Description
Learn how to make homemade butter from fresh heavy whipping cream with this simple recipe. Whip the cream until it separates into butter and buttermilk, strain, rinse, and shape the butter to enjoy fresh, creamy homemade butter without any additives.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Ingredients
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp sea salt (optional, for salted butter)
- Ice water (for rinsing)
Instructions
- Prepare: Get a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or use a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer and whisk attachment. Ensure the bowl can accommodate the expanding cream.
- Whip Heavy Cream: Pour the heavy cream into the mixer bowl and whisk on medium speed for about 10 minutes. When stiff peaks begin to form, add salt if using, and continue whisking until the butterfat separates from the buttermilk, forming clumps of butter on the whisk.
- Strain: Place a mesh sieve over a smaller bowl and carefully pour the mixture to separate the butter from the buttermilk which collects below.
- Squeeze: Gather the butter and press out remaining liquid. Dip the butter in a bowl of ice water then squeeze again to rinse off excess buttermilk.
- Store: Shape the butter into a log or rectangular block using parchment or wax paper. Wrap tightly and optionally place inside a resealable plastic bag. You can also slice into four sticks and wrap individually.
- Chill/Store: Refrigerate the wrapped butter to firm up. Butter will keep refrigerated up to 3 weeks or frozen for up to 9 months.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 1 lb (4 sticks) of butter or 32 tablespoons.
- The heavy whipping cream should not be substituted for this recipe to achieve proper butter formation.
- Salt is optional and can be adjusted to taste or omitted entirely for unsalted butter.
- Using ice water to rinse butter helps remove residual buttermilk, improving shelf life.
- Butter can be shaped as preferred; individually wrapped sticks are ideal for easy use and storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 102
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Sodium: 82mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 31mg
