It’s easy to make homemade butter if you have the right tools. Although you can shake the ingredients up in a jar, there’s a much easier and faster way.

There are only a couple of simple steps before you wind up with fresh homemade butter that tastes much better than any you can buy in the store. 

Plus it’s a fun activity you can do with your kids and grandkids.

I’ve always looked for teachable moments in the kitchen with my daughters and now my granddaughters. And they learned to appreciate the process.

Churning Butter the Easy Way

Back in the day, pioneers made butter by churning it for hours. It was a long, arduous process that required quite a bit of physical effort.

Now that we have all kinds of wonderful gadgets in our kitchens, we can whip up a batch of butter in just a few minutes. It only takes a few minutes to get the best butter you’ve ever had.

Homemade Butter Ingredients

You only need 2 things to make homemade butter. However, if you want extra flavorings, you can add those as well.

Here’s what you’ll need for basic homemade butter:

• Heavy cream (also called whipping cream)
• Salt (optional)

You actually don’t need salt if you want unsalted butter.

But I like it with just a tiny pinch of salt to bring out the delicious flavor.

The tools you’ll need are a food processor (or high speed blender), strainer, and either cheesecloth or a paper towel. I would normally use cheesecloth. 

But apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t survive our last move. So I used a paper towel.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

Sometimes I enjoy serving flavored butter for special occasions or with certain types of meals. Here are some things you can add:

• Vanilla extract
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Strawberry preserves

I recommend adding the additional flavorings after you make the butter. Otherwise, you’ll wind up wasting some of it.

I’ve brought strawberry butter to potlucks, and it’s always a hit. People love this special treat on their dinner rolls and bread.

Steps to Make Homemade Butter

This is so easy you’ll wonder if you’re missing something. But trust me, you’re doing it correctly as long as you follow these super easy steps.

First, get a strainer ready so you can pour out the liquid (buttermilk) that has separated from the butter. If you make unsalted butter, save the buttermilk for baking

Now pour all of the cream into your food processor. 

You can make as much or as little butter as you want. I used 2 cups of cream to make enough butter to last my husband and me a week.

Next, sprinkle the salt into the milk if you want salted butter.

Use just a little bit of salt because if you oversold it, you can’t take it away. You can always add more if needed.

Use the blade attachment and cover the food processor.

Turn it on and process the cream for about 2 minutes. It should now be whipped cream.

This lets you know that it’s getting close to becoming butter.

Put the lid back on the food processor and turn it on. Run it for about another 5 minutes or until you see the butter separating from the liquid.

It’s pretty obvious when that happens. Not only will you see the butter clumping up, but you’ll also feel the vibration as it knocks around in the food processor bowl.

Once you have a ball (or a couple of balls) of butter, stop the process. If you over-process it, the butter will become a grainy liquid that’s difficult to work with.

Final Step

After you have butter, pour out the bulk of the liquid. If you didn’t add salt, save the buttermilk for baking biscuits or pound cake.

Pour the butter and residual liquid into a cheesecloth or paper towel lined strainer. Gently press on it to remove the excess liquid.

I also lift the butter and knead it a little bit to get rid of even more liquid. There’s something very satisfying about that.

Now your butter is ready to eat. I love it on toast, muffins, or cloud bread. But you can add it to anything you like.

Should You Wash the Butter?

You can rinse the butter after you make it. The butter isn’t dirty, but there is another reason that many people prefer to wash it.

Washing it helps remove the residual buttermilk that may cling to the butter. Getting rid of the buttermilk keep it from going rancid.

However, I don’t normally rinse mine because we typically eat it within a few days. This step is completely up to you.

How Long Can You Keep Homemade Butter in the Refrigerator?

You can keep butter in your refrigerator for up to 10 days, as long as you cover it or put it in an airtight container. 

However, if the people in your house like butter as much as we do, it won’t last that long.

Can You Freeze Butter?

Yes, you can freeze butter for up to 3 months. Wrap it in plastic and then place it in a freezer bag.

Before you use it, thaw it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. I typically put it out of the freezer the night before I plan to use it and let it thaw overnight.

What is the Liquid that Separates from the Butter During the Process?

That liquid is real buttermilk. You can use it for baking, or you can drink it. I only keep it if I don’t add salt.

Is Homemade Butter Better for You than Store Bought Butter?

I like to think that homemade butter is better than what you’ll find at the store. After all, when you make it yourself, you control what goes into it. And everything I add (cream and salt) is easy to pronounce, so you know what you’re getting.

Make Your Own Homemade Butter

It’s so easy to make your own butter at home, and the results are absolutely delicious! 

If you have a little extra cream in your fridge, give it a try. I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.

Get the family involved. Have them pour the cream into the food processor. Encourage them to check on it when it turns into whipped cream. 

Then let them see the magic unfold as it turns into yummy butter that they can put on their toast or popcorn.

See this recipe shared at Full Plate Thursday.

More Recipes

I like to offer butter with a wide variety of dishes—especially when I serve any type of bread.

Your homemade butter will come in handy with these recipes:

Southern Style Cornbread – Make this flavorful cornbread in an iron skillet for a crispy outer layer and soft inside. Add a pat of homemade butter, and you’ll quickly discover the joy of southern deliciousness.

Cloud Bread – There’s not a speck of flour in this cloud bread. Serve this whenever you’ll have someone at the table who is on a gluten-free diet.

Jalapeño Corn Muffins – Spicy and so yummy, these corn muffins go with anything from soup to meat and potatoes.

Easy Soft Dinner Rolls – You’ll love how easy it is to make these delightful dinner rolls from Back to My Southern Roots!

Basic Chaffles (flourless waffles) –  These waffle-like delights will have everyone asking for seconds!

Fluffy Scrambled Eggs – A favorite breakfast at our house includes these delicious scrambled eggs, these homemade sausage patties, and either cloud bread or a chaffle slathered in homemade butter. Yum!

Please feel free to share!