How To Make Butter
Ever wonder how to make butter at home? Here’s how it’s done!
I have a confession. It’s something I have never talked about here on my blog or any of my social media accounts (until recently). In fact, it’s something I hid this entire time. It’s a very simple thing that you can most likely identify well with.
I love butter.
I do. In all it’s golden, glorious creaminess. It adds flavor to dishes like nothing else can. So why did I avoid mentioning my love for real butter?
I’ve been eating clean for 4 years now, and at some point early on, I got it in my head that clean eating meant low fat eating. Nothing could be further from the truth. Healthy fats are vital in clean eating and I have now fully made the switch to full fat dairy products when I use them. But I was never able to give up butter, even when I was doing the low-fat thing.
Good, healthy, pastured, organic butter is the way I roll these days, and I’m so happy to finally be able to talk about it here! In fact, I even made this video so you can see the process for yourself. This is a great way to make flavored butters as well! Can we say honey butter? Garlic and chive butter? Onion butter? YUM!!
And the best part for me personally is that the brand of cream I use (Organic Valley) is a local dairy here in Sonoma County! So I’m blessed to have the good stuff and have it be local as well. You just cannot beat that!
Note that if you want the butter to last longer, you’ll need to rinse it. Simply run it under cool, running water for a few seconds. Then set in a bowl of cool water for a few minutes. When the water is cloudy, pour it out and refill the bowl with fresh water. Repeat until the water stays clean. Make sure the water is cold for this.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY THESE CLEAN EATING RECIPES:
How To Make Butter
CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 pinch salt (optional for salted butter)
Instructions
- Pour cream into a blender, food processor, or large, empty jar with a tight fitting lid.
- Secure the lid, and turn the processor on at it’s low setting.
- It will only take a minute or two before you have whipping cream. If you want salted butter, stop your processor and add it. Just a pinch or two will do the trick, but you should taste it to be sure.
- Secure the lid again, and continue to blend on low. In another minute or two, you will start to see a lot of liquid. Once you have this liquid, you’re done!
- Take a large cup, or bowl and place some cheese cloth, a paper coffee filter or a small, fine-meshed sieve in it. Pour the butter into the cloth and let it drain.
- Now carefully squeeze out some of the remaining buttermilk, gently unwrap the cheese cloth, and transfer the butter to your butter dish.
- Important note: You must be sure to remove all the butter milk from the butter. If you don't churn the butter enough, the buttermilk that remains in the butter will sour and spoil your butter. Feel free to blend a second time in the processor or hang the butter to drip off any residual butter milk in the cheese cloth for a couple hours.
Tiffany thank you for this video. I need to go get some heavy whipping cream and try this. Perfect for the holidays coming up… My question- how do you store the butter and how long does it store for?
Kimberly – It’s like any other butter. Pack it in a small bowl and scoop it from there, or if you can, shape it into sticks of butter.
Fantastic! I too love butter and was only briefly afraid of it when I started clean eating. I know better now that whole, healthy, natural fats are SO good for you and since including them in my diet again I can tell a major difference in my health! My brain seems to function better (your body NEEDS fats for good neuron and nerve health!), my skin is better, my digestion is better, and my seasonal allergies are better! Butter and coconut oil are the way to go and the rest of the health/medical world is starting to see it too.
My mom used to make butter in a jar once in a while growing up, but I didn’t know you could make it in a processor! Way faster! Do you think it’s more cost effective to make it from cream vs. buying the butter?
Megaan – I think that would really depend on the cost of cream and butter in your area. You’d have to compare pricing. Let me know what you find out!
Tiffany: WOW – THANK YOU for your clean eating butter and peanut butter!!
Your helpful hint of the shoebox with clean eating goods to leave in the car – who knew???
Phyllis – My pleasure! 🙂
I love your article on butter and making your own. It is so much more delicious than store bought. However, I am sad that Organic Valley does not have a “clean” version of their heavy whipping cream. They add carrageenan to it. Many research articles I have read links carrageenan to stomach/intestinal issues. Not clean or organic! I have only found one heavy whipping cream product without the carrageenan. It is whole foods brand.
Renee – Really!!!??? I must take a closer look at it then! I guess I’ll be buying the whole foods brand from now on!
I assumed that making your own butter would be so much more difficult. How do you make it in the jar, if you are not using a food processor or blender? And if you are adding honey or herbs (which sounds amazing), do you add those when you would add the salt?
