Country Crock Isn't Made With Real Butter. What's In It?

Seeing a tub of Country Crock in a refrigerator or on a breakfast table is bound to inspire some questions. First and foremost, what is a crock? (It's apparently a specially designed receptacle capable of keeping butter fresh at room temperature.) Second and perhaps most important, is Country Crock actually butter? That question is a bit easier to answer, as the product is designated "40% vegetable oil spread" per the label.

When you compare Country Crock to a brand like Land O'Lakes, which does use real butter in its recipe, the difference in ingredients is a bit jarring. Land O'Lakes unsalted whipped butter in a tub contains just two ingredients: pasteurized sweet cream and natural flavor — a far cry from the much lengthier ingredient listing on Country Crock packaging.

A closer look at the Country Crock packaging shows ingredients like soybean oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, purified water, salt, preservatives, and flavorings. These ingredients earned Country Crock a spot on our list of butter brands made with the lowest-quality ingredients even though the product does not actually contain butter.

Unlike butter, Country Crock uses palm oil in its recipe to ensure the product is supremely spreadable. While palm oil shouldn't be mistaken as a health food, it does contain less saturated fat than butter, which is an important distinction for people with certain dietary restrictions. However, palm oil is not without its controversy, as the ingredient heavily contributes to deforestation in tropical climates. It should be noted that the Country Crock website states that all palm oil used in its products comes from certified sustainable sources. 

When it comes to uses for Country Crock, the product isn't quite as versatile as butter. Butter is a crucial ingredient in a wide variety of baked goods, including classic chocolate chip cookie recipes. Some types of vegetable oil spread, specifically those that come in stick form and have a fat content over 65%, can be used to replace butter in recipes. However, vegetable oil spreads that come in tubs, such as Country Crock, shouldn't be used when baking. These vegetable oil spreads are ideal for toast and dinner rolls, which explains why Country Crock has a place in so many kitchens.