Toast and real butter is a delicious yet simple breakfast dish consumed worldwide by millions but most probably don’t stop to think about how much butter they’re using each time.
If you’re calorie counting or you just want to know, then I’ve researched what makes the perfect amount of butter for a slice of toast, along with the calories for each serving.
As a general rule, the average amount of butter it takes to butter a slice of toast is between 5-15g of butter per slice, with 5g (0.18oz) giving a light covering of butter and 15g (0.5oz) giving a thick covering.
This amount can vary, so read on to find out more about how much butter you’re using and how many calories this equates to each time, along with infographics to show what different amounts of butter look like.
Key Takeaways
- Butter Amount on Toast: The average amount of butter typically used on a slice of toast ranges between 5-15g. A light covering requires about 5g (0.18oz), while a thick layer uses up to 15g (0.5oz).
- Visual Guide to Butter Servings: Butter servings can be estimated using spoons: 5g is equivalent to a teaspoon, 10g to a dessert spoon, and 15g to a tablespoon. The article provides images to show what these portions look like on bread.
- Caloric Content: Butter is calorie-dense, with approximately 7.4 calories per gram. The total calories in a slice of toast with butter can vary significantly based on the butter amount, with a difference of over 100 calories between a slice spread with 5g versus 20g of butter.
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How Much Butter Should You Put on Toast?
With real butter being pretty high in calories at around 7.4 calories (in kcal) per gram, if you’re counting calories, then it’s a good idea to know how much butter you need while still enjoying a good coverage.
For taste and maximum enjoyment, if you’re a butter fan like me, you might be wondering how much butter you need to make the perfect slice of toast. Obviously, how much you prefer is a personal choice and will also depend on the size and thickness of your bread.
I’ve tested different amounts of butter on toast, and the amount that seems to work best is 7-10g of butter per slice. This amount gives good coverage to an average-sized, medium-thickness slice of toast with enough to melt into the bread for good flavor and moistness.
A 5g portion will only just cover toast, with not much absorption into the bread, whereas a 15-20g portion will give a very thick layer that might not melt or soak into the toast completely.
What a Serving of Butter Looks Like
An easy way to measure your butter without weighing it is by using spoons; use the list below as a guide:
- 5g of butter is a teaspoon
- 10g of butter is a dessert spoon
- 15g of butter is a tablespoon
The image below shows what 5g, 10g, and 15g portions of butter look like, so you can gauge how much butter you’re using on your toast.
The following image shows what a 5g, 10g, and 15g serving of butter looks like on bread, so you can get an idea of how much butter you get per serving if you’re using these portions on toast.
With toast, it’s not always easy to see how much butter there is as most of it melts into the bread.
How Many Calories Does Butter add to toast?
The chart below shows how many calories are in various butter portions on an average-sized medium-thickness slice of bread.
The figures are based on an average butter calorie value of 7.4kcal per gram (rounded to the nearest whole number) and using an average calorie value of 97kcal for a slice of white toast.
Please note that bread calories can vary depending on the weight of the loaf and thickness of the bread slice; if you need exact calorie values for your slice, take a look at the articles below for more information:
How Many Calories Are in a Slice of Bread? (USA)
How Many Calories Are in a Slice of Bread? (UK)
| Butter Weight | Calories Per Portion of Butter | Total Calories Including Bread (97kcal slice) |
| 5g | 37 kcal | 134 kcal |
| 6g | 44 kcal | 141 kcal |
| 7g | 52 kcal | 149 kcal |
| 8g | 59 kcal | 156 kcal |
| 9g | 67 kcal | 164 kcal |
| 10g | 74 kcal | 171 kcal |
| 11g | 81 kcal | 178 kcal |
| 12g | 89 kcal | 186 kcal |
| 13g | 96 kcal | 193 kcal |
| 14g | 104 kcal | 201 kcal |
| 15g | 111 kcal | 208 kcal |
| 16g | 118 kcal | 215 kcal |
| 17g | 126 kcal | 223 kcal |
| 18g | 133 kcal | 230 kcal |
| 19g | 141 kcal | 238 kcal |
| 20g | 148 kcal | 245 kcal |
As you can see, there are over 100 more calories in a slice of toast spread with 20g of butter compared with a slice of toast spread with 5g of butter.
Calories can quickly add up when your use more butter due to the high-fat content.
More Toast & Butter FAQs
An average medium-thickness slice of white bread contains around 97kcal per slice, and a generous serving (10g) of butter contains 74kcal, making the total calories for a slice of toast with butter around 171kcal.
An average medium-thickness slice of white bread contains around 97kcal per slice, and a generous serving (10g) of butter contains 74kcal, making the total calories for two pieces of toast with butter around 342kcal.
Traditionally only the top side of the toast is buttered because this makes it easier to eat and prevents the butter from dripping out of the toast when you eat it. Buttering both sides also means double the calories, so most people choose to only butter one side.
While butter is high in fat and calories, you can reduce the number of calories in your portion by choosing a lower calorie bread such as a thin slice of whole-grain bread from a small loaf and using less butter. By doing this, you can half the number of calories compared to a thick slice of white bread with a thick layer of butter.
Related Articles
I hope this article has helped you to find the information you were looking for; you might also find the following articles helpful too:
How Many Calories Are in Bread & Butter? (In Charts)
How Much Does a Slice of Bread Weigh? (Various Types & Conversions)