Can You Leave Butter on the Counter?

It’s almost always safe to leave butter on the counter or to eat butter that has been out of the fridge for a while. Unlike soft cheeses, such as cream cheese, ricotta, or cottage cheese, butter can stay out of the fridge for hours, even days, without the risk of spoilage or food safety issues.

“Butter is safe to eat after being out at room temperature,” says Bri Bell, a registered dietitian, and food safety expert. “One reason it doesn’t go bad as quickly as other dairy products at room temperature is because it’s low in carbohydrates and proteins, which are mold and bacteria’s preferred food sources.”

How Long Can You Leave Butter on the Counter?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends leaving butter at room temperature no more than two days. After that period of time, the butter can turn rancid. This will cause off flavors and unpleasant texture.

However, if you follow the butter storage tips above, butter can stay fresh up to two weeks on the counter.

But Should You Leave Butter Out?

Just because you can leave butter on the counter doesn’t mean you will want to. Butter can lose its taste over time, especially if stored improperly. Butter easily absorbs odors from around your kitchen. The spread already has a delicate flavor, so if you taste other foods or scents when you eat a bit of it, you may want to trash it.

Before you spread, give the butter a once over. The best way to tell if the butter has gone past the point of safety is by checking for signs of spoilage, such as bad odors, mold growth, and an altered texture. When in doubt, skip the spread and go for fresh-from-the-fridge butter.

“You may be able to still eat butter that’s left at room temperature for a few days, but you may notice changes to the color or flavor as it starts to go bad,” Bell says. Off-putting qualities, like an oily texture or unusual flavors, may make the butter less appealing to you, so you may decide to toss butter that’s been out for a while. However, even if it doesn’t taste the best, it’s likely still safe to eat.

“There’s a difference between pathogens that cause food to spoil, and ones that cause food poisoning,” Bell says. “For example, although most people in Western cultures would think it’s bad to consume sour milk, it is actually used in a lot of recipes from past generations and around the world.”

You should trust your instincts before diving into a stick if you don’t know how long it has been out or how it has been stored. See something that doesn’t look right? Go for a new stick.

“I wouldn’t recommend eating butter that seems off for the small chance that it does actually make you sick,” Bell says.