People Are Now Using Butter as Candles While Dining and The Reason is Kind of Genius

Butter tastes as good as it sounds, with the dairy product finding nuanced values in an array of wide-ranging dishes. By the end of 2022, the internet saw a surge in the popularity of butter candles, which are basically sculpted or melted into the shape of a candle. Previously unheard of, butter candles became the latest holiday-hosting trend on TikTok and people cannot help but give it a try. TikTok content creator Soozie the Foodie (@sooziethefoodie) is credited as one of the foremost creators to have experimented with butter to sculpt it into candle sticks for quirky holiday table decor. 

Butter candle trends took over the internet and have garnered over 7 billion views all over TikTok, as per Taste of Homes. The trend had seemingly followed the formerly trendy butterboards. For those unversed, these candles are simply carved out of melted or softened butter instead of wax. An edible wick, usually made from hemp or food-grade beeswax, is inserted into the candle before the butter solidifies, and voila! you have your delicious-looking butter candle sitting on your plate ready for a loaf to dredge it in. According to BuzzFeed News, this buttery kitchen innovation appears to be a playful and appealing way to present butter– the fact that you can now eat your candle at a candle-lit dinner table seems fun and interesting. More importantly, nothing beats the taste of warm melted butter. 

When asked about the inspiration behind her novel creation, Suzy a.k.a Soozie the Foodie told TODAY that she tried to recreate ancient tallow candles with butter and was fascinated by the latter’s potential to “elevate your bread and butter fame.” In a viral TikTok video, she demonstrated the whole process of making butter candles. She unwrapped a stick of butter, salted or unsalted as per taste, and placed it on a flimsy plastic wrap as the first step of the process. Then, Suzy gently smashed the butter into a flat shape and carefully molded it into the shape of a cylinder. She placed an edible wick at the center before rolling the butter into shape. 

Adding some final touches, Suzy lit up the candle after placing it alongside a few bread slices on a plate. It is advised that the butter candle be treated similarly to a wax candle, as it may melt faster, to avoid any accidents. “My favorite thing to make is hands down butter candles,” the TikToker wrote in the caption. The video has amassed over 2.6 million views. Taste of Home suggested adding roasted garlic to the blend for some extra flavor. Besides the quirks, the luscious aromas emanating from the butter candles also add to the charm of it. 

According to Statista, 297.78 million Americans used butter in 2020 and the trend was projected to increase to 300.54 million by 2024. Meanwhile, the global butter industry was valued at $51.61 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow by 2.6% from 2022 to 2028, per a report by Grand View Research. It is not surprising that butter is one of the widely used ingredients across cuisines and dishes in the world, particularly in Western countries like France and the U.S. However, it is not a hundred percent healthy but can be consumed in moderation with other ingredients for a wholesome meal. 

You can follow @sooziethefoodie on TikTok for more kitchen hacks and cooking tips.