Homemade Butter: Easy, Fresh, and Delicious

If you’ve ever wanted to try making homemade butter, this is your sign! Creating your own butter from scratch is simple, fun, and incredibly rewarding. Homemade butter is rich, creamy, and free from unnecessary additives, making it a wholesome choice for anyone who loves from-scratch cooking. Whether you’re using a stand mixer, immersion blender, or just a mason jar, this beginner-friendly method will walk you through how to make fresh butter and buttermilk at home in minutes.

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Have you ever made homemade butter? If not, it’s surprisingly easy!
Butter is just heavy cream whipped to the point it separates into butterfat and milk. The easiest way to make it is using a hand mixer, stand mixer, blender, or immersion blender (my favorite). If you don’t have access, you can make it by shaking a lot in a mason or sealed jar. It will be more challenging, but it is still possible!

To make butter, you must use heavy or whipping cream. Milk does not contain enough fat to make butter. When you beat the cream, it will start to thicken and look frothy, then turn into whipped cream (you could stop here; just add vanilla extract and sugar for a tasty whipped cream!). From this stage, you’ll want to continue mixing for a few more minutes until the liquid separates from the solids. The solids are your butter, and the liquid is your buttermilk. You can use the buttermilk to make pancakes or other baked goods.

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Recipe

Ingredients: Yields about 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of buttermilk

• 2 C heavy whipping cream
• Optional: Salt, seasonings
  
  
• Tools:
• Mixing bowl
• Mason jar with lid
• Hand mixer
• Mixer, Blender, or Immersion blender
• Colander or bowl of ice water
• Airtight storage containers

Directions:

1. Pour heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl or equivalent.
2. Mix with a mixer or blender until the heavy whipping cream separates into a liquid (buttermilk) and a solid (butter), about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. If you’re using a mason jar, pour heavy whipping cream into a mason jar and securely screw on the lid.
4. Shake the whipping cream until it separates (about 15-20 minutes).
5. Pour the buttermilk into a storage container.
6. Put the solid butter into an ice bath and rinse until the buttermilk is removed chiefly (or rinse under cold water in a colander).
7. If the butter isn’t cold enough, refrigerate and then shape if desired.
8. Add salt or other seasonings for flavor.
9. Keep in an airtight container, or butter bell, for storage purposes. Refrigerate after seven days if you haven’t already.

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Benefits of Homemade Butter

Making your own butter is not only fun and simple, it also comes with some nourishing perks:

🌿 Fresher flavor
Homemade butter has a rich, creamy taste that’s hard to match, without preservatives or fillers.

🌿 Cleaner ingredients
You choose what goes in—just fresh cream and optional salt or herbs—so you know exactly what you’re eating.

🌿 Nutrient-rich
Butter is a natural source of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which play supportive roles in immune, bone, and eye health when enjoyed in moderation.

🌿 Healthy fats for energy
Butter contains saturated and monounsaturated fats that provide a concentrated source of energy and can help with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients from other foods.

🌿 CLA and butyrate
Butter from high-quality cream may contain small amounts of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and butyrate, compounds studied for their roles in gut and metabolic support.

🌿 Customizable and versatile
You can add herbs, garlic, honey, or spices to create delicious compound butters for cooking or spreading.

🌿 Waste-conscious
Making butter at home reduces packaging waste, and the leftover buttermilk can be used in pancakes, biscuits, and other baked goods.

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FAQs About Homemade Butter

How long does homemade butter last?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, homemade butter will last for about 1 to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for longer storage.

Can I make butter without a mixer or blender?
Yes! You can shake heavy cream in a sealed mason jar until it separates, though it will take more effort (about 15–20 minutes).

Can I make flavored butter?
Absolutely. Once the butter is formed, mix in herbs, garlic, honey, or spices to create compound butter for cooking or spreading.

Is homemade butter healthier?
Homemade butter is free of preservatives and additives, and you control the ingredients. While it has the same fat content as store-bought butter, it can be a cleaner, fresher option.

What can I do with the leftover buttermilk?
Use it in pancakes, biscuits, waffles, or any baking recipe that calls for buttermilk. It adds richness and tangy flavor.