And the cream from these grass-fed cows also contributes to Kerrygold’s distinct flavor. It’s incredibly rich with a pronounced flavor that had a few testers say they could taste the hills of Ireland. Paired with the right amount of salt and a delightfully spreadable texture, this was definitely the best butter for topping homemade bread.
Kerrygold was the priciest option in our test, but worth every penny for special treats.
Price: $3.48 for an eight-ounce package
Price per ounce: $0.44
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Best Value Butter: Challenge Butter
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If you’re a cost-conscious shopper or are baking big batches, you probably are looking for more budget-friendly options to add to your grocery cart. For a budget-friendly butter that still tastes delicious, our Test Kitchen recommends Challenge Butter.
This pale butter delivered a mellow, creamy flavor that satisfied our Test Kitchen panel. It also seemed to spread more smoothly than other options. Combined with that perfect hint of salt, Challenge Butter is a great choice for your pocketbook and for topping freshly baked dinner rolls.
Price: $3.47 per pound
Price per ounce: $0.22
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Best Pasture-Raised Butter: Vital Farms Salted Butter
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Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Butter is the butter brand to buy if your fridge is full of free-range and cage-free eggs. Vital Farms uses milk from family-owned dairy farms where cows are allowed to graze freely all year long.
And our testers could taste the difference. Our pros noted a subtle sweetness in this butter brand that often comes from grass-fed cows. Paired with the perfect level of salt, our Test Kitchen crew agreed that this was a terrific option for conscientious shoppers. Not to mention it would taste great melted over a stack of pancakes and maple syrup.
Also worth noting: Vital Farms boasts 85% butterfat while most American butter hovers around the 80% mark and European-style butter has about 82%. That little bit of extra fat provides a richer flavor and creamier texture.
Price: $3.00 for an eight-ounce package
Price per ounce: $0.38
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What Our Butter Test Taught Us
Finding the best butter was no joke for our Test Kitchen! This blind tasting was incredibly challenging. Parsing out the differences between nine brands all made with the same ingredients required a fine-tuned palette and a lot of patience. Our team learned a few things during this test:
You can find great butter at any price point: In this test both premium butter brands like Kerrygold and budget options like Challenge earned top marks. There are tasty options available whether you’re looking to save or splurge.
Spend extra when it really counts: If you’re making a recipe where butter really is the star (think shortbread or biscuits), splashing out for a package of Kerrygold or Vital Farms is worth the expense. The fine differences in the flavor are most impactful in these recipes. You’ll also notice a top-of-the-line butter when using it as a spread on top of bread, rolls, waffles and other treats.
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