Creamy Homemade Butter Recipe

Craft your own Creamy Homemade Butter Recipe with just two simple ingredients and the magic of a stand mixer. Heavy cream and salt come together, transforming it into a velvety spread to use in your favorite recipes in just 15 minutes or less! 

Raise your hand if you love butter!! 🙋‍♀️If you don't raise your hand you're lying! We all love it!

Butter is a versatile dairy product derived from churning cream or milk. Its rich texture and distinct flavor make it a fundamental element in so many different foods. And this southern cook uses it nearly every day! It adds smoothness, enhances flavors, and aids in processes like baking and cooking, making it a crucial component for both sweet and savory dishes.

Plus is there anything better than a piece of sourdough bread or a warm fluffy biscuit with butter all over it?! The answer is no!

While traditional butter consists of just two simple ingredients—cream and sometimes salt—modern butter products often incorporate chemicals, fillers, and preservatives. Making your own homemade butter ensures pure butter, free from additives, with an excellent fresh taste! And it couldn’t be easier to make! Simply add heavy cream to a stand mixer and whisk on high until the cream separates into buttermilk and delicious butter made from scratch. 

Butter is essential in cooking due to its versatility, whether it's enriching baked goods, creating sauces, or enhancing the searing process in frying. It can be spread on bread, melted over vegetables, or used as a base for pastries. I love using homemade butter in a batch of Oven Baked Cast Iron Skillet Biscuits, Soft Butter Cookies, or comforting Brown Butter Apple Bars.  No matter how you use it, I’m confident you’ll never go back to store-bought with this easy 2 ingredient recipe.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• How To Make Butter With Two Ingredients
• Recipe Tips
• Variations
• Storing & Freezing
• More Easy Condiment Recipes
• Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Indulge in creating ultra-creamy butter that spreads like a dream on your favorite treats.
• With just heavy whipping cream and a touch of salt, you can easily craft something extraordinary out of the simplest ingredients.
• This recipe couldn’t be easier! Watch as the mixer works its magic, transforming cream into a smooth, velvety condiment. 
• From baking to sauces or just to use as a spread, this homemade butter opens up a world of possibilities, ensuring every dish you create is touched by a hint of homemade taste. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Heavy Whipping Cream - The star ingredient, heavy whipping cream, is the core element that transforms into rich and velvety butter when whipped vigorously. Its high-fat content is essential for achieving the desired creamy consistency and for producing buttermilk. I like to use a high-quality organic heavy whipping cream to ensure the best flavor if available.
• Salt - A dash of salt introduces a delicate balance to the butter's flavor profile, enhancing its natural taste while adding a subtle savory note.  I always use Costco's pink Himalayan sea salt in all of my cooking and baking.

How To Make Butter With Two Ingredients

Step One - add the heavy cream: Prepare the stand mixer by fitting it with the whisk. Pour in cold, heavy whipping cream, then turn the mixer on high speed. Add a tea towel over the top to prevent splattering. Whip for 5-7 minutes as the cream starts separating. 

Step Two - Strain the buttermilk: Once the mixture has completely separated, turn off the mixer and take off the whisk. Most of the solids should be stuck to the whisk. Add a strainer to a large bowl, then pour off the buttermilk from the whisk and from whatever is left in the mixing bowl. With your hands, squeeze as much of the remaining buttermilk liquid out from the butter into the strainer. Form butter into a ball and quickly run under cold water.

PRO TIP: From the multiple recipe tests I did when making butter, it was about 10 recipe tests in that I realized running the butter under cold water before adding the salt or other mix-ins really helped! It doesn't require anything complicated, just after you have strained the butter and squeezed out the excess buttermilk, run the butter ball under cold water real quickly to help get off any remaining buttermilk moisture. Lightly pat dry with a paper towel before adding in salt and other flavors.

Step Three - Add salt: Place the strained butter into a bowl. Sprinkle the salt on top and mix with a spatula until well distributed. 

Step Four - Shape and store: Place the salted butter in a mason jar, or make a log by placing it onto a piece of parchment paper and rolling it tightly into a log shape. Enjoy immediately, or chill in the fridge to firm up. 

Recipe Tips

These are a couple of things I learned when recipe testing that I found helpful to ensure the best outcome when making butter at home.

• Ensure the heavy whipping cream is cold right out of the fridge; this helps the butter formation process by maintaining a proper texture throughout the whipping process.
• Utilizing a stand mixer with a whisk attachment guarantees efficient and even whipping, allowing the cream to transform seamlessly into butter.
• Place a tea towel over the mixer and bowl while beating the cream on high to prevent any splattering, keeping your kitchen tidy during the process.
• Be patient while mixing; the cream will go through stages, from softly whipped cream to separation into butter and buttermilk. Continue mixing until you achieve complete separation.
• Hand-squeezing the butter in the strainer helps remove as much buttermilk as possible, enhancing the butter's shelf life and preventing it from becoming overly wet.
• When incorporating the salt, use a spatula to ensure it's evenly mixed into the butter, creating a consistent and balanced flavor throughout.
• Keep the buttermilk! Use buttermilk to make strawberry shortcake biscuits or in other recipes. And if you run out, you can always make homemade buttermilk from whole milk and white vinegar. 

The leftover liquid from making butter is buttermilk. Use it in making biscuits, dips, dressing, marinades, and anything you would need buttermilk for. Store it in the fridge covered tightly and use within 2 weeks.

Variations

• Honey Butter:  Mix in a drizzle of honey to create a luscious, sweet butter that's perfect for spreading on warm muffins, pancakes, or waffles.
• Herb Butter: Elevate your butter by infusing minced fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or chives. Simply mix them into the butter after adding salt for a fragrant and savory twist.
• Citrus Butter: For a burst of brightness, zest a lemon, lime, or orange and blend the zest into the butter, imparting a delightful citrusy essence that pairs perfectly with toast or seafood.
• Garlic Butter: Incorporate roasted or minced garlic into the butter for a robust and savory spread that's fantastic on roasted vegetables or garlic bread.
• Spiced Butter: Add a pinch of your favorite spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a touch of cayenne for a uniquely spiced butter to experiment with in both sweet and savory dishes.
• Smoked Butter: Swap out regular salt for smoked salt to infuse your butter with a subtle smoky flavor that pairs wonderfully with grilled meats or corn on the cob.
• Truffle Butter: For a touch of luxury, fold in a small amount of truffle oil or finely grated truffle to create a decadent butter that's an exceptional addition to pasta dishes or gourmet sandwiches.
• Maple Pecan Butter: Combine chopped toasted pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup into the butter for a delightful blend of nutty richness and sweet maple goodness.
• Chili Lime Butter: Mix in a bit of chili powder and lime zest for butter that offers a delightful kick of heat paired with zesty tanginess, perfect for adding to grilled foods.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: To keep your homemade butter fresh, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will maintain its flavor and texture for up to two weeks. Remember that homemade butter might have a slightly shorter shelf life compared to commercially produced butter due to the absence of preservatives.

Freezing: Wrap the butter tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper, then place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. When you're ready to use it, thaw the butter in the refrigerator for 24 hours to preserve its quality. Keep in mind that freezing may slightly alter the texture of the butter, so it's best used in cooking or baking rather than for spreading.

More Easy Condiment Recipes

• Canned Sweet Red Pepper Jelly
• Easy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
• Honey Mustard Sauce
• Homemade Whipped Cream

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