Butter is creamy and delicious. It is used to cook food. It is spread on foods like bread, served on hot cereal, and is an ingredient in countless recipes. Butter can be made simply with one ingredient, or it can have a lot of added ingredients. Is butter gluten free?
You may wonder why I decided to research butter. There are several types of butter, ranging from made with milk to non-dairy vegan kinds of butter. The real deal, natural butter is made with one ingredient, milk. Manufacturers add flavors and preservatives that you need to watch out for.
Be sure to check out all of my articles to see what baking ingredients are gluten free.
Butter Facts:
- Butter is a dairy product that is made from cow’s milk. It is made by separating the cream, then churning it until the cream hardens into butter.
- You can buy salted or unsalted butter from most brands.
- Butter can last in the refrigerator for up to 1-3 months! This will vary by manufacturer, so always store it according to the package directions.
- Making your own butter from scratch is usually cheaper if you use organic milk.
- Butter was once shunned for its fat content, but it is becoming more accepted as a healthy fat because it is not processed like margarine and other substitutes.
Answer: Is Butter Gluten Free?
I am happy to say that in almost all cases, butter is gluten-free. As you know, things often change, so always read the labels just in case! Flavored butter may have additives to watch out for, including caramel color (honey flavors) to watch for. Caramel color is usually gluten free, but read the label to ensure it isn’t made with barley.
Butter is rarely processed in a wheat plant, so the cross-contamination risk is very low.
What About Non-Dairy Butter?
Dairy-free butter has become quite popular as it usually performs similarly to butter in cooking and baking. It is an excellent vegan option.
Non-dairy butter is often made with plant-derived oil like avocado, coconut, canola, olive, etc. Some oils used are healthier than others.
Some dairy-free gluten free butter brands include Smart Balance and Earth Balance.
