There's no single "best" butter country, as it's subjective, but Ireland, France, and New Zealand consistently rank high, known for rich, grass-fed dairy (Ireland/NZ) or artisanal AOC/PDO butters (France), with specific butters like Kerrygold (Ireland), Isigny (France), and Echiré (France) receiving top praise for flavor and texture from experts.
Best Butters in the World
Icelandic Creamery Butter is made from fresh cream, which is produced from the milk of Icelandic cows fed on grass. Rich in flavour, its smooth texture makes it easier to spread. The use of growth hormones and steroids in raising cattle is completely banned in Iceland.
Any butter labeled as "pure butter," "100% butter," or simply "butter," made from cream and salt (or no salt), with no added oils, gums, or thickeners, is 100% butter, like Mainland, Western Star, or The Butter People, and is used for cooking, baking, or spreading. Always check the ingredients list for "cream and salt" and no oils, ensuring it's natural, grass-fed if desired, and free from additives for true 100% purity.
The combination of grass-fed milk, slow churning, and cultured cream gives Scandinavian butter a flavour that's hard to beat. It's rich, creamy, and just a little bit tangy—perfect for everything from baking to spreading on your morning toast.
From the lush pastures of Brittany to your table, Le Beurre Bordier crafts a rich, creamy butter that is called by many as the best butter in the world. A staple in Michelin-star restaurants, this French butter was once exclusively used by professional chefs in French kitchens.
Swedish meatballs, perhaps the country's most famous culinary item, are a part of both traditional holiday meals and a staple in everyday home cooking. Swedish meatballs are traditionally served with gravy, mashed or boiled potatoes, lingonberries, and pickled cucumber.
Some butter types, like grass-fed and organic, have more nutrients and fewer additives. Butter can be part of a balanced diet, but some types offer more nutrients and fewer additives than others. Grass-fed, organic, and whipped butter are among the healthiest options to consider.
Lurpak is UK's number 1 butter and spreadable brand and has been making real quality butter since 1901. Made with only high quality natural ingredients - 100% fresh milk, pressed rapeseed oil, water and salt - making it the perfect texture to spread straight from the fridge, saving time and effort in the kitchen.
Kerrygold Unsalted Pure Irish Butter came out as the clear winner among chefs. The combination of flavor, ease of use and high fat content make it the best overall choice for everyday butter.
Best European Butters
Because of Iceland's recognition and acceptance, the country has become a popular destination for gay weddings. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2010, although priests can personally decide whether they will perform the ceremony—most do. In 1996, registered partnerships became legal.
It's less processed than plant spreads but does contain saturated fats. Based on measurements of over 20,000 individuals, our scientists predict that for 64% of the people, it's OK to eat butter regularly — about every other day — but not every day, and large quantities may have a negative impact.
LURPAK® QUALITY BUTTER SINCE 1901
We have had an uncompromising approach to making real, quality lactic butter since 1901. Made only with the highest quality ingredients Lurpak® butter has a distinctive, creamy delicate and fresh taste.
Higher quality butter has more butterfat and less milk solids. So your second brand seems to be better. You can verify this by checking the packaging for the butterfat percentages. Brand B should have a higher fat %.
The "best" butter in Australia depends on preference (artisan vs. mainstream, cultured vs. regular), but top contenders include Pepe Saya, Meander Valley, Lard Ass, and Duck River Meadows for premium/artisan quality, while Western Star offers excellent mainstream cultured options, praised for richness, traditional methods, and grass-fed sourcing for healthier fats.
A closer read reveals there are two versions of “Beautifully Butterfully Salted Butter” made for Aldi by rivals Fonterra and Murray Goulburn. If either of them wins it will be interesting to see how Aldi explains to their customers which half of its award-winning butter is which.
Seven Sons Farms' butter is a unique experience that just about anyone can enjoy. Why? Well, our cows produce A2 milk, and are pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed.
There's a lot of conflicting information about saturated fats. Should I eat them or not? The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats to less than 6% of total calories. Saturated fats are found in butter, cheese, red meat, other animal-based foods and tropical oils.
Top butter brands often praised for flavor and quality include Kerrygold (grass-fed, high fat), Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter (tangy, complex), and Plugrá (European style) for rich taste, while Meander Valley and Lewis Road Creamery are top-rated in Oceania; for budget, Aldi Countryside Creamery and Challenge offer good value. The "best" depends on use, with cultured butters shining for flavor and high-fat versions ideal for richness.
However, butter's fat is saturated, which can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Olive oil fat is plant-based and consists mostly of monounsaturated fats, which are known to lower LDL and increase your HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol — the “good” kind.
A typical Swedish breakfast often consists of different types of bread such as crispbread, wholemeal bread or Swedish “limpa” bread. It is often accompanied by spreads such as butter, cheese and sometimes salmon or other types of fish. Eggs, yoghurt, muesli and fruit such as berries can also be part of the breakfast.
Traditionally, Thursday is considered pea soup day in Sweden, a custom originating from Catholic medieval times: before the fasting day on Friday, people would enjoy a hearty meal. Today, the soup is readily available pre-packaged in supermarkets – a true piece of Swedish everyday culture.
Cheese, ham, smoked salmon, crispbreads, onions, cucumbers, etc. I did get a smörgås one day for lunch and it was delicious. It was a Shrimp Skagen (recipe below) that I shared with Mike. Smögås are popular both in Sweden and Denmark (where they are known as smørrebrød).