Take it from Ina Garten! Here's why unsalted butter is the best choice for baking.
This Is the Butter Ina Garten Uses When She’s Baking, and I’m Stocking Up
Updated on Sep. 21, 2023
Ina Garten is known as the go-to source for homestyle recipes. If you’re hosting a party or simply looking for something delicious for dinner, the Barefoot Contessa has you covered. I’m a huge fan of her flavorful apple crisp and absolutely love her coconut cake recipe. And at the base of both of these great desserts? Unsalted butter.
What butter does Ina Garten use?
In the Ask Ina section of the Barefoot Contessa website, a fan asked what brand of butter is her go-to. Cabot unsalted butter was her top choice! Cabot Creamery has been operating in Cabot, Vermont since 1919, making cheese, yogurt, sour cream and, of course, plenty of butter. But it’s not just Ina’s top choice. The creamery’s unsalted butter won 1st place in its category at both the 2022 and 2023 America Cheese Society competition, along with 1st Place at the 2022 World Dairy Expo Championship. I’m a huge fan of the creamery’s extra sharp cheddar cheese, and I have used Cabot unsalted butter in baking several times as well, when I can get my hands on it on the West Coast.
While this brand of butter is clearly top-notch, Ina does say there are many other good brands of butter you could use. But the key is to select unsalted butter for recipes, especially in baking.
Why use unsalted butter in baking?
Unsalted butter doesn’t contain salt. While many baking recipes call for half of a teaspoon or even a full teaspoon of salt, those measurements are very intentional. After all, baking is a science and recipes rely on precise ingredients and specific methods to create a certain result.
In baking, salt works to balance sweetness within a recipe. It certainly doesn’t make it salty. Instead, salt enhances the flavor of a cake, cookies or quick breads, even with just a small pinch. Salt also plays a role in creating the perfect texture of many baked goods. It binds to the proteins in flour, ultimately strengthening a dough.
Because every creamery is different, salted butters contain varying amounts of salt. There is no set standard across the board for each brand. If you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter, you’re not able to precisely control the amount of salt going into your recipe. If you know how much salt is in each stick of salted butter, it is possible to adjust for it. However, it’s much easier to start with unsalted butter from the beginning, like Ina does, for better control.
Desserts That Are Better with Butter
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Buttery Blueberry Cobbler
As 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, Michigan
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
Kentucky Butter CakeLook no further than Kentucky butter cake for a fluffy, buttery cake with an excellent crumb and a vanilla-almond butter sauce that permeates every bite.
Shortbread CookieThis shortbread cookie recipe is an easy one to memorize and yields simple, buttery treats to enjoy with coffee, alongside tea or after a big dinner that didn't leave much room for dessert.
Italian Butter CookiesButtery soft with a sweet chocolate tip, these Italian butter cookies are a surefire way to impress your guests. Make them ahead of time (they freeze exceptionally well), or fresh in just a few hours; either way, you'll have a simple yet tasty treat to satisfy your sweet tooth.
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
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
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 
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
Butter Pecan FudgeThis butter pecan fudge recipe is one you'll return to again and again. It is delicious and relatively easy to make.
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
Lemon & Rosemary Butter CookiesCooling 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
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
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
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
Italian Cream CakeThis sweet and tangy Italian cream cake features three decadent layers of moist, coconut-scented cake held together by a thick layer of homemade cream cheese frosting, made crunchier thanks to a handful of chopped pecans.
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
Butter Pecan CookiesThese buttery soft, flaky butter pecan cookies are rich in flavor and versatile enough to complement other desserts and sweet treats too.
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 White
Glen, Mississippi
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 
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
KourabiedesWhen a cookie recipe calls for a pound of butter and confectioners’ sugar, you know it’s going to be a good one. Our kourabiedes are living proof.
We also have one more recommendation for you. Try these Greek doughnuts which are fluffy, bite-sized, and fried to perfection!
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
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
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 
Palmier CookiesSeriously impressive palmier cookies need only two ingredients. Break out that box of premade puff pastry and your bag of granulated sugar to create these buttery, flakey French pastries.
Aunt Rose’s Fantastic Butter ToffeeElevate your homemade candy game with this easy butter toffee recipe—wonderful for gifting, sharing or indulging in a sweet, crunchy treat.
Buttermilk Pound CakeThis buttermilk pound cake has a superior texture that is equally moist, tender and light. The recipe is your new go-to for serving with fruit or tea, or on its own as a snack.
Butter Pecan CakeThis irresistible butter pecan cake features multiple layers, plenty of toasted buttery pecan crunch and a thick layer of buttercream frosting. In a word, it's delicious. Serve with a scoop of vanilla or maple ice cream to complement this decadent southern dessert.
