Can You Freeze Butter?
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against USDA FoodKeeper · Last updated 28 October 2026
Yes, you can freeze butter. Best quality within 6–9 months; it stays safe beyond that at a constant -18°C.
What freezing does to butter
Butter and margarine freeze very well: they are mostly fat, so there is little water to form damaging ice crystals. Butter can be frozen in its wrapper for months and then used as normal. The main risk is picking up other freezer smells, so overwrap it. FoodKeeper gives butter a best-quality freezer window of 6–9 months. For comparison, the same database gives milk 3 months, double cream 3–4 months, cheddar 6 months.
You can also check the calorie content of butter alongside its safety information.
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Butter next to similar foods
| Food | Freezer window |
|---|---|
| Double Cream | 3–4 months |
| Single Cream | 3–4 months |
| Half and Half Cream | 4 months |
| Commercial Eggnog | 6 months |
| Butter | 6–9 months |
Of the 12 dairy foods in the freezing guide, butter has a best-quality window that is longer than 9 and shorter than 2.
Butter: the other answers on this site
| Question | Short answer (links to the full page) |
|---|---|
| In pregnancy | Safe |
| In the fridge | 1–2 months in the fridge |
| Left out overnight | Ok short-term |
Common questions
How long can you freeze butter?
For best quality, up to 6–9 months (USDA FoodKeeper). It stays safe beyond that, because bacteria cannot grow at a constant -18°C; the time limit is about taste and texture, not safety. Label the pack with the date so you can use the oldest first.
How should I freeze butter?
Freeze in the original wrapping, overwrapped in a freezer bag or foil so it does not pick up odours. Freeze it in the portions you use (e.g. 250g blocks).
How do I defrost butter?
In the fridge overnight. For baking, grate it from frozen or soften at room temperature.
Can you refreeze butter?
Fine in practice if it stayed cold, but quality drops with repeated thawing — take out only what you need.
Fridge or freezer for butter?
The fridge window for butter is 1–2 months (USDA FoodKeeper). If you are not going to finish it inside that window, freeze it while it is still fresh, ideally in the first day or two, since freezing only pauses the clock and anything frozen late goes in with less life left.
Can I use frozen butter straight from the freezer?
For baking, yes: grate it into pastry or scones from frozen. For spreading, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
Related answers
Primary source: USDA FoodKeeper.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.