How to Bake with Sheep Butter for Rich Dough

Quick answer

Bake with sheep butter by reducing liquid in your recipe by about 10% and chilling the dough thoroughly to handle its higher fat content for a richer, flakier result.

How to bake with sheep butter: step by step

1. 1. Reduce liquid in the recipe: For every 100g of cow butter called for, use 100g of sheep butter but reduce the milk, water, or eggs by about 10% (roughly 1 tablespoon per cup of flour). The lower water content in sheep butter means the dough will be wetter otherwise. Check the dough consistency after mixing; it should feel slightly firmer than usual, not sticky.
2. 2. Chill the dough thoroughly: Sheep butter softens faster at room temperature than cow butter. After mixing, refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling or shaping. This prevents the butter from melting into the flour, which would make the dough tough. If the dough feels too soft to handle, chill it in 15-minute intervals until firm.
3. 3. Use cold butter in pastry: For flaky doughs like pie crust or biscuits, cut cold sheep butter into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips. Work quickly so the butter stays in pea-sized pieces. This creates steam pockets during baking, giving you a light, layered texture. If the butter starts to smear, return the bowl to the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.
4. 4. Adjust baking time and temperature: Because sheep butter browns faster due to its higher milk solids content, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) and check for doneness 5 minutes earlier than the recipe states. Look for a deep golden color, not dark brown. If the bottom browns too quickly, place the baking sheet on a higher rack.
5. 5. Taste and adjust flavor: Sheep butter has a naturally sweet, nutty flavor that pairs well with savory herbs, honey, or spices. Start by using it in recipes where that flavor complements the other ingredients, such as shortbread, scones, or brioche. In neutral recipes like puff pastry, the sheep butter flavor may be subtle; add a pinch of salt to balance it.

Product facts

• Sheep Butter: Sheep Butter is crafted from 100% pure sheep’s milk. It is richer in fat and nutrients than cow’s milk butter, with a naturally sweet, slightly nutty flavor. This higher fat content means you need less butter to achieve the same richness, but you must reduce liquid elsewhere to avoid a greasy dough.