Homemade Butter / How To Make Butter

Homemade Butter is fresh, delicious, and free from any preservatives or additives. Making Butter at home may sound overwhelming and complicated, but it is super simple and easy to make in reality. 

It requires only two ingredients (one of them is water), and with the use of an electric mixer or food processor, it can be ready in few minutes.

Jump to:

• About Homemade Butter
• Ingredients For Homemade Butter
• Step by Step Directions
• Storing Suggestions
• Helpful Tips
• More Homemade Recipes
• Recipe Card

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About Homemade Butter

I have grown up seeing my mom making butter and then eventually turning it into ghee at home for years. However, she used to make homemade butter with the traditional recipe. That requires collecting cream or Malai after boiling the full-fat milk, then preserve it in the fridge. And once there is a good amount of cream or Malai to churn, she would make butter.

But, my recipe is more straightforward and quicker because I use store-bought heavy whipping cream. And then, I use a stand mixer to whip the cream and making butter.

Homemade Butter tastes better and is fresher than the one you can buy at the store. I like to use homemade butter to spread it over different parathas or morning bread toast. 

Equipment To Use: I have used a stand mixer to make butter at home. But you can also use a food processor or hand-held electric mixer to whip the butter.

Ingredients For Homemade Butter

1. Heavy Whipping Cream: It is essential to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 35% fat or above. Do not use low-fat cream or any cream which has lower fat than 35%. Because if there is not enough milkfat, there would be no butter. I have used 35% whipping cream, but you can use cream with up to 50% milkfat to make butter.
2. Cold Water: We need 3-4 cups of ice-cold water or, as needed, to rinse the butter. Rinsing butter is an essential step, so make sure to keep cold water on hand.
3. Salt (Optional): I like to flavor my butter with salt. But you can also add some ground black pepper or herbs for more flavors. However, adding any flavor is optional, and it depends on your preference.

Step by Step Directions

Preparation 

• If possible, remove whipping cream from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for at least half an hour. This will help to speed up the procedure; however, this step is optional.
• We will also need ice-cold water to rinse the butter.
• Gather all the tools and equipment necessary for this recipe. You will need a couple of spatulas, muslin or cheesecloth, a kitchen towel, and a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer.

Making Homemade Butter

• Pour heavy cream or whipping cream into a mixing bowl of your stand mixer, and attach the wire whisk/whipping attachment.

• Turn on the mixer and start whipping the cream at low speed.
• Gradually increase the speed to medium and then medium-high.
• Initially, the cream will start to thicken, and then it will turn into a soft-peak whipped cream.

• Then it will turn into a cream with stiff peaks.
• Continue mixing; the cream will start to become grainy.

• Continue whipping, and soon you will notice butterfat separating from the buttermilk.
• At this point, cover the mixer with a kitchen towel to prevent splashing of buttermilk all around.

• Keep mixing until the butterfat is wholly separated from the buttermilk.
• Also, butterfat will solidify and stick to the whisk attachment.

• Once the butter is solidified and completely separated, pour off the buttermilk into a mason jar for later use.

• Using a rubber spatula, remove the butter from the whisk attachment and place it back into the bowl.

• Pour a cup of ice-cold water over the butter into the bowl, and rinse butter by running mixer on low-medium speed.
• Make sure to cover your mixer with a kitchen towel to avoid splashing.

• Again, drain the water collected at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Do not keep this water, as there is no more usable buttermilk at this point.
• Continue rinsing the butter with cold water until water runs almost clear. It may take 2-4 times of rinsing.
• While rinsing with water, butter will again stick to the whisk attachment.

• Using your spatula, remove the butter from the whisk and put it back into the bowl.
• Press butter with the spatula onto the side of the mixing bowl to remove any excess buttermilk.

• Transfer the butter into a muslin or cheesecloth, and press tightly to ensure maximum water removal from the butter. 

• Remove the butter from the cheesecloth, and place it in an airtight container.
• Or, at this point, you can take butter into a mixing bowl. Add salt, mix well and then store. 
• You can also flavor your butter with spices or herbs of your choice.
• Also, you can shape the butter as you desire before storing it.

Storing Suggestions

• After making the butter, you can shape it as you desire. Then place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. For the longer shelf-life, it is essential to remove the buttermilk as much as possible.
• If your kitchen environment is cold, you can keep freshly made butter at room temperature for a couple of days. But if you live in a hot and humid place, it is always recommended to store it in the fridge. 
• We can store Homemade Butter in the freezer for up to 3 months stored in a freezer-safe container. 

Helpful Tips

• Make sure to use cream with 35% fat or higher. Any cream with lower fat than 35% will not yield any butter.
• It is essential to use cold water to rinse the butter to maintain the correct temperature and solidify butter. 
• Try to remove buttermilk as much as possible for the best butter, smoother texture, and longer shelf-life.
• This recipe yields one cup of butter; you can easily double the recipe to make more butter.

More Homemade Recipes

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