How Much Does a Stick of Butter Weigh?
The measurement markings on sticks of butter are very helpful, but not particularly useful if you find yourself following a recipe using the metric system instead of standard U.S. measurements (aka imperial measurements). Measuring butter (and almost all ingredients for that matter) is always most accurately done using a kitchen scale. If you already bake a lot, you probably know how many tablespoons are in a stick of butter (it’s 8 tablespoons). Here’s the breakdown of the standard U.S. sticks of butter to be able to translate any recipe:
Butter Types
Since butter comes in different forms, knowing the weight of butter will be helpful in achieving the perfect bake. The USDA standard for American butter is required to have at least 80% fat. The difference in types of butter, though, will be determined by different grades (AA, A, and B). The grades may have slightly different tastes, but can all be used interchangeably in recipes calling for stick butter. European butter (or Irish butter) is another type of butter to consider using. It comes at a slightly higher price point, but is known for its rich taste due to a higher fat count. You can also use this in recipes calling for stick butter, but since it usually comes in a block form, you’ll want to use the scale to weigh the butter. If you’re mid-recipe and need a whole cup (two sticks) of softened butter but only have one stick of butter left, make sure you keep our butter substitutes list handy.
