When strolling down the dairy aisle, you might have noticed butter and margarine sitting side by side. They look similar and are often used interchangeably, yet they are very different. Each is made through different processes & each can bring a noticeable difference in flavor, texture, and structure when used in baking. Let’s dive into the key differences.
What Is Butter?
Butter is made through the process of churning cream. Different butters have different fat content. By law, butter must have at least 80% butterfat to be sold as “butter”.
That fat content gives baked goods:
Types Of Butter & Its Fat Content
- U.S. butter: typically contains 80% fat. The remaining 20% is composed of water and milk solids.
- European/ foreign butter: typically has a high fat content, ranging from 82% to 86%.
- France: French butter is famous for its richness. Butterfat typically ranges from 82-85%. Some hand-churned butters like Échiré AOC Beurre de Baratte and specialty “extra-dry” butters made for croissants/pastry.
- Ireland: Irish butters such as Kerrygold are around 82% butterfat. Known for its deep yellow color from grass-fed cows.
- Denmark: Danish butters are around 82% butterfat. They are known for their consistent quality & are popular worldwide.
- Italy & Spain: 82-86% butterfat & similar to French/Danish. The Italian brand Burro Occelli has butters with up to 86% prized for both flavor and baking.
- Switzerland: Select premium brands reach 84-86% marketed to chocolatiers and pastry chefs.
Just the extra 2-6% makes a richer, creamier, and softer butter, which is often preferred by professional bakers. Why do bakers prefer European butter? It contains less water, which steams less in the oven, resulting in flakier pastries and laminated doughs.
The 86% butterfat butters are mostly from France, Italy, and Switzerland, being that they are the main producers of specialty patisserie butters for professional baking. These higher-fat butters are labeled as “extra dry” or “patisserie butter” because they’re made specifically for laminated doughs, where drier, fattier butter gives a better lift and flakiness.
What Is Margarine?
Margarine is a butter substitute made from vegetable oils blended with water, flavorings, and emulsifiers. Its fat content can vary, but high-quality baking margarine is usually formulated to be similar to butter.
Margarine is:
- More affordable – it’s generally less expensive than butter.
- Softer – spreads easily and can be easier to cream straight from the fridge.
- Neutral in flavor – doesn’t offer the same depth of taste as butter.
Types Margarine
Not all margarine is created equal; the type you choose can make a difference in baking.
American Margarine
- Typically has around 80% fat, though some brands may be as low as 60%.
- Available in sticks or tubs
- Examples: Country Crock, Imperial, Blue Bonnet (stick versions are closer to butter in fat content).
- Works well for everyday baking but may lack the depth of flavor found in butter.
European or Foreign Margarine
- Often contains a higher fat content of about 82–85%, making it closer to European-style butter.
- The higher fat gives a richer mouthfeel and better texture in pastries.
- Example: Stork (UK) or certain bakery margarines used in professional kitchens.
- Preferred by some pastry chefs when butter is too expensive or when plant-based alternatives are required.
How They Affect Baking
- Flavor: Butter wins in flavor. Its richness enhances cookies, cakes, and pastries, while margarine tends to taste more neutral.
- Texture: Butter provides a flakier texture in pie crusts and puff pastry because of its water content (which creates steam). Margarine can make baked goods softer but less flaky.
- Consistency: Margarine has a higher melting point, which can help cookies hold their shape, while butter may cause more spreading.
- Shelf Life: Margarine often has added stabilizers, giving baked goods a slightly longer shelf life compared to butter-based recipes.
Which Should You Use?
- For the best flavor and flaky textures, go with butter.
- For budget-friendly or dairy-free needs, margarine can be a good alternative.
- For professional results, especially in laminated doughs like croissants, most pastry chefs prefer butter.