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I have to say, I routinely use salted butter in baking recipes that call for unsalted, and I've never noticed a difference. It's fairly immaterial, unless you're making something incredibly delicate.

As above, that's usually what I do - I just leave out the salt and then add in extra to where it tastes amiss. I do have to admit though to a slightly salty-tooth and some sweet dishes actually taste quite better with a little dash of it: usually if there's a rich caramel flavour, like flapjack or even caramel corn (add a little salt and black pepper - sounds weird but it's sooooo right).

For baking I usually just half my pinch or leave it out unless I'm making a savoury but often other ingredients will take the place of salt, like bacon, ham or cheese. Mmmm, that reminds me, I really fancy making parmesan, black pepper and fennel scones. If there's ever a case for using salted butter, that's the recipe that'll do it for me!

I used salted butter before and simply omitted the salt asked for in the recipe. While I think unsalted works better for baking (I can taste a bit of a difference), you can totally use it.

You could see if someone wants to buy a bunch of unsalted butter and swap with you...?

If you know the store where she bought it, take it back (at a NON-busy time) and ask (nicely) to exchange it.

There is no set amount of salt in salted butters therefore you need to go to the back of the box and figure out the mg of sodium then goto the back of the salt you use and find out how many mg of sodium are per serving and reduce appropriately.

I never use unsalted butter in my recipes. I find that the extra pinch of salt (I use very little other added salt) just adds more taste to things, be it chocolate cakes or savoury items.

I just use salted butter and cut the salt from the recipe. I guess I've never known the difference, but things still turn out well.

Unless you're a broke college student who is currently enrolled in the pastry chef program at CIA, I seriously doubt it's going to make any difference whatsoever. I've baked with salted butter if that was what I happened to have on hand, followed the recipe as usual, and never noticed any difference.

I'd only start compensating and substituting and doing the math on milligrams of sodium if you bake something that is noticeably over-salty.

The only thing I'd worry about using it in is in things that really shouldn't be at all salty, like buttercream frosting. (I used salted butter in frosting once by mistake and it was really gross.) But for baked goods, I think an extra bit of salt can be tasty, or you can just leave the salt out of the recipe.

I only use salted (because I can get it direct from a farm), and the only recipe I could ever taste it in was a flavoured butter I made to go with pancakes. But then, being English I've never really put salt in my sweet baking-try none and work up from there maybe?

@cupcakemuffin, really? I've made frosting using salted butter, sugar and nothing else and never had a problem. There's really only enough salt in butter to make it taste like itself, not like salt.

I've never compensated one way or another, I wouldn't worry about it.

I love using salted butter for buttercream, it makes it taste carmel-like

I use salted butter in everything sweet and savory and never make any adjustments to the recipe.

Unsalted butter doesn't keep as long as salted butter, so recipes often call for unsalted butter to assure freshness (of the butter). It really doesn't make any difference to the dish...

I always use salted butter in my baking and don't adjust the salt. I am in agreement that unless it is something very delicate, I don't think it makes a huge difference.

If you are worried you could use it for slightly savory things like biscuits, crackers and such.

I've never adjusted any recipe for salted, or unsalted, butter. Some recipes I've seen call for it. I generally only buy salted, because it doesn't always end up in baking and instead goes on toast, and I like it to taste... well, like it always tastes. But I wouldn't worry about it. If you do bake something that ends up tasting off because of it, notate the recipe and proceed ;)

I love to bake and bake quite often, and I always use salted butter regardless of what the recipe calls for. personally, I like a little bit of salt even in my sweet baked goods, I find it just makes everything taste better--heightens the flavors.

I've never used unsalted butter in my cooking - mainly because you'd be hard pressed to find it for sale in the UK - I use salted in everything, sweet or savoury, and have never had a problem - just go for it!

am i the only one wondering how to "taste as you go" in baked goods that aren't batter-based?

Just use the salted butter in the recipe. I use salted butter in everything I bake and I have never, ever, ever noticed the difference. I never cut the salt to compensate, but have cut the salt when compensating for sodium restricted diet, usually by half.

Good Luck. And by all means freeze the butter. Frozen butter grates really well into flour for pastry crust.