# Margarine or Butter?



## DietitianInTraining (Sep 4, 2008)

I can't find an answer..


In the past, if I ever ran out of 'stick butter', and was wanting to make cookies, or some kind of dessert, i've always just used my margarine instead.  I believe it always turned out alright, but can't remember for sure, since I havn't had to do it THAT often.

So?...

Would it mess up a recipe, if I used my "I can't believe it's not butter"... instead of regular, stick butter? I've tried googeling it, but havn't found an exact answer...

If I had butter flavored crisco, I would just use that. But I just recently used the last of it in my deep-fryer....

I wanna make Mama's Oatmeal Cookies!!!!!!! So what do you guys think??


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## jkath (Sep 4, 2008)

Butter. Always.


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## suziquzie (Sep 4, 2008)

Margarines are different...
THere are spreads, and there are margarines...
Stick margarine would be an ok replacement if going out for butter is not an option...
but IMHO anything in a tub is a spread, and has too much water for baking. 
A spread will also say spread....


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## Mama (Sep 4, 2008)

Never use margarine in a tub because that is a spread and doesn't contain as much fat as margarine.

I just checked the nutrition facts on parkay and ICBINB, if you have the *regular* stick, it should work fine.


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## TATTRAT (Sep 4, 2008)

Butter.

mo butta, mo betta.


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## pacanis (Sep 4, 2008)

Mama said:


> *Never use margarine in a tub because that is a spread *and doesn't contain as much fat as margarine.
> 
> I just checked the nutrition facts on parkay and ICBINB, if you have the *regular* stick, it should work fine.


 
It's a spread even if it's labeled margarine? How can they do that since there are a lot of products labeled "spread"?  I figured there was a difference 
Are you saying, for example; that Land O Lakes margarine in stick form is different than LOL margarine in a tub?  I _USED_ to use both these products and never noticed a difference.

Then I switched to butter, but since I keep it in the fridge it doesn't work well on toast, so I started buying "LOL spreadable butter", which I know contains canola oil, but spreads like margarine and comes in a tub, so is it really a spread?

I always get a bit confused in the dairy aisle....


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## luvs (Sep 4, 2008)

butter!!


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## BigDog (Sep 4, 2008)

TATTRAT said:


> Butter.
> 
> mo butta, mo betta.


 
Agreed! I have used Crisco Butter Flavor in place of butter, but not margerine.


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## Mama (Sep 4, 2008)

pacanis said:


> It's a spread even if it's labeled margarine? How can they do that since there are a lot of products labeled "spread"? I figured there was a difference
> Are you saying, for example; that Land O Lakes margarine in stick form is different than LOL margarine in a tub? I _USED_ to use both these products and never noticed a difference.
> 
> Then I switched to butter, but since I keep it in the fridge it doesn't work well on toast, so I started buying "LOL spreadable butter", which I know contains canola oil, but spreads like margarine and comes in a tub, so is it really a spread?
> ...


 
Let me clarify.  Although it's not always called a spread, usually if it's in a tub, it contains less total fat than stick margarine so won't work as well.


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## VeraBlue (Sep 4, 2008)

oh my dear......butter is da bomb.  I would only suggest your margarine for greasing cake pans with.


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## jkath (Sep 4, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Then I switched to butter, but since I keep it in the fridge it doesn't work well on toast, so I started buying "LOL spreadable butter", which I know contains canola oil, but spreads like margarine and comes in a tub, so is it really a spread?


Pacanis! You need a Butter Bell! But never mind the price. I've found the exact same item at Marshalls for around $10. They work like a charm.

Google Image Result for http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US/local/products/detail/19645.jpg


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## pacanis (Sep 4, 2008)

jkath said:


> Pacanis! You need a Butter Bell! But never mind the price. I've found the exact same item at Marshalls for around $10. They work like a charm.
> 
> Google Image Result for http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US/local/products/detail/19645.jpg


 
Ahhh, the caveat.....
I like cold butter on warm toast. Weird I know, but there _is_ a taste difference in your toast between spreading something room temp and something cold on it. And cold butter doesn't spread well.  That's why I used margarine in the past and now "spreadable butter". Gotta come outta da fridge 

And I'll check on those ingredients Mama. I never knew stick and tub products that were labeled the same, in effect weren't.


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## Mama (Sep 4, 2008)

Let me first say this, I would NEVER suggest that anyone EVER use margarine except in an emergency but maybe this link will help understand margarine, Pacanis:  *FDA *


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## pacanis (Sep 4, 2008)

Mama said:


> Let me first say this, I would NEVER suggest that anyone EVER use margarine except in an emergency but maybe this link will help understand margarine, Pacanis: *FDA *


 
 I love it. Margarine is better for us 
Here, I _used_ to use it until joining this forum and asking questions 
I knew there was a reason I never pay attention to cholesterol, trans fats and all that.


