PARIS (AP) -- Creamy, delectable - and pricey. Butter has shot up in price across the European Union in recent months, forcing pastry chefs and residents to consider substituting margarine. Whether spread on warm bread, used to make croissants flaky or added to sauces, each yellow dollops of butter costs dramatically more than even a year ago. Across the 27-member EU, butter prices rose 19% on average from October 2023 to October 2024, and have kept increasing. After a stretch of post-pandemic inflation worsened by the war in Ukraine, the booming cost of butter is another blow for consumers with holiday treats to bake .