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Yes, you can freeze butter! In fact, it’s a great way to store it for longer periods of time and make sure it stays fresh. Here’s what you need to know about freezing butter.
If you recently went to Costco and snagged a killer deal on butter, chances are you need to store some of it for an extended period of time. Luckily, your freezer is just the tool for the job. You can easily freeze both salted and unsalted butter, considerably extending its shelf life in the process. Here’s how to do it:
How to Freeze Butter
First, it’s important to wrap each stick of butter tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will protect it from freezer burn, which is when food gets dried out and loses its flavor in the freezer. If you’re freezing a stick of butter without the paper wrap, you can wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap or foil to make sure it’s extra secure.
Once the butter is wrapped, you can place it in a freezer-safe container or a plastic freezer bag. Make sure to label the container or bag with the date so you know how long it’s been in the freezer. We recommend using the date it needs to be used by on the label.
For the most part, you can also freeze spreadable butter products. However, you can’t freeze them in their original containers because they will crack in the freezer. So first transfer the butter from the original container to a freezer-safe container. Then label the container with the date your butter needs to be used by, and place in the freezer.
How Long Will Butter Keep in the Freezer?
Properly frozen butter will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. If you store it for longer than this amount of time it will start to lose its flavor and may even start to pick up flavors from other items in your freezer. Once thawed, you should use your butter within 30 days.
Thawing Frozen Butter
When you’re ready to use the frozen butter, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator. It will take several hours for the butter to thaw, so plan accordingly. If you need to use the butter sooner, you can let it sit at room temperature for a couple of hours
Need it even quicker? A grater may be just the thing. Simply grate the frozen butter using the large holes on a box grater or your food processor grating attachment. Then let the grated sit at room temperature for a few minutes. The smaller pieces of butter will thaw much more quickly.
We don’t recommend attempting to thaw frozen butter in the microwave because usually, it will just melt.
One thing to keep in mind is that the texture of the butter may change a bit after being frozen. It may be a bit crumbly when you first take it out of the freezer, but it will still work just fine for baking or cooking.