Updated: Jan. 11, 2021
Yankees or Red Sox. Beatles or Stones. Butter or margarine. As hotly contested debates go, the latter is the most delicious of all. Read on to learn about the differences between butter and margarine.
Butter and margarine are certainly very similar products—they often look alike and you can often use them interchangeably—but the differences that exist between them are critical.
What is butter?
Butter is a dairy product made from milk or cream. It’s created when cream is vigorously churned, which causes its solids (butterfat) and liquids (buttermilk) to separate, and ultimately results in the firm product we all know and love. Whether it’s salted or unsalted, the flavor of good butter is second to none, and because of its basic ingredients and straightforward processing, it can easily be made at home. (Here’s when you should use salted vs. unsalted butter.) Butter must be at least 80% fat to be sold commercially, and the remaining percentage consists of water and milk proteins.
Psst: Find out which brand of butter won our blind taste test.
What is margarine?
Margarine, on the other hand, is made from oil, water, salt, and a few additional ingredients such as emulsifiers. It’s flavored to taste like butter (did you know there was a time when coloring margarine to match butter was outlawed in some states?), but usually contains no dairy products at all. Margarine is formed through a complicated chemical process and is therefore not something you can make at home. By law, it must also be at least 80% fat, though manufacturers can get away with less by calling their product a “spread.”
The key difference
It all comes down to the kind of fat involved. As an animal product, butter has high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats that aren’t present in margarine. Margarine, on the other hand, has more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (the good kinds!) but also often contains trans fats (the very bad kind!). Their respective compositions explain why butter is so much firmer than margarine at room temperature—the saturated fats make tightly packed bonds that stay rigid until heat is applied. That’s why you can keep it on the counter.
Though most bakers and cooks prefer butter for its unparalleled taste, margarine does have its place. Because of its high water content, baked goods made with margarine will often have a softer texture. Be wary when trying to make substitutions—many baking recipes from old cookbooks call for margarine, and since those have likely been developed to account for that additional water, it’s probably best to follow them to the letter if you can. Butter is ideal for treats like cookies and frosting, however, since those are recipes where its flavor is important and extra water could be detrimental.
Butter and margarine may have their similarities, but they’re fundamentally different. Knowing how each is best applied will result in more kitchen successes and lots of good eats!
The Butteriest Treats in Our Collection
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Buttery Blueberry CobblerAs the name implies, this is a recipe that is rich and delicious. Since you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries, you can make this easy blueberry cobbler year-round. —Marjorie Green, South Haven, MichiganGo to Recipe
Butter Pecan CheesecakeFall always makes me yearn for this pecan cheesecake, but it’s delicious in any season. You’ll want to put it on your list of favorite holiday desserts. —Laura Sylvester, Mechanicsville, Virginia
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Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Kentucky Butter CakeI found this Kentucky butter cake recipe in an old cookbook I bought at a garage sale and couldn’t wait to try it. I knew it had been someone’s favorite because of the well-worn page. —Joan Gertz, Palmetto, Florida
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Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread CookiesWith only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire
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Taste of Home
Chocolate-Tipped Butter CookiesThese wonderfully moist morsels are too tempting to resist. They melt right in your mouth. Rather than sprinkling the chocolate tips with nuts, you can roll them in red and green jimmies or leave them plain. —Charolette Westfall, Houston, Texas
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Gooey Butter CakeA friend gave me a quick version of this gooey butter cake recipe using a cake mix, but I prefer baking from scratch, so I came up with my own. My family can't get enough! The middle will sink a little; this is normal. This dessert is delicious served warm or cold. —Cheri Foster, Vail, Arizona
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Browned Butter Spice CookiesIf you like spice cake, you’ll love this recipe! Browned butter, dark chocolate and a splash of rum produce an unconventional spice cookie that’s guaranteed to please. —Kristin Kenney, Newport Beach, California
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Old-Time Butter Crunch CandyBoth my children and my grandchildren say the season wouldn't be the same without the big tray of candies and cookies I prepare. This one's the most popular part of that collection. We love the nutty pieces draped in chocolate. —Mildred Duffy, Bella Vista, Arkansas
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Buttery Coconut Bars Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Buttery Coconut BarsMy coconut bars are an American version of a Filipino coconut cake called bibingka. These are a crispier, sweeter take on the Christmas tradition I grew up with. —Denise Nyland, Panama City, Florida
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Butter Pecan FudgeToasted pecans add a nutty crunch to this creamy fudge, perfect for holiday giving. People always seem to rave about its wonderful caramel flavor. —Pam Smith, Alta Loma, California
