required, you can add ¼ teaspoon of salt to Challenge Unsalted Butter.

Is a stick of butter 1 cup? ›

One full stick of butter equals 1/2 cup, or 8 tablespoons. Our half sticks equal 1/4 cup of butter, or 4 tablespoons. They can be used interchangeably in recipes. You don't have to use measuring cups to measure butter.

Does it really matter if you use salted or unsalted butter? ›

Unsalted butter gives you complete control of the overall flavor of your recipe. This is especially important in certain baked goods where the pure, sweet cream flavor of butter is key (butter cookies or pound cakes). As it pertains to cooking, unsalted butter lets the real, natural flavor of your foods come through.

What happens if you use unsalted butter instead of salted in cookies? ›

You may notice a positive difference in baked goods that use unsalted butter, specifically in taste and texture. This is especially true when it comes to recipes like butter cookies, brownies, and pound cakes, just to name a few. An exact amount of butter and salt is key to the success of these recipes.

How much salt is in 1 tablespoon of salted butter? ›

Butter, salted, 1 tbsp
Protein (g)0.12
Magnesium, Mg (mg)0.28
Phosphorus, P (mg)3.41
Potassium, K (mg)3.41
Sodium, Na (mg)81.79
35 more rows

What happens if you use salted butter instead of unsalted in icing? ›

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.

Can I use salted butter for croissants? ›

ALWAYS use unsalted butter that is cold, and also preferably European butter. Avoid using salted butter, because salted butter has a more brittle texture and won't give you great results. European butter is made with milk with a higher fat content, and is creamier than regular butter.

Can you use salted butter for cookies on Reddit? ›

Generally it's recommended to use unsalted because you have complete control on how much salt is going into the final product. However salt is also tasty as heck, and I've used salted butter for chocolate chip cookies without issue.

What happens if you use salted vs unsalted butter? ›

If you use salted butter in place of unsalted butter, you will notice that your baked goods or foods taste saltier. They may be overly salty, depending on the brand of butter you use.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted for frosting? ›

It goes with out saying that butter is the key ingredient to this frosting. 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.

How much is 1 stick of butter? ›

1 full stick of butter equals 8 tablespoons (½ cup).

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