# Whipped butter **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251 "2019-08-06T16:26:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/1 "2019-08-06T16:26:14Z")
I bought a tub of whipped butter, thinking that it would be softer than stick butter. Actually, I think it’s even harder. So what’s the point of whipped butter? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/2 "2019-08-06T16:52:31Z")
My understanding is that because part of its volume is air, it has fewer calories/fat/what-have-you per serving without actually requiring any reformulation of the recipe. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/3 "2019-08-06T17:19:29Z")
Then why doesn’t it come in sticks, which would be easier to measure for recipes? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/4 "2019-08-06T17:31:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Then why doesn’t it come in sticks, which would be easier to measure for recipes? You need to go by weight whether tub or stick. A given volume of whipped butter will have less butter by weight, likely by a considerable amount. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/5 "2019-08-06T17:47:49Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > You need to go by weight whether tub or stick. A given volume of whipped butter will have less butter by weight, likely by a considerable amount. Concur. Whipped butter is mostly for smearing on toast and the like. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/6 "2019-08-06T18:13:11Z")
You leave it out of the refrigerator. It becomes spreadable. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/7 "2019-08-06T22:47:02Z")
I use mine directly out of the refrigerator and it has never once been hard. It always spreads immediately. I’m baffled by the OP. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/8 "2019-08-07T00:39:11Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I use mine directly out of the refrigerator and it has never once been hard. It always spreads immediately. I’m baffled by the OP. Are you really using a whipped butter and not a spreadable butter like Land o Lakes with olive oil? I’ve used at least three different brands of whipped butter and they’re all hard right out the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/9 "2019-08-07T00:55:27Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I use mine directly out of the refrigerator and it has never once been hard. It always spreads immediately. I’m baffled by the OP. Check your label. I think you have I Can’t Believe It’s Not Whipped Butter. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/10 "2019-08-07T01:16:46Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Are you really using a whipped butter and not a spreadable butter like Land o Lakes with olive oil? I’ve used at least three different brands of whipped butter and they’re all hard right out the fridge. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Check your label. > > I think you have I Can’t Believe It’s Not Whipped Butter. You’re right, of course. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/11 "2019-08-07T13:50:05Z")
I too was suckered into thinking whipped butter would be nice and spreadable right out of the fridge. It’s not.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/12 "2019-08-07T14:18:19Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > You leave it out of the refrigerator. It becomes spreadable. But, then, so does a normal, inexpensive stick of butter. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/13 "2019-08-07T14:28:06Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > But, then, so does a normal, inexpensive stick of butter. Mrs. Plant (v.2.0) left butter sticks out, even when I claimed to see tiny footprints in it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/14 "2019-08-07T16:53:20Z")
You don’t leave butter sitting out uncovered: Even without things that leave footprints, exposure to air will lead to it going rancid. A butter dish should have a sort of moat around it filled with water, that a lid fits into, so that no extra air (or footprints) can get in. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/15 "2019-08-07T17:24:59Z")
I ate buttered toast for breakfast for years (until a few years ago when I stopped in an attempt at reducing the carb and fat intake) and always left butter out, even in the summer. I _never_ had a problem with it getting rancid, although it did get really soft in the hottest weather. FYI, this was almost always Land O’ Lakes salted butter. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/16 "2019-08-08T13:29:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You don’t leave butter sitting out uncovered: Even without things that leave footprints, exposure to air will lead to it going rancid. A butter dish should have a sort of moat around it filled with water, that a lid fits into, so that no extra air (or footprints) can get in. Or use salted butter in your butter dish, which prolongs rancidity (don’t use it for most cooking, though). ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/17 "2019-08-08T14:26:37Z")
Wait… salted butter is okay for cooking but not for baking (cakes and pastries). Whipped butter, if pressed into stick, would not be ummm… whipped anymore. If you just can’t stop refrigerating your butter, are we so desperate to avoid 10 seconds of microwave time that we bother to make the effort to spread cold butter, complain about cold butter, post about cold butter. . ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/18 "2019-08-08T14:31:40Z")
Am I weird? (Don’t answer out loud) But I like margarine. There ain’t nothing wrong with a big ol’ tub of Country Crock. And it spreads like a dream. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/19 "2019-08-08T18:21:13Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Am I weird? (Don’t answer out loud) But I like margarine. There ain’t nothing wrong with a big ol’ tub of Country Crock. And it spreads like a dream. Margarine. How far am I going to get with a young lady if I make the Hollandaise out of _margarine?_ ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251/20 "2019-08-08T19:22:10Z")
The _Good Eats_ episode “A Case for Butter” ruined margarine for me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whipped-butter/838251.md?page=2)