Land O'Lakes Settles the Question: How Long Can You Leave Butter Unrefrigerated?

When it comes to food storage, many of us just follow the traditions of previous generations. Who needs to read labels when grandma left butter out in the butter bell all day, right?

Maybe your butter stays on the counter in a dish, or if it's not there all the time, you leave it out overnight to soften before baking.

But is it safe to leave butter out at room temperature? And if so, how long can it stay before becoming unsafe? We turned to the experts at Land O'Lakes to finally put this debate to rest—and you might not like the answer.

Is It Safe to Leave Butter Out on the Counter?

It turns out the answer isn’t as straightforward as a simple yes or no, as it’s more than just a matter of safety.

According to Tonja Engen, Culinary Content Specialist at Land O’Lakes, “The USDA and FDA require most dairy products to be refrigerated,” but butter isn’t always considered a typical dairy product. In fact, the USDA deems butter safe at room temperature—but that’s not the only factor to consider.

Although butter is “safe” at room temperature, leaving it out for too long can lead to spoilage and rancidity, which can negatively affect its taste. To ensure the best flavor, Land O’Lakes has some helpful tips for butter storage.

“For proper storage, Land O’Lakes advises following the ‘Keep Refrigerated’ instructions on the packaging,” says Engen.

But don’t worry, when you need to soften butter, it’s fine to leave it out on the counter. Land O’Lakes suggests letting it sit for 30 to 60 minutes to achieve the perfect consistency for spreading and baking without it turning rancid.

How Long Is It Safe to Leave Butter Out?

Although room-temperature butter is unlikely to cause harm, Land O’Lakes still recommends refrigerating butter when not in use. However, if you forget to put it back in the fridge right away after baking, that’s okay—just don’t let it sit out for too long.

“Do not leave butter out for more than 4 hours,” advises Engen. “Always return unused butter to the fridge, as butter left out may darken and lose its flavor.”

Storing butter in the fridge is a good practice, as it prevents it from absorbing any unwanted odors or flavors from your kitchen. Plus, the colder fridge temperatures help butter last much longer—while room-temperature butter can turn rancid within a day or two, according to the USDA, refrigerated or frozen butter can stay fresh for months.

How to Safely (and Quickly) Soften Butter

If leaving butter out for hours isn’t the best way to soften it, what’s the alternative? Land O’Lakes recommends letting butter sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes for the safest softening method.

Of course, sometimes we forget to take butter out of the fridge before we start baking—so, what’s the fastest way to soften it?

“To speed up the process, you can cut butter into small pieces and leave them at room temperature for about 15 minutes,” advises Engen.

In fact, Land O’Lakes seems to be a fan of one of our favorite celebrity chefs’ cooking hacks, as they’ve endorsed Jennifer Garner’s method for softening butter. If you're in a hurry, you can grate the butter using a cheese grater to quickly soften it. This is also the best technique for softening frozen butter straight from the freezer, according to the culinary team.

“Use the large holes of a box grater or a strainer to grate frozen butter. Grating onto a piece of waxed paper makes it easy to transfer the butter into a mixing bowl. Let the shreds sit at room temperature for just a few minutes and they’ll soften in no time,” says Engen.

The Bottom Line

While we’re not suggesting you toss your butter dish, it might be worth reconsidering how you store your butter. Especially if you’ve been missing out on the full flavor of fresh, quality butter in baked goods because it’s gone a bit rancid. Try refrigerating it and discover the difference chilled butter can make!