Butter Vs Margarine: The Key Difference You Need To Know

You could be forgiven for thinking that margarine and butter are interchangeable. They sit side-by-side in the dairy section at the grocery store and, in cooking, many times you will hear the phrase, "butter or margarine." However, butter and margarine aren't the same thing. Simply put, butter is a dairy product and margarine is not.

Butter is made from churning milk or cream to separate the solids from the liquid components. Maybe a little salt is added for flavor, but otherwise that's it. Butter really is just milk or cream, and it could be easily made at home. According to the USDA, American butter must contain at least 80% milkfat. You may have noticed that European butter is richer, as it contains anywhere from 82% to 86% milkfat. Whatever the precise milkfat percentage, butter should be solid at room temperature, to the point where it can hold its shape.

Margarine, on the other hand, is made from either vegetable or animal fats, which can make margarine a great option for people who can't handle dairy. Emulsifiers, artificial butter flavoring, and salts are also typically added to margarine during production, which is a process that you can't easily replicate yourself. Even at its firmest, margarine is a lot softer than butter.

There is no "better" option between butter and margarine, as each has its own pros and cons. To many minds, butter is almost always better for baking, where it's often lauded for providing richer, more complex flavor to finished goods. Unlike other fats, butter can lend both richness to your baked goods and structural integrity, helping cookies, pies, cakes, and other treats to more effectively hold their shape. Keep in mind that the temperature of the butter matters, however, so as delicious as butter-enriched baked goods may be, it's still important to pay attention to just how that dairy is used.

Margarine, on the other hand, spreads a lot more nicely than butter. This gives it a clear advantage when you need to apply a thin layer, such as to toast. Most margarine is vegan, which means that plant-based cooks will prefer it right off the bat. If that includes you, be sure to carefully check the ingredients list for whey or casein, which are dairy-based products. Compared to butter, margarine can also have a very long shelf life. A great use for margarine in your baking is greasing the pan, as the product you use won't significantly impact the flavor of your baked goods.