Food & Nutrition

Can You Freeze Butter?

Is your butter approaching its expiration date? Want to stock up during a sale? Here’s everything you need to know about freezing butter.

It seems really odd to put butter anywhere other than the refrigerator—after all, fridges literally have storage space designed especially for butter! (Though you can keep butter on the counter, too.) Turns out, if you don’t use butter quickly, it might make more sense to keep it in the freezer. Here’s the scoop.

Can you freeze butter?

Yes! Butter is one of many surprising foods that freeze well. Make sure you’re aware of these other butter hacks as well.

Does freezing butter ruin it?

Nope. Butter freezes without losing flavor or texture. In fact, since butter can go bad after a few months in the fridge, it may make sense to store it in the freezer if you don’t normally go through it quickly.

Butter defrosted in the refrigerator can be used just like fresh butter: spread on toast, baked into cookies, and even in finicky baked goods like pastry.

Is it safe to freeze butter?

Yes, butter will keep a long time in the freezer. For best results, freeze the butter while it’s still fresh, rather than as it’s approaching its expiration date.

How to freeze butter

You can freeze sticks of butter directly in their packaging. Add a second layer of aluminum foil or an airtight plastic bag to add extra protection. Defrost in the refrigerator.

How long can you freeze butter?

Salted butter will keep in the freezer for up to 12 months. Unsalted butter will keep up to six months.

Why do people freeze butter?

Butter, especially higher-quality butter, can be quite pricey. When butter goes on sale, some shoppers stock up and stash entire packages in the freezer. I keep an eye out for sales during the fall, so I can stock up for holiday baking. Here are more ways you could use butter that you probably didn’t know about.

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