How to Freeze Butter

Putting the Butter in the Freezer

Portion butter into ⁄2 cup (120 mL) servings. This makes it easier to thaw the butter later and to use it in recipes, since it’s pre-measured. A lot of butter brands sell butter in boxes with 4 sticks of ⁄2 cup (120 mL) each, so the portioning work is done for you. If your butter is not already portioned into ⁄2 cup (120 mL) sticks, use a tablespoon to measure out the correct portion. There are 8 tablespoons (120 mL) in ⁄2 cup (120 mL) of butter.

Wrap the butter tightly. Keep the butter in its original paper wrapping. Then cover that with aluminum foil. This double wrapping ensures that the butter doesn’t absorb other odors from the freezer. Wrap each ⁄2 cup (120 mL) portion individually in the foil.

Put the butter into a labelled freezer bag or container. Make sure that the bag or container is airtight. Label it with the date you bought the butter and the date you froze it, so you’ll know the date by which you need to use the frozen butter. Frozen salted butter can last up to one year in the freezer. Frozen unsalted butter can last up to 6 months.

Using Frozen Butter

Thaw the butter in the fridge if you’ve got time. Take out as many portions of frozen butter as you need from the freezer. Leave them wrapped in the fridge overnight. Frozen butter takes approximately 6-7 hours per 1 pound (0.45 kg) to thaw.

Grate the frozen butter with a cheese grater to soften it more quickly. Unwrap half your frozen stick of butter. Hold the wrapped half and run the exposed butter over a cheese grater to make a pile of grated frozen butter. It will warm up to room temperature much faster when it’s broken up into tiny grated pieces than in one frozen block.

Cut the frozen stick of butter into thin slices for another thawing option. Use a knife to slice the butter. The thinner the slice, the faster it will thaw. Try spreading out your slices on a cookie sheet. The metal conducts heat and will warm up the butter faster. Try using an egg slicer, rather than a knife. You can arrange your slices on a serving platter instead of a cookie sheet if you plan to use the butter for spreading on buns or rolls rather than cooking. The butter slices will be the perfect portions for you or your dinner guests. They’ll be thawed by the time you’ve prepared the rest of your meal.

Try thawing the butter in the microwave if you’re pressed for time. Unwrap your frozen butter. Put it into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it for 10 seconds at a time, turn it over, and repeat. Remove the butter from the microwave as soon as it starts to feel soft or it will melt completely.

Melt the butter on the stove if it doesn't need to be in a solid state. Put your frozen portion of butter in a saucepan. Turn the element on medium-low or medium heat. When the butter is about three-quarters melted, remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir the butter until it's melted completely. Don't melt butter on high heat. The butter can burn and the milk solids will separate out.