Fal – To make it in the jar, just put the cream in the jar, close it up tight and shake until you have a lump of butter. Once the butter is made, simply put it into a mixing bowl and stir in whatever you’d like to add to it. Enjoy!
I Have been eating clean for some time as well, and I have always stood by butter. Certain things are not the same without it. Pan seared pork chops for example they need butter, or they just dont taste right. Maybe thats just me, but we all need a little fat to function properly, I mean our brains are made of a ton of it!
Great post!
JC Carter – Agreed! 🙂
Some great ideas. Great guitar playing in your videos. who is it?
Dennis – It’s a tune that came with iMovie.
I used to do this with my kids and their cousins for a big dinner. Put a little cream in a small jar (babyfood jars are great for this) and let the kids shake them up. Keeps them busy and out from underfoot while we get dinner ready – then there is fresh butter to go on the rolls or whatever!
Charlene – What a great way to get the kids involved! 🙂
Excellent – a recipe and a work out! 😀 I’m looking forward to giving this a shot.
Fal – Hahaha!!! Let me know how it turns out! (for both the butter and your biceps. 🙂 )
Mmm butter. Actually, years ago when I made the decision that I needed to lose weight, I cut out butter and it wasn’t that hard. But when I reintroduced foods like that into my diet, I really enjoyed them. Butter is good, but to me, honey butter is even better. So if I use this recipe I’m gonna have to mix it with some honey because I love that stuff. Thanks for the recipe.
Jake – Honey would be a great addition here! Enjoy!
Hi Tiffany!
This is AWESOME! Thank you so much!!!
Not only is this healthy but it is far more economical. One question: have you used the liquid ie: buttermilk in anything? Is it worth saving? Or just discard it?
Thanks! Have a great day!
Lita
Lita – I personally discard it, but many people save it for baking. I believe you can freeze it as well.
Just made it and I love it! Thank you!!!
Going to use the buttermilk in some biscuits now…I feel like superwoman! I just MADE butter! Thanks Tiffany!!!
Lita – My pleasure! You go superwoman! 🙂
I don’t know WHY it took me so long to find your site! So much good info on here; I have already tried 4 or 5 recipes (including this one, and it was the best butter I ever had), I can’t stop! I’ve been trying since about September to eat clean, I can feel the difference in my body but as an avid cooker I am always looking for new ways to incorporate clean foods into new recipes and keep things fun, your site is so much help! Thanks! 🙂
Adrianna – My pleasure! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! 🙂
Has anyone tried this and then weighed it, to see how much butter they have? If you started with a pint of cream, I’m curious to know how much butter it makes. That would also help in figuring out if it’s more cost effective to make your own butter.
Kathy – I mentioned that in the recipe. It makes approximately 9 ounces.
Tiffany- I just made this butter yesterday and I put it in the fridge and now it has a rocatta cheese consistancy to it. Is it supposed to be that way or am I supposed to leave it on the counter. Thank you 🙂
Nichole – Is it hard or soft like ricotta?
Tiffiany- It is hard and clumpy. But when I leave it out for a bit it softens up. I did put it in Tupperwear. Would that be why?
Nichole – No, that wouldn’t do it. What type of cream did you use?
I used Grade A Pasterized Heavy Whipping Cream?
Nichole – Hmmm. Maybe try a different brand?
Hello – love your site! So I tried the recipe in a smaller version and added honey and it was delicious and lasted for days in my pantry. So I made a larger batch, no honey and after a couple days it smelled like sour milk and I had to toss it. Any suggestions on what happened and what I should do differently?
Angie – Honey is a preservative. You definitely want to keep this in the fridge. It’s also possible not all the liquid was removed. Next time, you might try dumping the liquid and then blending a little longer to see if any more comes out.
How long is the butter good for?
Awilda – If you keep it in the fridge, it will last as long as any other butter. But you have to be sure you really get the liquid out.
The buttermilk if not completely drained from the butter will cause the butter to go bad faster. The buttermilk fresh is so tasty dont throw it out. It can be used in bisquits, pancakes, salad dressing (I love making ranch dressing with it) or you can just drink it like skim milk on cereal. It’s sweet not processed like cultured buttermilk. I will however start buying whole foods brand…glad to hear there is a brand without additives.
G.Girl – Really? I found it to be very sour and watery. I don’t think I could enjoy it on cereal, but it would definitely be good in pancakes. But yes, it all has to come out! 🙂