Butter is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of baked goods. With its rich flavor and creamy texture, butter is a baking staple in many recipes. But can you use butter for baking all kinds of recipes? Let’s take a closer look at how butter performs in different types of baked goods.
The properties of butter
First, it helps to understand the properties of butter that make it useful in baking. Butter is made by churning cream until the fat globules separate from the liquid, known as buttermilk. It contains at least 80% milkfat, along with some water and milk solids.
Butter has several qualities that make it valuable in the world of baking:
- Fat content – The high fat content of butter (at least 80% fat) gives it a tenderizing effect in baking.
- Flavor – Butter has a rich, creamy flavor that adds depth to baked goods.
- Aroma – Butter provides a desirable aroma to many baked items.
- Flakiness – The water content in butter creates pockets of steam during baking, leading to a flaky texture.
- Leavening – Butter can help baked goods rise higher due to its ability to trap air bubbles.
The fat, water, and milk solids in butter all contribute to its functionality in recipes for cookies, cakes, pastries, and other bakery items. When selecting butter for baking, it’s best to use high-quality butter with a high fat content, as lower-fat versions may not perform as well.
Using butter in cookies
Butter is an extremely common ingredient in cookie recipes. The effects of butter in cookies are:
- Tenderness – Butter creates a tender, crumbly texture.
- Richness – Butter provides a rich mouthfeel and flavor.
- Spread – Butter helps cookies spread during baking.
- Browning – Milk solids in butter promote desirable browning.
Butter is creamed with sugar in most cookie doughs. This aerates the butter, creating tiny air pockets that result in a soft, cakey texture. Recipes with more butter will spread more than those with less. For chewy cookies, using brown butter can enhance flavor.
Shortbread and other rich butter cookies rely almost entirely on butter for their ultra-tender, crumbly texture and buttery flavor. Butter is also necessary for achieving the thin, lacy cookies characteristic of French tuiles.
Butter substitution in cookies
While butter provides ideal texture and taste in cookies, it can be replaced if needed:
| Substitute | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Margarine | 1:1 | Similar properties to butter; may have more water |
| Shortening | 1:1 | Less flavor than butter; gives tender texture |
| Oil | 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup butter | Changes texture and flavor; cookies spread more |
When substituting for butter, expect changes in texture and flavor. Cookies may spread more and have a different mouthfeel. Margarine is the closest substitute, while oil results in the most changes.
Using butter in cakes
Butter is also a foundational ingredient in many cake recipes. Here’s how it impacts cakes:
- Texture – Butter creates a tender, fine crumb.
- Moisture – The water in butter keeps cakes moist.
- Rise – Butter helps cakes rise with its ability to trap air.
- Richness – Butter lends a rich mouthfeel and buttery flavor.
Creaming butter with sugar incorporates air into the batter, leading to increased volume when baked. Butter is ideal for soft, fluffy cake textures. For denser cakes like pound cake, extra butter is used.
Butter substitution in cakes
Butter can be replaced in cakes, but expect some differences:
| Substitute | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Margarine | 1:1 | Similar to butter; may have more water |
| Shortening | 1:1 | Less flavor than butter; dense texture |
| Oil | 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup butter | Moist but denser texture; bland flavor |
Margarine makes the closest substitute in cakes. Shortening will result in a more dense texture. Oil creates a moist crumb but provides little lift and minimal flavor.
Using butter in pie crusts and pastries
Butter is the fat of choice for flaky pastry doughs like pie crust and puff pastry. Here’s how it functions:
- Flakiness – Butter creates flaky layers when it melts during baking.
- Flavor – Butter provides rich, buttery taste.
- Tenderness – Butter results in a tender, delicate crumb.
- Browning – Milk solids promote browning and golden crusts.
When butter is cut into flour for pastry, pieces of butter create flakes separated by layers of dough. These layers then separate when the butter melts, giving the characteristic flakiness.
Butter substitution in crusts and pastries
While butter provides the flakiest results, some alternatives can work:
| Substitute | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Margarine | 1:1 | Closest properties to butter |
| Shortening | 1:1 | Flaky but less flavor; use half butter |
| Lard | 1:1 | Flaky; distinct lard flavor |
Margarine makes the closest match for butter in crusts and pastries. Shortening is also effective when combined with some butter for flavor. Lard makes very flaky pastry but has a distinctive taste.
