Does Butter Go Bad? Tips on How To Extend Shelf Life

Many of us don’t think twice before leaving our butter out on the kitchen counter. How else can we ensure we always have soft butter ready for daily toast lathering? But if you’ve ever looked at your room temperature butter and thought, “Wait a minute… Does butter go bad?” you’re definitely on to something. Butter goes bad. And if you infused your butter with herbs or *wink* special flower, it goes bad even quicker. The good news is, butter’s been around a while, so there’s a ton of tips and tricks for keeping your butter fresh and delicious out there. Read on to learn how to extend the shelf life of your regular, and infused, butter for spoil-free eats. 

Does Butter Go Bad? The Basics

Compared to other diary products, butter is a superstar. Not just because it’s delicious. Butter is the most invincible of the dairy products, able to weather room temperature living for weeks on end. In part, this is due to its low water content, which makes it more difficult for bacteria to grow and spoil the food. That doesn’t mean butter doesn’t eventually spoil. If you’re wondering, “Does butter go bad?” The answer is yes. Yes, it does. 

How to Store Regular Butter

Butter keeps between a few days and up to two weeks if left out of the fridge at room temperature. (Yay, spreadable butter!) In the fridge, butter will last up to a month past its expiration date if left in its original packaging. If it’s been opened, it can last up to 2 weeks after its printed date. Butter in the freezer lasts around a year.

• Use an airtight container
• If you like your butter at room temperature, try just keeping about ½ a stick out of the fridge at a time. This way, if you don’t eat a ton of butter quickly, your butter won’t go to waste
• Stick that softened butter in the fridge if you’re going on a weekend trip, and definitely if it’s hot out, or if the AC isn’t working again
• Keep your butter in the back of the fridge if you can. That’s where the cold is
• Avoid keeping your butter in the door of the fridge because the temperature will fluctuate when you open and close it

Tips aside, use your best judgement. If it’s only a week past the expiration date, but your butter is smelly and moldy, don’t eat it. If you’re unsure, give it a lil taste. You’ll notice the difference.

Does Infused Butter Go Bad? The Differences

So, now that we know how to store regular butter to maximize its freshness, it’s time to explore the world of infused butter. If you’re a real butter lover, you’ve probably heard of the practice of infusing butter. But here’s a quick recap, just in case. 

Butter is great on it’s own, but it gets seriously better once it’s infused. You can infuse any herb into butter to make your cooking escapades more flavorful and interesting. Think: cinnamon butter for baking, rosemary butter for toast, or *wink* special flower butter for edibles. If this sounds good, but you’re picturing yourself sweating over a crockpot with the fire alarm going off and the stench of burning butter, fret not! Infusing butter is seriously easy with LĒVO. 

Infusing Butter With LĒVO

LĒVO is an innovative kitchen device that simplifies the process of herbal infusion from start to finish. All you need to do is put your butter and herbs in the LĒVO, push a button, and voila! LĒVO will infuse your butter. You can then use your infused butter for any culinary concoction. Check out our easy infused butter recipes below! 

• How To Infuse Butter With Herbs
• Cinnamon Honey Butter
• Rosemary & Thyme Butter Biscuits
• Earl Grey Tea Butter Scones
• Lavender Honey Butter

Once you’ve made your infused butter, you’ll need to know how to store it. The requirements are different than regular butter, so pay attention to our tips! Unlike regular butter, infused butter only lasts 3 weeks in the fridge. If kept in an airtight container, it can last up to 6 months in the freezer. And don’t worry, it won’t lose any of its potency during storage. It’ll be just as fresh as the day you made it. For more tips and tricks, we asked infüsiasts in the LĒVO Love Club (LLC) for their advice for extending the shelf life of infused butter. Explore their expertise below!

10 Tips for Extending the Shelf Life of Your Infused Butter

1. Freeze in LĒVO Herb Blocks

The key to long-lasting infused butter storage is putting your infused butter in an airtight container, and popping it in the freezer. But don’t just plop it in any regular container. If you only need a few ounces of infused butter for your cookies, you probably won’t want to have to defrost an entire two cups of butter. LĒVO Herb Blocks to the rescue! Designed similarly to ice trays, but with an added top to ensure that airtight seal, LĒVO Herb Blocks will store your infused butter in easy-to-access one ounce cubes. 

"Freeze in one ounce cubes. LĒVO has great herb blocks!" -  Ruth R. 

2. Use Saran Wrap

If you don’t have LĒVO Herb Blocks, LLC members have other tricks up their sleeves. 

"I wrap mine in Saran Wrap. Then foil. Place in freezer bag. I just pull out what I need." - Michelle J. 

3. Use Brown Parchment Paper

No saran wrap? No problem. Try brown parchment paper instead.

"I wrap my butters in brown parchment paper and put in a freezer bags." - Treva Y.

4. Use Clean Utensils

To ensure your infused butter doesn’t spoil before it’s time, take special care to not expose it to any unnecessary bacteria. This means don’t lick the spoon and then use that same spoon to transport your infused butter. The bacteria from your mouth can speed up the spoilage process. 

5. Use Gloves

To be extra safe, pop on a pair of gloves! This will ensure you don't transfer any of the bacteria on your hands to your infused butter. Embrace your inner budtender and be professional! 

6. Store in an Opaque Bag

Like regular butter, infused butter is sensitive to light and temperature. To ensure your infused butter is able to keep as long as possible, you can store it in an opaque bag. This will prevent any light from degrading your infused butter, by keeping it in ultimate darkness.

7. Put in the Bottom of the Freezer

If you don’t have an opaque bag, you can also just place your airtight container in a safe spot in your freezer that doesn’t get a lot of light exposure. Think: underneath that big bag of spinach you keep for smoothies. 

8. Freeze Finished Foods Instead

One LLC member recommends skipping the butter storage process entirely by freezing finished food instead.

"I freeze all my cookies I make with butter to extend the shelf life, it works great for months." - Lonnie S.

9. Defrost Using Hot Tea or Coffee

Another member agrees and has a fun trick on how to "defrost" cookies faster. Try our top chocolate chip cookie recipe.

"If I can't wait for them to defrost, I dunk cookies in my hot tea or coffee." Tina G. 

10. Use Common Sense

Don’t consume infused butter if you think it has gone bad. That will be a sure way to send you straight to the toilet. 

For more tips on infusing, check out our beginner's guide to making your own edibles. Don’t forget to follow us on social, and join the LLC for more infusion tips and tricks! Happy infusing, everyone.