European Butter Substitutions

Flavor: European butter is prized for its richer, more complex butter flavor. Regular unsalted butter is milder. In recipes where butter is the star ingredient — like shortbread, croissants, or butter cakes — you may notice a slight reduction in richness.

Texture: European butter has 82-86% fat compared to American butter's 80%, which means less water and a richer, more tender result. Switching to regular butter means slightly more water in your dough, which can make pastries marginally less flaky and cookies slightly puffier. The difference is subtle but noticeable in butter-forward recipes.