How many sticks of butter equal a pound

Quickly understand how butter is measured and weighed around the world.  Convert butter from US cups, sticks of butter and tablespoons and more to grams with handy Butter Measurement Conversion Charts.

The confusion:  Most countries outside the US (and Canada), weigh their butter using scales which makes it very difficult to understand American recipes.

I knew I couldn’t be the only one in need of quick answers.  So, in the charts at the bottom of this page, I have tried to give a variety of different conversions to try to clear up some of the confusion.

Differences in butter around the world:

• American butter is required to have at least an 80% fat content.  French butter must contain a minimum of 82% fat.  The higher the fat content in butter, the less water it contains, making pastries flakier.  More butterfat also means a softer texture, faster melt, and often, a deeper yellow color. 

• European butter is known for its rich taste which is a direct result of the higher butterfat content.  It also contains less water, European butter is often the preference for baking, especially when the butter flavor is essential in a recipe.

Tips on Making Measuring and Weighing Butter

• To make it easier to convert yourself – Try memorizing one fact in each category so you can work it out in your head. 

For example – 1/2 cup of butter equals 1 stick of butter so if a recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter, it will be simple to work out in your head that 2 sticks are equal to 1 cup and so on.

Jump to Butter Measuring Conversion Chart

In the U.S., butter often comes wrapped in quarter-pound sticks with tablespoon measures (and their cup conversions) written out for us on the wrapper.

In contrast, many other places sell butter in one-pound blocks. Further, if you are buying higher-quality imported butter, they often come in half-pound blocks. 

That is mostly the equivalent of two “sticks” of regular butter. If you don’t keep this difference in mind and go by a typical “stick” measurement, you may wind up with a very unpleasant result in your baking! 

If you can, remember that 2 sticks of butter equal 1 cup or 16 tablespoons. But if you can't, no need to panic! 

You can print these Conversion Charts that convert from sticks to cups to grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms, milliliters, tablespoons, and teaspoons. Some apply to solid butter (weight) while others are useful for melted butter (volume).

Just bear in mind that when in doubt, measure butter by weight for best accuracy.

Other Cooking Conversions that You Can Use:

• Baking substitutions
• Volume conversions
• Temperature conversion
• How many teaspoons in a tablespoon
• U.S. cups to ounces to grams

How many sticks of butter in a cup (or a stick of butter in cups)

When learning how to read a recipe, there are some common questions about butter that tend to be asked often.

Q: “How many sticks of butter are in one cup?”

A: There are two sticks of butter in one cup. Each stick of butter is ½ cup and usually you will see cut lines on the butter wrapper for tablespoons, ¼ cup, and ⅓ cup.

Q: “Why do so many recipes call for unsalted butter?”

A: You may see unsalted butter in the ingredient list of a recipe then also see actual salt as an ingredient and wonder, “why use unsalted butter and then add salt?” This is a good question and the answer can be different based on the type of recipe.

In a sweet recipe, especially a dessert that includes leavening agents that help it rise or puff up, it is a must to use unsalted butter when it is called for in a recipe.

This is because the salt in the recipe is there not so much for flavor, but more for its chemical properties that can, for one thing, aide in leavening.

The right balance of salt is important, so using unsalted butter helps ensure you’ve added the exact right amount of salt.

For a savory recipe, salt does usually play an important role in the flavor of the dish.

Using unsalted butter gives you control over the amount of salt you add to the food as well as when you add it.

Q: “How much salt is in a stick of salted butter?”

A: Depending on the brand, one stick of salt contains somewhere between a little over ¼ teaspoon salt up to just over ⅓ teaspoon salt.

If you have unsalted butter but need salted butter for a recipe, just add ¼ teaspoon of additional salt.

Q: “Can I use melted butter instead of softened butter when baking?”

A: In a word? No. Melting butter changes the way it will interact with the flour, sugar, and other ingredients in the recipe and absolutely will impact the final results of the food.

Q: “Can I use oil instead of butter in cakes, cookies, and pies?”

A: The answer to this question is tricky because it very much depends on the recipe. If you need to use oil instead of butter, check first to see if the recipe calls for creaming together butter and sugar.

This process is key for some recipes as it adds air to the butter and sugar mixture, creating a light and fluffy texture.

Beating oil and sugar together just will not yield the same result and so it would be best to use butter or a solid vegetable shortening.

In theory, yes, you can usually use oil instead of butter in the same amount called for in the recipe. However, be aware that the flavor and texture of the baked goods will likely be altered.

Q: “Can I freeze butter?”

A: Yes, absolutely! If you run across a great sale on butter, you may want to stock up and freeze it to use later. Butter can be kept fresh in your home freezer for up to three months.

Do you have more questions about ingredient substitutions, measurement conversions, or any topic not covered above related to following a recipe? Leave me a comment below!

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