Guidelines for using butter in baking
When baking with butter, follow these guidelines for best results:
- Use high-quality, fresh butter with >80% fat content
- Allow chilled butter to come to cool room temperature before use
- Cut butter into small pieces for faster, even incorporation
- Avoid overmixing once butter is added to prevent toughening
- Cream butter properly with sugar for cakes to achieve best rise
- Minimize handling of pastry doughs once butter is added
Store butter properly tightly wrapped in the fridge or freezer. Let it sit at room temperature about 30 minutes before using for easier blending. When creaming butter, beat until light and fluffy for maximum volume.
Health considerations with butter
While butter adds unmatched flavor and texture to all kinds of baked goods, it is high in saturated fat and calories:
- Butter is about 80% fat, with around 60% being saturated fat.
- One tablespoon of butter contains approx. 100 calories and 11 grams fat.
- The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to 13 grams daily.
- Butter contributes significant amounts of artery-clogging cholesterol.
For those limiting saturated fat and calories, alternatives like unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, and avocado can substitute for a portion of the butter in some recipes. When baking, you can also use a moderate amount of butter in combination with oils, margarine, or shortening to cut some saturated fat.
Types of butter for baking
There are several types of butter that perform differently in baking:
Salted vs. unsalted butter
- Salted butter contains 1-2% salt to enhance flavor.
- Unsalted butter lets you control salt.
- For baking, unsalted butter is often preferred so you can adjust salt as needed.
Cultured butter
- Cultured butter is made from fermented cream, giving tangy flavor.
- It has a lower moisture content than sweet cream butter.
- Cultured butter is excellent for making croissants and danishes.
European-style butter
- European-style butter has a higher fat content, around 84%.
- It tends to be less watery than regular 80% butter.
- The higher fat content makes it excellent for laminated doughs.
Whipped butter
- Whipped butter incorporates air for a lighter texture.
- It can be used in baking but may result in less tenderness.
- Whipped butter won’t effectively cream with sugar like regular butter.
For most baked goods, regular salted or unsalted butter are good choices. Use European-style for croissants and puff pastry. Whipped butter isn’t ideal for recipes needing creaming.
Storing butter for baking
To keep butter fresh for baking, optimize storage methods:
- Refrigerate butter in its original packaging.
- Use butter within 1-2 months for best freshness.
- Freeze extra butter for up to 6-9 months.
- Thaw frozen butter overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Avoid temperature extremes. Butter can melt or become rancid.
If storing butter in the freezer, rewrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil to prevent absorption of odors. When removing butter directly from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature 30-60 minutes to soften for easier creaming and blending.
Common questions about baking with butter
Why is butter better than oil for baking?
Butter is better than oil for baking because it:
- Has a lower moisture content, resulting in less spread and rise.
- Provides more tender texture than oil.
- Contributes rich, desirable butter flavor.
- Promotes browning better than oil.
- Creates flakier textures in pastries.
Can butter go bad?
Yes, butter can go bad after a period of time. Signs of spoiled butter are:
- Rancid smell and taste
- Separation of milk solids and butterfat
- Mold growth (visible or black spots)
- Change in color to gray, green, or yellow
To extend its shelf life, store butter properly wrapped in the refrigerator or freezer.
Why is European butter better for baking?
European-style butter is better for baking because:
- Higher fat content (84%) creates more tender, flaky results.
- Low moisture content prevents watery textures.
- Higher proportion of butterfat means richer flavor.
- Excellent for laminated pastries like croissants.
Conclusion
Butter is more than just a versatile baking staple. With its distinctive fatty acid profile, butter provides one-of-a-kind flavor and superior functionality that can’t be perfectly replicated by other fats and oils. When it comes to achieving tender yet flaky textures, a rich buttery taste, excellent lift and leavening, and perfect browning, butter is the gold standard.
While you can substitute margarine or shortening in a pinch, the real magic of butter comes from its unique composition. For the best cookies, cakes, pie crusts and pastries, butter is the baking fat of choice. Just be mindful of portion sizes, and enjoy the creamy richness and decadence that only butter can provide.