How to Measure Butter

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Learn three simple ways to accurately measure butter for recipes
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Whether you’re baking a cake or making a family dinner, many recipes call for butter. But there are all kinds of measurements for using butter—weighing scale, sticks, pounds, tablespoons, cups. This can get confusing. With a few easy steps, however, you can make sure you measure the correct amount of butter every time. Once you've checked your recipe and found out the amount of butter you need, you can start measuring it out.

Best Way to Measure a Butter Stick

Follow the measurements on the butter stick's wrapper. A standard stick of butter has 8 tablespoons (120 ml), or 1/2 a cup. Cut along the measurement lines on the wrapper to get the amount needed for your recipe.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Measuring Butter by the Stick

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  1. Butter sticks often have measurements printed on the wrapper. These help measure out butter for recipes. [1] Search all sides of the wrapper to see if there are lines. If the wrapper has markings, each section represents one tablespoon of butter.
    • Standard sticks of butter have 8 tablespoons (120 ml) total, but double check to confirm the tablespoons in your stick.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    If your butter wrapper has measurements, then you can easily tell the amount you'll have to cut. [2] Place the butter on a flat cutting board or plate.If your recipe calls for 3 tablespoons (44.4 ml) of butter, find the line that reads “3.” Use a knife and cut on that line.
    • Remember a sharp knife is better here. A dull knife will crush the butter instead of cleanly cutting through it.
    • It’s okay to cut directly through the wrapper. Just remember to peel it off before cooking!
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    If your butter wrapper didn't have markings or you got rid of the wrapper, you can still mark up the butter stick for accurate measurements. Take a ruler and measure the stick of butter. Then gently press a knife into the butter to mark the halfway point.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    After you've marked the halfway point of your butter stick, dividing it into tablespoon sections is easy. [3] First cut the stick in half along the line you marked. Then cut each half in half. Finally, cut each quarter section in half again. You now have 8 sections of butter. Each section is 1 tablespoon.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Scooping Butter into a Measuring Cup

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  1. Each standard stick of butter is ½ cup. If your butter comes in sticks, you can convert that measurement into the amount of cups you need without any measuring. [4]
    • For example, if your recipe calls for 2 cups, you need 4 sticks.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    If your butter doesn’t come in sticks or the sticks are irregular, you can easily still measure cups by using a measuring cup and a spoon. [5] Begin by scooping the butter into the measuring cup.
    • Keep an eye on the fill lines as you scoop to make sure you're adding the right amount of butter.
    • Remember that this method works best for soft butter. If your butter is hard, Method 3 will work better.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    As you're scooping, you have to make sure there aren't any empty spaces left in the butter or your measurement will be off. [6] Every few scoops, take the spoon and push down lightly on the butter in the cup.
    • This practice will expel any air from the measuring cup and help you get an accurate measurement.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    After you’ve scooped the right amount of butter into the measuring cup, use a knife or spatula to level off the top. This will make sure you don’t use too much butter in your recipe. [7]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    Now that you have an accurate butter measurement, you’re ready to add it to your recipe.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using Water to Measure Butter

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    If your butter is hard, irregularly shaped, or difficult to measure, the displacement method is perfect for you. [8] Place your butter on a flat cutting board or plate. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice your butter into dice-sized cubes.
    • Remember, it's important to make sure your knife is sharp. If your knife is dull, you'll just crush the butter instead of slicing cleanly.
  2. For this method, you'll need a measuring cup that holds at least 2 cups, so it will only be half full when you fill it.
    • Remember to bring the measuring cup lines up to your eye level so you can clearly see how much water you have.
    • Use cold water for this method. Warm water could melt your butter. [9]
  3. This method works by measuring the amount of water the butter displaces in the measuring cup. Use this simple method to calculate the amount you'll need. [10] Since you have 1 cup of water in the measuring cup, add the amount of butter cups you need to 1. This will show you the total volume in the measuring cup.
    • For example, if you need ¼ cup of butter, then the measuring cup should have 1 and ¼ cups total when you’re finished.
  4. The water will begin rising as the butter pieces displace water. [11]
    • Work slowly to avoid overflowing the cup. Don't dump all the butter in at once.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    You’ll want to stop the butter from building up in one area. If it breaks the surface of the water, your measurement will be off. [12]
    • Use a knife or fork to push the butter down if needed.
    • The butter doesn’t have to be evenly distributed for this method to work, but don't let the butter break the water’s surface.
  6. Keep monitoring the water as it rises, and make sure you stop if the cup looks like it will overflow.
    • If you need ¼ cup of butter, stop when the water reaches the 1 and ¼ mark.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Measure Butter
    Start by placing a strainer over the sink. Pour the water into the strainer. Finish by removing any butter that fell into the strainer and putting it back in the measuring cup.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Is American butter better than European butter?
    Maria Short
    Baker
    Maria Short is a Baker and the Owner of Short N Sweet Bakery & Cafe in Hilo, Hawaii. With over 24 years of experience, she specializes in specialty desserts and wedding cakes. She graduated from L’Academie de Cuisine’s Pastry Arts Program with honors and studied at Baltimore International Culinary College. In 2019, Maria competed in the 6th season of the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship. In 2010, she had a cake named one of “America’s Most Beautiful Cakes” by Brides magazine.
    Maria Short
    Baker
    Expert Answer
    So the major difference between European and American butter lies mostly in the amount of butterfat in them. European butter has more butter fat because they are compelled by law to do so, so it tastes more rich and creamier. When making certain recipes where butter is the main element of the dish, like in biscuits, choosing European butter will definitely provide a tremendous difference in flavor. With the greater percentage of butter fat in European butter, there will be a more pronounced taste and luxuriousness to the flavor of your finished product, making it great for dishes where butter is the star of the show.
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      Things You'll Need

      • butter
      • knife
      • cutting board
      • measuring cup
      • strainer

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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about baking, check out our in-depth interview with Maria Short .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/ingredients/measuring-ingredients
      2. ↑ https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/ingredients/measuring-ingredients
      3. ↑ https://challengedairy.com/tips-and-techniques/measuring-butter
      4. ↑ https://www.landolakes.com/kitchen-reference/measurements-abbreviations/
      5. ↑ https://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/butter-tips-tricks/how-to-measure-butter
      6. ↑ https://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/butter-tips-tricks/how-to-measure-butter
      7. ↑ https://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/butter-tips-tricks/how-to-measure-butter
      8. ↑ https://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/butter-tips-tricks/how-to-measure-butter
      9. ↑ https://www.landolakes.com/kitchen-reference/measurements-abbreviations/
      1. ↑ https://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/butter-tips-tricks/how-to-measure-butter
      2. ↑ https://www.dairygoodness.ca/butter/butter-tips-tricks/how-to-measure-butter
      3. ↑ https://www.landolakes.com/kitchen-reference/measurements-abbreviations/

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