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Maple Butter TwistsMy stepmother gave me the recipe for a delicious yeast coffee cake shaped into pretty rings. When I make it for friends, they always ask for seconds. —June Gilliland, Hope, Indiana
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Cooling lemon and aromatic rosemary make these butter cookies stand out at the holidays. I use them to punch up the cookie trays for potlucks or as gifts.—Elizabeth Hokanson, Arborg, Manitoba
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Butter Pound CakeWhether garnished with fresh berries and sprigs of rosemary or just served plain, this rich cake is fabulous. It bakes to a beautiful golden brown and it's definitely a keeper! —Edgar Wright, Silver Spring, Maryland
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Red Apple Butter Bars Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Red Apple Butter BarsFall means apple-picking time, and we love using the fresh fruit to bake up these bars. The streusel on top makes them even better. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
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Taste of Home
Frosted Butter Rum Brickle BitesThe rum, real butter and toffee bits made these cookies my husband’s new favorite. If you’d like them less sweet, skip the frosting and sprinkle the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still warm. —Cindy Nerat, Menominee, Michigan
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Coconut Italian Cream CakeI’d never tasted an Italian cream cake before moving to Colorado. Now I bake for people in the area, and this beauty is one of the most requested. —Ann Bush, Colorado City, Colorado
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Taste of Home
Lemon Butter CookiesThese tender cutout cookies have a slight lemon flavor that makes them stand out from the rest. They're very easy to roll out compared to other sugar cookies I've worked with. I know you'll enjoy them as much as we do. —Judy McCreight, Springfield, Illinois
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Butter Pecan Cookie Bars with Penuche Drizzle Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Butter Pecan Cookie Bars with Penuche DrizzleI have made these Butter Pecan Cookie Bars for many, many years. They are rich, chewy, nutty and buttery—all the good stuff. They freeze well, that is, if they last long enough. A little drizzle of old-fashioned penuche icing takes them over the top. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
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Contest-Winning Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Contest-Winning Butter Pecan Ice CreamThis rich buttery ice cream sure beats store-bought versions. And with its pretty color and plentiful pecan crunch, it's nice enough to serve guests at a summer party.-Jenny WhiteGlen, Mississippi
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Down East Blueberry BuckleThis buckle won a contest at my daughter’s college. The prize was four lobsters, but the real reward was the smile on our daughter’s face. —Dianne van der Veen, Plymouth, Massachusetts
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Key Lime Butter Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Key Lime Butter CookiesI love limes so much that if a recipe calls for lemons I almost always use limes instead. With their pretty green color, these are perfect for Christmas—you can also make them as sandwich cookies and use lime curd for the filling.—Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
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Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)I had to bake something from my heritage for school. So, I made this heavenly kourabiedes recipe. —Rebecca Sprague, St. Louis, Missouri
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We also have one more recommendation for you. Try theseGreek doughnutswhich are fluffy, bite-sized, and fried to perfection!
Taste of Home
Buttermilk Cake with Caramel IcingThis fabulous cake and caramel frosting are so tender, it melts in your mouth. It's been a family favorite since the '70s and it goes over really well at church potluck meals. —Anna Jean Allen, West Liberty, Kentucky
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Rainbow Butter CookiesOur family can't get through the holidays without these fun, colorful cookies. They come out of my oven by the dozens! —Lanette Tate, Sandy, Utah
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Buttery Ganache Cookie CupsOur family wanted to share our love of ganache-filled cupcakes, so we made them into cookies. Even better: we bake the cookies in muffin cups, fill with ganache, and get the best of both worlds! —Adela Srinivasan, Parker, Colorado
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PalmiersIt takes just two ingredients to make these impressive but easy-to-do French pastries, which are often called palm leaves. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter Toffee Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter ToffeeI don't live in the country, but I love everything about it—especially good old-fashioned home cooking! Every year, you'll find me at our county fair, entering a different contest. This easy toffee recipe is a family favorite. —Kathy Dorman, Snover, Michigan
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Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Buttermilk Pound CakeNow that I've retired from teaching, I have more time to bake. This buttermilk pound cake is the one I make most often. It is a truly southern recipe, and one I think can't be topped—once people taste it, they won't go back to their other recipes with buttermilk. —Gracie Hanchey, De Ridder, Louisiana
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Butter Pecan Layer Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Butter Pecan Layer CakePecans and butter give this cake the same irresistible flavor as the popular butter pecan ice cream flavor. —Becky Miller, Tallahassee, Florida
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