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## DietitianInTraining (Sep 4, 2008)

I shouldn't use margarine at all?  I'll be honest with yah.. I never realized there were _margarine sticks.. _I always assumed, if it was a stick, it was butter. If it's in a tub, it's margarine. I'm with Pacanis on the spreading issue.. I use my 'tub butter' for toast, and bread (rolls,cornbread,crossants,etc...) I also use it for grilled cheese sandwhiches, since the stick butter tears my bread..

My mom has always used one of those holders, for the stick butter. So that way it's room temp, and will spread. I just think the 'tub butter' tastes so much better...


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## AllenOK (Sep 5, 2008)

There are differences in using butter or margarine for baking cookies.  Margarine (and by that, I mean "stick" margarine) has a greater range of temperatures that the cookie dough is workable.  Butter is more natural, and a proven, time-tested ingredient, but the resulting dough has a very narrow range of temperatures at which the dough is "workable", for rolling out.  There is also a difference in how the cookie "spreads" as it bakes, but I can't remember which one spreads more, margarine or butter.

IMHO, I only use regular Cisco to season my cast iron skillets with.  Butter-Flavor Crisco is a vile thing should not exist.

FWIW, I keep a package of "stick" margarine in my freezer, for those rare occasions where the baking urge hits me.  I also keep a pound of "stick" butter in the freezer, as well, as more of my baking recipes call for butter.


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## miniman (Sep 5, 2008)

We get baking margarines (brand name "stork" ) over here in tubs. Most of the margarines have labels indicating if they are suitable for cooking - broken down into baking and frying. 

So I would go for butter if you have it, then check the margarine container carefully for what it says.


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## LadyCook61 (Sep 5, 2008)

jkath said:


> Pacanis! You need a Butter Bell! But never mind the price. I've found the exact same item at Marshalls for around $10. They work like a charm.
> 
> Google Image Result for http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US/local/products/detail/19645.jpg


 
same here ! I have one and it is great!


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## DramaQueen (Sep 5, 2008)

*I wouldn't use margarine on a bet for anything. I use only unsalted butter. I don't like anything fake, like Krab, margarine, the parmesan stuff in the can. Gotta be the real thing, it does make all the difference in the world to me. And I CAN believe it's not butter. AAAACCCCKK. Are they kidding? Stick with butter. Sorry for the pun.*
*P. S.  The butter bell is one of my most valuable "gadgets."  *


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## luvs (Sep 6, 2008)

i agre with your above lister dislike fer krab, but why unsalted butter..... i keep salted & unsalted both. some recipes count on that sodium.


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## VeraBlue (Sep 6, 2008)

DramaQueen said:


> *I wouldn't use margarine on a bet for anything. I use only unsalted butter. I don't like anything fake, like Krab, margarine, the parmesan stuff in the can. Gotta be the real thing, it does make all the difference in the world to me. And I CAN believe it's not butter. AAAACCCCKK. Are they kidding? Stick with butter. Sorry for the pun.*
> *P. S.  The butter bell is one of my most valuable "gadgets."  *


Hiya
It's okay to use margarine to grease cake pans, but little else.  Butter leeches water when it melts at cake baking temp, making your grease/flour mixture at the bottom of your cake pans steam.  Margarine, on the other hand, won't steam the bottom of the cake.


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## DramaQueen (Sep 6, 2008)

luvs said:


> i agre with your above lister dislike fer krab, but why unsalted butter..... i keep salted & unsalted both. some recipes count on that sodium.


 
*I don't want the butter to dictate how much sodium I use.  I prefer to add my own salt to my recipes so I can control the amount.   And I don't particularly care for the taste of salted butter. *


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## BreezyCooking (Sep 8, 2008)

I never use margarine, so can't comment on that.

One thing I DO know is that you can't substitute "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" (& other products of that type), whether in sticks or tubs, for butter.  As someone else posted, there is just way too much liquid in those products, which I quickly learned when I USED to cook with them.  Vegetables don't "saute" in them - they steam & then burn - lol!!  I imagine all that liquid would really throw baked goods right off.

These days I pretty much only use butter &/or olive oil for regular cooking, interspersed with canola oil for certain applications.


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## marigeorge (Sep 8, 2008)

Butter only, margarine is not allowed space in my house!


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## eva6206213 (Nov 9, 2008)

still    the   butter~~~~~


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## BreezyCooking (Nov 9, 2008)

As far as the salted vs. unsalted butter controversy - it used to be that salted butter was felt to be substandard because producers could (& may well have) used the salt to cover up an inferior product.  But that's no longer the case.

However, as others have stated, I too prefer to control my sodium intake, so do use unsalted butter for cooking/baking unless for some reason salted butter is called for.  I do, however, prefer salted butter for buttering toast, biscuits, etc., etc.  I just like the flavor better.


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## babetoo (Nov 9, 2008)

no salt butter here, but have used margarine on occasion


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