Description
Make rich, creamy homemade butter using just heavy whipping cream and an optional pinch of sea salt. This simple recipe guides you through whipping cream until it separates, straining the buttermilk, and shaping fresh butter perfect for spreading or cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp sea salt (optional, for salted butter)
- Ice water (for rinsing)
Instructions
- Prepare the mixer and bowl: Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or use a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Ensure your bowl is large enough to accommodate the expanding cream as it whips.
- Whip the heavy cream: Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and whisk on medium speed for about 10 minutes until stiff peaks form. If using salt, add it once stiff peaks appear.
- Continue whisking until separation: Keep whisking on medium speed until the butterfat separates from the buttermilk. You will see solid butter clinging to the whisk while liquid buttermilk collects in the bowl.
- Strain the mixture: Place a mesh sieve over a smaller bowl and pour the whipped mixture through it, separating the butter solids from the buttermilk liquid underneath.
- Squeeze out excess liquid: Using your hands, squeeze the butter to remove as much remaining buttermilk as possible. To rinse, dip the butter into a separate bowl filled with ice water and squeeze again to remove any remaining liquid.
- Shape the butter: Place the butter on parchment or wax paper and form it into a log, cube, or rectangle, much like store-bought sticks of butter. Wrap tightly with the paper and secure with kitchen twine or string. Optionally, place the wrapped butter in a resealable plastic bag.
- Chill and store: Refrigerate the wrapped butter to firm it up further. Homemade butter stays fresh for up to three weeks in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to nine months.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 1 pound (4 sticks) of butter, equivalent to about 32 tablespoons.
- Only heavy whipping cream should be used for proper butter formation; substitutes will not work.
- If you prefer salted butter, adding sea salt during whipping allows even distribution.
- Use ice water for rinsing to help remove residual buttermilk and increase shelf life.
- Fresh buttermilk drained off during this process can be saved for baking or cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 102
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Sodium: 82mg
- Fat: 11.52g
- Saturated Fat: 7.29g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 0.01g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.12g
- Cholesterol: 31mg
