<figure> <img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SIpmMIHZBni6L2F-v3DPpDFFI7c=/200x0:1400x900/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73891711/Butter_Dishes.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Eater Staff</figcaption> </figure> <p>Want to feel like you’re in a 19th-century French cottage? A chic countryside farmhouse? Let these countertop beauties butter you up</p> <p id="OcYQp4">Next to <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crateandbarrel.com%2Ftuscan-kitchen-marble-11-cheeseboard-with-glass-cloche%2Fs341132%3F&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">dessert domes</a> and <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Fwalnut-bread-box%2F%3F&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">bread boxes</a>, I can’t think of many functional kitchen storage items that can so casually and effortlessly unveil food with a little ceremony as the butter dish. The best butter dishes should feel like a functional pedestal for your precious <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instacart.com%2Fproducts%2F17105039-les-pres-sales-butter-8-8-g%3F&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Camargue <em>beurre</em></a>, creamy Kerrygold, and everything (spreadable) in between. Consider, for example, this <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.areaware.com%2Fproducts%2Feverything-nice-butter-dish%3F&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">glass butter dish</a> by Sophie Lou Jacobsen, which looks like it dances ballet when you’re out of the room:</p> <div id="znhur5"> <blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6J6dGRvpaY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"> <div> <div></div> <div></div> <div></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div></div> <div></div> <div></div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div> </div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6J6dGRvpaY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Slowdown Studio (@slowdownstudio)</a></p> </div></blockquote> </div> <p id="VNoH6s">Let’s address the common question conjured by butter dishes: “Can I leave my butter out at room temperature?” According to the <a href="https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app">USDA</a>, butter can be left at room temperature for one to two days, and refrigerated for one to two months — although throngs of room temperature <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/comments/15qgnbd/can_i_leave_american_butter_outside_of_the_fridge/">butter-obsessed subreddits</a> might disagree. Exposure to air, light, and heat are what ultimately spoils butter, so you will want to be mindful of your kitchen’s temperature; and anything <a href="https://www.usdairy.com/news-articles/does-butter-need-to-be-refrigerated#:~:text=If%20it%20creeps%20above%2070,for%20a%20day%20or%20two.">above 70 degrees</a> Fahrenheit will usually give your butter a <a href="https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/an-age-old-debate-can-you-leave-butter-out">48-hour lifespan</a>. Butter, however, isn’t always considered a <a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/food/docs/fs/tcsfoodfs.pdf">TCS (Time/temperature Control for Safety) food</a>, because a lot of it, particularly in the United States, is pasteurized. Basically: Feel free to leave your butter out in a (gorgeous) dish all day as long as your kitchen is at an average or cool-ish room temperature, but it’s best to stash it in your fridge overnight to be safe. </p> <p id="h6X7EY">The best butter dish for your needs depends on what you’re looking for on an aesthetic and practical level. Romanticize your countertops with some vintage <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marthastewart.com%2F8114412%2Fmajolica-pottery-collecting-guide&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">majolica</a> or a traditional butter bell; reach for a minimalist butter dish to compliment your <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sundays-company.com%2Fproducts%2Funion-dining-table-oak%3F&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Scandinavian dining table</a>, or a <em>trompe l’oeil</em> dinner roll-shaped butter dish to impress dinner guests. </p> <h2 id="cmW8vS"><strong>Butter Dishes vs. Butter Bells and Crocks</strong></h2> <p id="VULLdX">When shopping for a butter dish, you will generally notice rectangular, single- and double-stick butter containers made out of ceramic, stoneware, or glass. There are some delightful round butter dishes out there, too, for any <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516589&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mypanier.com%2Fproducts%2Frodolphe-le-meunier-s-salted-churned-butter-beurre-de-baratte-demi-sel-250g%3F&amp;referrer=eater.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eater.com%2F24357975%2Fbest-butter-dishes-and-crocks" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Rodolphe le Meunier butter</a> fans or folks who just prefer a round dish. </p> <p id="62VLWx">You can also try keeping your butter in a traditional 19th-century French-style <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_butter_dish">butter bell</a> or butter crock, which stores butter in a small, water-immersed vessel that provides an airtight seal on the container while ensuring your butter stays delightfully spreadable. These crocks <a href="https://www.southernliving.com/butter-crock-vs-butter-dish-7693713">help to keep your butter safe to eat</a> while left out at room temperature for longer periods of time. </p> <div id="VjIntf"> <blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cti4uslvcYp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"> <div> <div></div> <div></div> <div></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div></div> <div></div> <div></div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div> </div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cti4uslvcYp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Adele Macer Ceramics (@adele_macer_ceramics)</a></p> </div></blockquote> </div> <h2 id="nSRfc5"><strong>The Best Single Stick Butter Dishes</strong></h2> <div id="ZjlPST"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="5dHHFc" /> <div id="5eCr8h"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="uMLhO2" /> <div id="B7oT1z"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="rbKUKV" /> <div id="LW2EtB"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="goXHQV" /> <div id="snsaQt"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="c1BJLZ" /> <h2 id="zYFSA8"><strong>The Best Double Stick Butter Dishes</strong></h2> <div id="OosgSR"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="w8zH2Z" /> <div id="YAtloy"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="JNyZ4V" /> <div id="lNZqBo"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="8pPgvp" /> <div id="2P85NX"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="CLsLCx" /> <h2 id="Be1hji"><strong>The Best Round Butter Dishes </strong></h2> <div id="ue07Ju"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="CZMch5" /> <div id="iLRRPp"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="GR40M6" /> <div id="mUrw2k"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="S6BZtJ" /> <h2 id="BXyxaR"><strong>The Best Butter Crocks</strong></h2> <div id="hYDZWj"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="AhHmv0" /> <div id="djKKgT"><div></div></div> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="MOr1DO" /> <aside id="x2kjsi"><div></div></aside>