If a cookie or candy recipe calls for butter, does it matter if it is salted or unsalted? Thank you.?

Answer 1

For candy making and baking, your butter should be unsalted for best results (but we will make some exceptions).

Salted butter can be stored and sold longer than unsalted. The salt is a sort of preservative, and it also masks some of the off-flavors that develop in butter as it ages. Depending on the recipe, these flavors might be noticeable, creating unwanted stale, cheesy or sour flavors in your finished recipe.

What is most important is how much butter the recipe has, how many other ingredients there are, and how strongly flavored there are. In a pie crust, you're going to taste the butter, and it will make a difference, so use unsalted. In chocolate chip cookies (chocolate being a strong flavor), it won't be so apparent, and so salted would be okay--just leave the salt out of the recipe. In a sugar cookie, butter is a main flavoring, and the butter taste will show up strong, so here, unsalted would be best. Most cakes would be okay with salted butter, but a white cake might have some off-flavors.

If your candy recipe doesn't call for salt, or for only a small amount (1/4 tsp or less), I would use only unsalted butter, or your candy might taste salty.

Professional chefs and serious cooks almost always bake with unsalted butter. It is best stored in the freezer, inside a freezer bag (like a ziploc), where it will keep a year. In the refrigerator and in its normal packaging, unsalted butter only keeps about 3 months. Since I do a lot of baking, I use unsalted butter for everything, including table use.

If you're going to go to the trouble of baking and candy-making, I think you shouldn't cut corners unless you absolutely have to. Enjoy your baking.

Answer 2

"For most baking, however, you can use salted or unsalted butter. Most bakers prefer unsalted butter, though, because it gives them more control over the amount of salt in the recipe."

The page I got that from also mentions that a stick of better usually only contains about 3/4 teaspoons of salt. Most recipes call for a teaspoon of salt, so it might not make any difference at all. If it calls for a teaspoon of salt, leave it out since it's already in the butter.

Answer 3

I disagree with most of the other answers. In the US at least, when butter is required you can use either, but it is understood to be salted. When a recipes requires unsalted, it will specify unsalted. In the case of your frosting, either will be fine...but even sweet items need some salt to bring out the flavor. Try baking a cake or cookies without the required salt...it will taste very flat.

Answer 4

Usually when making cookies or candies it calls for unsalted butter. However I prefer the taste salted butter gives the cookies.

Answer 5

Pastry is a bit of a science; it could make a difference so you're better off using salted if it just says 'butter' or unsalted if it specifies to do so, unless you know how to balance it.

Answer 6

Hmm... you know what? I'm not sure. But, I have used salted butter for cookies even though it just said butter, and they came out delicious even though I added salt like the recipe said to. Just try it, and who knows? Maybe you'll end up with an award winning recipe. =)

Answer 7

Yes there will be a slight difference in the taste, salted butter gives food a better taste. I suggest using salted butter, unless you have a health reason for avoiding salt

Answer 8

UNSALTED

Answer 9

No

Answer 10

only if it specifies