Butter Stick

Stick of butter
© Denzil Green

Butter Stick is a term usually used to refer to a pound (450g) block of butter, cut lengthwise in quarters (actually, it's made that way), with each quarter individually wrapped.

Each quarter will therefore weigh 1/4 pound (4 oz / 115 g.)

The wrapping usually has amount lines in tablespoons marked off on it. You just cut the stick at the desired measurement marking. It is best to do this while the butter is cold, but it's hard to do that if you need to set the butter out in advance to have it soft for a recipe that needs it soft.

Block margarine is also available in the same format.

Sticks of butter are sold everywhere in America. They are also available in Canada, but not regularly and not everywhere.

Stick of butter
- © Denzil Green

The term can also be used to refer to butter in a plastic stick, like a glue stick. This was invented around 1995. A winder thing at bottom raises the butter out, and instead of spreading butter on bread with a knife, you swipe the surface on the bread, wielding it as you would a glue stick.

If a recipe calls for a stick of butter, it is the 1/4 pound definition that is meant.

Equivalents for Butter Stick

1 stick = 1/2 cup = 4 oz = 8 tablespoons = 115g

History Notes for Butter Stick

Land O'Lakes was the first to start selling butter in sticks, in the early 1920s.

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