Is butter gluten-free? Yes, the butter dish is the risk

Yes. Butter is gluten-free: it’s made from cream, sometimes with salt. Most spreads and margarines are gluten-free too.

What to check

• The shared butter dish: a knife that has touched bread leaves crumbs. At home, keep a separate butter for the coeliac; in a café, ask for a sealed portion.
• Flavoured and compound butters (garlic, herb) are usually fine, but check any that contain breadcrumbs or crumble.
• Buttered dishes in restaurants: the butter is fine; ask what else went into the pan.

Keep reading

• Is cheese gluten-free?
• Is peanut butter gluten-free?
• Your first gluten-free pantry

Sources: Coeliac UK, EU Regulation 1169/2011 and 828/2014, US FDA gluten-free rule and FALCPA, Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less). Checked 28 September 2026. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.