HOW TO CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR
Creamed butter and sugar lays the groundwork for soft and tender cakes, cookies and more. Use the guide below to learn tips for creaming butter and sugar, discover why it’s important and see mouthwatering recipes that use the mixture as a base.
WHAT IS CREAMED BUTTER AND SUGAR?
You can make creamed butter and sugar by whipping butter (usually unsalted) and brown or granulated sugar together to lay a fluffy, aerated foundation for baked goods like vanilla butter cake or brown butter white chocolate cranberry cookies. A longer creaming time typically leads to more tender, pillowy baked goods.
WHICH KITCHENAID® ACCESSORIES AND APPLIANCES CAN YOU USE FOR CREAMING?
You’ll need to cream ingredients for several minutes while scraping down the bowl to produce light and airy creamed butter and sugar. Appliances like a KitchenAid® stand mixer or hand mixer can help you evenly cream ingredients without wearing out your arm, and select KitchenAid® stand mixer accessories can make the process even easier.
KitchenAid® hand mixers feature anywhere from 5–9 speeds with some available in cordless configurations so you can move around the kitchen as you cream. If you’re using a KitchenAid® stand mixer, try creaming with the Flex Edge Beater accessory1 that thoroughly incorporates ingredients as it scrapes down the side of the bowl.
1 Sold separately.
WHY DO YOU CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR?
Creaming softened butter with sugar at high speeds creates air pockets throughout your batter, creating a fluffy and tender finished product. This process adds volume to cakes and cookies, plus it helps to evenly distribute sugar throughout the batter.
TOOLS FOR CREAMING BUTTER AND SUGAR
TOOLS
KitchenAid® Flex Edge Beater Accessory (optional), or Flat Beater
Rubber spatula
STEPS TO CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR
The types and amounts of butter and sugar varies by recipe, but there are a few basic steps to creaming the ingredients that always apply. See the 4 steps below to discover tips for creaming butter and sugar.
INGREDIENTS
Softened butter (unsalted)
Sugar (granulated and/or brown)
PREP TIME
10 minutes
TOTAL TIME
15 minutes
STEP 1: SOFTEN BUTTER
Butter should be soft enough that your finger leaves an impression when you press on it but firm enough to hold its overall shape. You can leave butter on the countertop for 35–45 minutes to soften it or use the microwave to speed up the process.
To soften butter faster using your microwave, cut the stick of butter into 1-inch pieces and place it on a plate. Then, microwave water in a microwave-safe dish for about 2 minutes, remove the water, and quickly place the plate of butter inside of the microwave. Leave the door closed for about 10 minutes to allow the butter to soften from the radiant heat.
STEP 2: PREPARE YOUR MIXER
Creaming butter requires mixing at high speeds for an extended period of time, so it’s best to use a stand or hand mixer to help prevent arm fatigue. If using a KitchenAid® stand mixer, prepare the mixer with a KitchenAid® flat beater, or KitchenAid® flex edge beater accessory so you can reduce time spent manually scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
STEP 3: ADD INGREDIENTS
Cube softened butter and add it to the mixing bowl alongside the sugar. Cubing softened butter isn’t necessary but can help speed up the process of thoroughly incorporating ingredients.
STEP 4: MIX INGREDIENTS
Set the mixer to a high speed, then cream the butter and sugar until it’s well incorporated, pale and fluffy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you cream ingredients. If you’re worried about splattering, start the mixer at a low speed and gradually increase to high, or consider using KitchenAid® Secure Fit Pouring Shield accessory to help keep ingredients in the bowl.
Creaming butter with brown sugar should produce a whipped, light brown mixture free of noticeable sugar granules, while granulated sugar and butter should result in a pale yellow color. This usually takes anywhere from 3–5 minutes using an electric mixer.
HOW TO CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR BY HAND
You can cream butter and sugar by hand using a fork and rubber spatula or wooden spoon, though it may not produce the same light and airy texture as an electric mixer. Cut softened butter into thin pieces, then use a fork to mix ingredients into a paste.
Next, use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture vigorously, folding ingredients together for about 10 minutes until you achieve a pale yellow color and creamy consistency.
TIPS TO CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR WITH A STAND MIXER
Stand mixers do all the work, so it can be easy to let the mixer run too long and begin melting the butter. Stop creaming the mixture as soon as it achieves a fluffy consistency and pale yellow color. Overmixing can lead to an oily and soupy texture that eliminates necessary air pockets.
TIPS TO CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR WITH A HAND MIXER
Similar to creaming with a stand mixer, using a hand mixer can help you achieve fluffy results with less elbow grease. Consider starting to mix on a slow speed to help prevent splatter, then increase the mixer to a high speed gradually as you move the mixer around the bowl. Try using a cordless mixer like the KitchenAid® Cordless 7 Speed Hand Mixer so you can keep an eye on anything else you have cooking.
RECIPES THAT INCLUDE CREAMED BUTTER AND SUGAR
- Salted Caramel Ginger Cookies: A great addition to any Fall holiday spread, these chewy cookies incorporate the warm flavors of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and molasses.
- Almond Shortbread Cookies with Blood Orange Glaze: These buttery and crisp confections bring almond flavors to the forefront with almond extract, almond flour and ground, raw almonds on the ingredients list. Paired with the zest of a blood orange glaze, these cookies strike a delicate flavor balance.
- Vanilla Ombre Cake: As satisfying to the taste buds as it is on the eyes, this velvety cake recipe uses butter, shortening, heavy cream and whole milk to create a rich base perfect for pairing with a fluffy buttercream frosting.
- Toasted Coconut Honey Ginger Cake: Pair tropical coconut with freshly grated ginger and warm honey in this moist cake recipe. Cream cheese frosting infused with lemon zest adds a citrusy kick to every bite.
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups: A twist on classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, these cookie cups combine tried and tested cookie ingredients like brown sugar, egg and butter with hearty ingredients like whole wheat flour and oats for a filling and tasty treat.
- Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies: Enrich traditional chocolate chip cookies with this recipe that adds mashed avocado for an even more tender texture.
SHOP KITCHENAID® STAND MIXERS AND HAND MIXERS
KitchenAid® stand mixers and hand mixers provide the power you need to effortlessly aerate, cream and whip ingredients. Select hand mixer models include up to 9 speeds so you can do anything from gently incorporating mix-ins to creating stiff peaks in egg whites. Stand mixers by KitchenAid brand are available in 3.5 to 7-quart sizes to help you make batches small and large.
