Homemade Butter from Scratch Recipe
Make your own fresh, creamy homemade butter using just heavy cream, salt, and ice water. This simple recipe shows you how to whip cream until it separates, strain the buttermilk, and season the butter for a delicious spread perfect for baking, cooking, or enjoying on toast.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 1 ½ cups (12 oz) homemade butter and approximately 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- Category: Dairy
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 cups (24 fl oz / 720 ml) heavy cream (high fat content, at least 36% fat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (2½ fl oz / 75 ml) ice water
Instructions
- Whip the Cream: In the bowl of a food processor, pour the cold heavy cream and whip on high speed. After about 2 ½ minutes, the cream will thicken and start to separate. Continue whipping until you see yellow buttery solids and cloudy liquid forming, which takes around 4 minutes total. You can also use a handheld or stand mixer if preferred.
- Add Ice Water: Once separated, pour in the ice-cold water. This helps the butter fully separate from the buttermilk, causing more buttermilk to appear.
- Strain the Butter and Buttermilk: Place a sieve over a medium bowl and pour the mixture in. The liquid collected is buttermilk—save it for baking or marinades.
- Remove Excess Buttermilk: Squeeze the butter solids in your hands or wrap them in a clean tea towel or cheesecloth to press out any remaining buttermilk. Removing all liquid ensures your butter stays firm and fresh longer.
- Season the Butter: Stir in the salt to the soft butter. Optionally, add herbs, spices, or other flavors to customize your butter.
- Store the Butter: Transfer the butter to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep fresh for up to 6 weeks and is perfect for cooking, baking, or spreading on toast.
Notes
- Use high-fat cream (at least 36%) for creamier, tastier butter.
- Keep cream and water chilled to speed separation and achieve cleaner texture.
- Butter can be made with a food processor, stand mixer, hand mixer, blender, or even by shaking cream in a jar.
- Do not rush the whipping step; ensure full separation for best results.
- Save buttermilk for nutrient-rich use in pancakes, cakes, biscuits, marinades, or drinks.
- Rinse and squeeze the butter well to remove all buttermilk and prevent spoilage.
- Customize your butter with added herbs, spices, or zest.
- Freeze extra butter in portions for up to 3 months for convenience.
- Always use clean tools and cloths to maintain your butter’s quality and texture.
Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/homemade-butter-from-scratch-recipe/
