What it says, butter without the 1.5 - 2% added salt that "normal" butter has. Often recommended for cooking. Many people prefer the taste of unsalted butter. In areas with high quality dairy products the use of unsalted butter where it is called for may not be so important, since the salt is not so likely to be covering the taste of a low-quality product.

Preferred over salted butter because it gives cooks control over salt content. Salt also acts as a preservative, meaning salted butter generally stays on the shelf longer than unsalted. 'Sweet cream' is a misnomer, as all non-sour cream butters are sweet cream.