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Learn how to make butter at home with this easy method! It’s so quick and easy and results in the creamiest homemade butter perfect for cooking and spreading.
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In just 15 minutes you can make your own butter! Yes, you read that right! You don’t need any fancy equipment or spend hours churning by hand and you only need one ingredient!
This homemade butter is great to use in so many recipes like Mahi Mahi with Roasted Pepper Butter Sauce or all of your favorite baked goods.
Ingredients
- Cream: You can use cream from raw milk or heavy cream.
- Salt: Optional if you want to make salted, otherwise you can skip this.
How to make homemade butter
If you are wondering how to make butter from milk or cream, this recipe is for you. I am also including below my top tips for making butter at home.
- Scoop out the cream from the top of the raw milk using a large spoon, or skip this step if you are using store-bought heavy cream.
- Pour cream into the food processor and mix on low for a couple of minutes.
- Increase to high speed and mix until whipped cream forms. Open the lid of the food processor and scrape the sides. Close the lid and process again on high for a couple more minutes or until butter solids form and separate from the buttermilk. (The cream will go through several different stages before finally turning into butter.)
- Scrape the sides and lid, and transfer the butter to a sieve with a bowl underneath. The buttermilk will drain in the bowl. Preserve it and use it later.
- Shape the butter with your hands into a ball and transfer to a bowl filled with ice water (& ice cubes) and rinse it by kneading and squeezing it several times, changing the water until it’s no longer cloudy. This could take anywhere between 6 to 8 changes of water.
You can also make butter in a jar if you shake it vigorously for several minutes. Needless to say, that is not the most time-efficient way and you will need some serious elbow grease if doing it by hand.
How long does it keep?
It has a good shelf life and will keep well for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.
How do you store it?
Once you have kneaded the butter, transfer the homemade butter to a glass jar and keep it closed with a lid in the refrigerator. You can also wrap it in parchment or foil and then keep it in an airtight container. This will protect it from taking on other odors in the fridge.
Can you freeze butter?
Yes, it freezes really well. Just be sure to wrap it in a couple of extra layers of foil to further protect it. Thaw it in the fridge overnight or 3 to 4 hours at room temperature before using. Frozen butter will keep well for up to 6 months.
What do you do with the buttermilk?
The buttermilk that you make during this process is a wonderful bonus! It will keep well in the fridge and you can use it to make pancakes, biscuits and it works wonderfully stirred into mashed potatoes.
Making butter in a food processor
I used to think it would take a lot of time and effort to make butter at home, but it’s so effortless in a food processor. It’s ready to wrap in less than 15 minutes and I know you will love the results!
Top Tips for Making Butter
- Keep the raw milk undisturbed in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before separating the cream. The thick cream will rise to the top and will make it easier to separate later.
- Use raw milk or heavy cream that has at least 40% fat.
- Use a food processor or a stand mixer with a splatter guard to prevent splattering cream all over your kitchen. If you are using a hand mixer, cover it and the bowl with a towel.
- Knead and squeeze the butter in ice water, changing the water several times, until it’s not cloudy.
- Be sure to wash the butter with water really well or the butter will turn rancid pretty quickly.
- You can also add salt or make compound butter if you wish.
More Easy Recipes
How To Make Butter (Homemade Butter)
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Equipment
- Food processor
- Spatula
- Mixing bowls
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 cups cream from raw milk (or heavy cream)
- ½ teaspoon salt, (if you are making salted butter)
- ice water
Instructions
- Scoop out the cream from the top of the raw milk using a large spoon, or skip this step and use store bought heavy cream.
- Pour cream into the food processor and mix on low for a couple of minutes.
- Increase to high speed and mix until whipped cream forms. Open the lid of the food processor and scrape the sides. Close the lid and process again on high for a couple more minutes or until butter solids form and separate from the buttermilk. (The cream will go through several different stages before finally turning into butter.)
- Scrape the sides and lid, and transfer the butter to a sieve with a bowl underneath. The buttermilk will drain in the bowl. Preserve it and use it later.
- Shape the butter with your hands into a ball.
- Transfer the butter to a bowl filled with ice water (& ice cubes) and rinse it by kneading and squeezing it several times, changing the water until it's no longer cloudy. This could take anywhere between 6 to 8 changes of water.
Notes
- Keep the raw milk undisturbed in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before separating the cream. The thick cream will rise to the top and will make it easier to separate later.
- Use raw milk or heavy cream that has at least 40% fat.
- Use a food processor or a stand mixer with a splatter guard to prevent splattering cream all over your kitchen. If you are using a hand mixer, cover it and the bowl with a towel.
- Knead and squeeze the butter in ice water, changing the water several times, until it’s not cloudy.
- Be sure to wash the butter with water really well or the butter will turn rancid pretty quickly.
- You can also add salt or make compound butter if you wish.
WOW! I would never think that making butter is so easy! Thanks for your great step-by-step tutorial. I should try this definitely. 🙂
What a cool idea! I’ve never even THOUGHT about making my own butter, but I think this would be fun to do with the kids!
I remember making butter when I was young. This is a good reminder of making this basic ingredient.
A great step by step guide! You can’t beat homemade butter – so creamy and delicious.
I have never known you can ever do this! What a great recipe thanks for sharing!