Nothing is more delicious (and easier to make) than fresh, yellow and creamy butter!
Learning how to make butter seemed intimidating when I first heard about it, but the truth is, it is incredibly easy and can be done with basic kitchen equipment. Making butter at home also gives you complete control over what goes into your butter.
I’ve made butter in several different ways over the years including shaking it in a jar, using a more traditional butter churn and the method described below if using a food processor or blender. This is a great skill to add to your list of homesteading skills.
Whether you are making butter to serve fresh, looking to make shaped butter using a mold or want fresh butter for baking, this is the best way to make butter quickly.
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Contents
Ingredients
Since there aren’t many ingredients in butter (actually there is only really 1 required ingredient) it’s important that use choose the best cream. You can use fresh cream or store bought cream. Below are a few things to consider when selecting the cream:
- Heavy Cream:
- Fat Content: The higher the fat content in the cream, the better it is for making butter. Heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, typically contains around 36-40% fat, making it an ideal choice with a rich flavor.
- Fresh and High-Quality Cream:
- Source Matters: Opt for fresh and high-quality cream from a reliable source. Local or organic creams can provide a more flavorful and wholesome base for your butter. If you don’t have access to fresh cream – you can still make excellent butter.
- Grass-Fed Cream:
- Enhanced Flavor and Color: Cream from grass-fed cows tends to have a more vibrant color and a nuanced flavor profile. It can contribute to a creamier and tastier butter.
You can also add salt to your butter in the final step, although I prefer to simply add salt when I’m using the butter.
Equipment
As mentinoed above you can use many different things to make butter – the key is you need something to agitate the cream. The easiest way to do this is using a food processer or blender.
It is also possible to make butter using a mixer but it will take slight longer.
Step-by-Step Guide for How to Make Butter
Step 1: Allow your cream to reach room temperature by setting it on the counter. You can make butter with cold cream but it takes a longer. I set my milk out on the counter for about 30 minutes before starting to make butter.
Step 2: Fill your blender or processor making sure not to go above the fill line to avoid a mess. Beat the cream on a medium to high setting. The first stage you will see in the cream begins to thinken and you reach the whip cream stage.
Step 3: Once you’ve reached the whip cream stage you’re about halfway there! Keep mixing! After a few more minutes you will start to see yellow clumps forming in the cream and a separation between the yellow and the liquid. This happens quickly but you aren’t likely to over mix it so keep an eye on it but don’t get too worried.
Step 4: Pour off the liquid buttermilk – make sure to save the buttermilk to use for something fun like pancakes. Next you will need to rinsse of the butter. I like to put it into a bowl and run water over the butter several times – moving the butter around with a spoon or knife. You want the water to run mostly clear.
Step 5: At this point you can add salt and mix or knead the butter or put your butter into a mold. This is the easiest time to work the butter when it is still warm and soft.
Put your butter into the fridge for up to 4-5 days and enjoy!
That’s it! It is truly so easy to make butter and it is really much creamier and delicious.
Troubleshooting Tips
Butter Not Forming:
- Possible Issue: The cream may not have reached the appropriate consistency for butter formation.
- Solution: Ensure the cream is at the right temperature, and be patient during the churning process; sometimes, it may take longer for the butter to separate.
Butter Too Soft or Too Hard:
- Possible Issue: Over-churning or under-churning can lead to butter that is either too soft or too hard.
- Solution: Monitor the churning process closely, stopping as soon as the butter separates from the buttermilk. Adjust churning time to achieve the desired texture, and consider the temperature of the cream before churning.
Fun Things to do with your Fresh Butter
- Flavored Compound Butter: Create your own custom-flavored butter by mixing in herbs, spices, garlic, or citrus zest. This compound butter can be used to elevate the flavor of grilled meats, vegetables, or spread on warm bread.
- Homemade Flaky Croissants: Use your freshly made butter to create laminated dough for flaky and buttery croissants. The rich flavor of the fresh butter will contribute to the delicious layers of the pastry.
- Butter Cookies: Bake classic butter cookies using your homemade butter. The richness of the fresh butter will enhance the flavor of the cookies, giving them a melt-in-your-mouth quality.
- Homemade Ghee: Transform your fresh butter into ghee, a clarified butter commonly used in Indian cuisine. Ghee has a nutty flavor and a higher smoke point, making it ideal for sautéing and frying.
- A Butter Board: lay your butter out on a board and flavor it for a fun way to serve up some bread and butter
