What Is Butter Powder & How To Use It

Oils go rancid quickly, especially if stored in heat or light, which can make them difficult to store. Even if stashed in a very cool, dark place, they still only have a shelf life of a few years.

However, switching to butter powder has decreased the amount of oil that I need to keep on hand. While it can’t be used for frying, it works well for baking and as a spread. There is such a wide range of options to do with butter powder.

What Is Butter Powder?

Believe it or not, butter powder is actually made of butter that’s been dehydrated. It contains milk proteins, disodium phosphate, and nonfat milk solids.

More importantly, it has a shelf life of a few years, which is what makes it attractive to a lot of bakers.

What’s even more remarkable is that it comes in handy when there’s no electricity. You can take it with you to cook with on camping trips, and some people keep it in case of an emergency.

Even if you’re skeptical about using powdered butter, you’ve got to admit there are some pros to using it. And honestly, it doesn’t taste all that bad either!

Things To Consider When Using Butter Powder

1. It isn’t 100% butter, so make sure to adjust!

Powdered butter contains milk to aid in the drying process. I’ve found that when baking with powdered butter, my recipes turn out better when I add more than what the recipe requires.

For example, if a fresh ingredient recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of butter, I add a 3/4 cup of butter powder.

2. Add far less water than you think

For recipes that call for soft butter, I learned that a ratio of 1 cup to powder to 1 tablespoon of water works best.

If you add too much water the recipe turns out too wet. So, if a fresh recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, but you want to use powdered butter, add 1 1/2 cups of powder and 1 1/2 tablespoon of water.

You might have to adjust the measurements a bit depending on your elevation.

3. You don’t have to hydrate the butter separately.

You don’t have to mix your butter separately to use it in a recipe. Just add the powder and the water at the same time.  For example, in my chocolate chip cookies, I cream my sugar and butter before adding other ingredients.

I put the sugar, butter powder, and the exact amount of water in at the same time. The powdered version looks a bit different from fresh butter, but bakes up just fine! There is no need to worry.

If your recipe calls for you to “cut in” your butter, just add the dry powder with the dry ingredients, followed by the appropriate amount of water to the wet ingredients.

4. Expect your recipes to turn out a bit different!

I can’t say that cooking with powdered butter won’t change the end product just a bit. It does alter the end result, but that isn’t always a bad thing!

I’ve discovered that it makes my baked goods a bit more airy and fluffy.

5. You cannot fry with powdered butter

Even if you mix it with a bit of oil it will not work. Just try another frying alternative.

6. Powdered butter works great in sauces

Sauces such as alfredo, pudding, creamed soups, gravy, etc. work well with powdered butter.

7. Powdered butter can be used for a spread

When hydrating powdered butter to use as a spread, I suggest adding tiny bits of water. Whisk the butter until it reaches a consistency that’s slightly wetter than you’d like.

Then, put it in the fridge for an hour or two and it will thicken up a bit. If you’re using it to spread on your food, you may want to add a bit of salt to enhance the taste because it has no salt in it.

Is Butter Powder Healthy?

Your next possible question is probably about the nutrition of dehydrated butter.

Is butter powder safe to eat? The answer is yes, butter powder is perfectly safe to use.

As with anything, you should eat it in moderation. You wouldn’t scarf down large amounts of regular butter, and I wouldn’t advise you to do that with the powdered version either. Just take everything in moderation.

Easy Dehydrated Butter Recipes

In case you’re feeling more comfortable with the idea of butter powder, I’ve included a few tasty recipes for you.

1. Apple Crumb Cake with Butter Powder

Cake Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour
• 2 tablespoons of baking powder
• 1 ¾ cup of water
• 1 ½ cups of sugar
• 1 cup of apple slices
• 1/2 cup of shortening

Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and blend well. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.

Topping Ingredients

• ⅔ cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of water
• ½ cup of flour
• ¾ cup of butter powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a small bowl, stir the toppings with a fork until they get a crumbly consistency. Sprinkle the crumbles on top of the cake and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes.

2. Firecracker Mac and Cheese with Butter Powder

• ¼ cup of cheese blend
• 2 tablespoons of butter powder
• 1 ½ elbow macaroni
• 4 ½ instant milk + 1 ½ cups of water
• ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup of cooked pinto bean
• ¼ cup of cooked red beans
• 2 tablespoons of mixed bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons of chopped onions
• ¼ cup of sour cream
• ½ teaspoon of iodized salt
• 1 tablespoon of tomato Powder
• 2 tablespoons of Béchamel (Creamy White Sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Chef’s Choice
• 1 teaspoon of Cholula hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of  cumin
• 1 pinch of  cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoons of lime juice

Cook the macaroni noodles and then run them under cold water. Set them aside for later. In a skillet, mix all the ingredients except for the cilantro and lime juice.

Blend well and bring it to a simmer.

Pour in the cooked macaroni and turn the heat on low. Stir until the noodles are completely coated. Add in the cilantro and lime juice and all the sauce to thicken before serving.

3. Chocolate Chip Cookies with Butter Powder

• 2 ½ cup of white flour (all-purpose and unbleached)
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of iodized salt
• ½ cup of butter powder
• ½ cup of shortening powder
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• ½ cup of cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons of whole egg powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 12 ounces of chocolate chips
• ½ cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of water

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Blend all of the dry ingredients together, then pour in the water and vanilla. Mix well.

Add in the chocolate chips. Take a spoonful of the batter and place it onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

4. Angel Food Cake Recipe

Here’s another delicious recipe you can make using powdered ingredients:

• 1 cup of cake flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup of cane sugar
• 1 ½ cup of powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup of egg white powder + 1 ¼ cup of water
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of iodized salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sift flour and powdered sugar in a bowl together and put it aside for later. In another bowl, stir the egg white powder with water and cream of tartar with an electric blender until it’s foamy.

Add in the granulated sugar a little bit at a time. Put the blender on high speed and add the vanilla and salt. Keep blending the mixture until it’s stiff and becomes glossy. Make sure it’s mixed well.

Sprinkle the sugar and flour over the meringue and lightly blend it in. Pour the batter into an ungreased cake pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Turn the pan upside down for about two hours before you remove the cake. Top it with your favorite fruit and whipped cream!

Why Choose Dehydrated Foods?

There are more foods on the dehydrated/powdered roster than you might realize; eggs, peanut butter, and milk are just a few.

You have the option of buying the store-bought version of dehydrated foods or you can do it yourself. Below are a few reasons to choose powder or dehydrated food:

Prevents Food Waste

With the cost of food these days, the last thing we want to do is throw out food because it went bad. With dehydrated food, you don’t have to worry about whether you’re buying too many fruits and veggies from the store.

Just put your leftover vegetables in your dehydrator and save them for another time. The good news is, it’ll last for up to two years. Plus, you can rehydrate the food. Just add water and put in your soups, pasta dishes, and casseroles.

Create Healthy Snacks

Image going into your fridge to reach for a bag of apple chips instead of a bag of Lays. When you dehydrate your own fruits and veggies, you know exactly what you’re putting into your body.

Not to mention it’s perfect for those on a raw vegan diet.

Cost-Effective

I know you’ve been into the high-end, organic supermarkets and were startled when you looked at the price tag. Most all-natural snacks are expensive in the grocery store and you can save more money by making your own. Stock up on your favorite foods when they’re on sale and use them for later!

Have you tried using butter powder? Let me know if you have any additional tips or recommendations that can help others!