Unsalted Butter Substitute
For 1 cup of unsalted butter, use 1 cup salted butter. Then leave out ½ tsp of the recipe's added salt per cup of butter (¼ tsp per stick). Below: the swap scaled to the amounts recipes use.
For 1 cup of unsalted butter
1 cup salted butter
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Then leave out ½ tsp of the recipe's added salt per cup of butter (¼ tsp per stick).
Data & method: a kitchen convention, not a published ratio — adapted from Colorado State University Extension fact sheet 9.329, which says to decrease recipe salt by 1/2 tsp when 1 cup butter or margarine replaces 1 cup solid shortening; we apply the same cut when salted butter replaces unsalted. The sourced ratios are pinned to their source by an automated test. How we calculate →
Scaled to what your recipe calls for
Salted butter, salt reduced, computed for the amounts recipes actually use:
| Recipe needs | Use instead |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup of unsalted butter | ¼ cup salted butter |
| ½ cup of unsalted butter | ½ cup salted butter |
| ¾ cup of unsalted butter | ¾ cup salted butter |
| 1 cup of unsalted butter | 1 cup salted butter |
| 1½ cups of unsalted butter | 1½ cups salted butter |
| 2 cups of unsalted butter | 2 cups salted butter |
Need a different amount — or a different ingredient?
The calculator scales every option to your exact amount, for all 17 staples we cover.
Best swap Salted butter, salt reduced
1 cup salted butter
Then leave out ½ tsp of the recipe's added salt per cup of butter (¼ tsp per stick).
Kitchen convention — no published source found.
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Weighing instead? 1 cup of butter in grams: 227 g →
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
The best swap for 1 cup of unsalted butter is 1 cup salted butter — then leave out ½ tsp of the recipe's added salt per cup of butter (¼ tsp per stick). This one is a kitchen convention rather than a published ratio.
How much substitute do I use for a different amount of unsalted butter?
Scale the parts linearly. The table on this page covers the common amounts, and the calculator scales every option to exactly what your recipe calls for — never a vague "adjust to taste".