Homemade Butter
Make foolproof homemade butter with just heavy cream! Perfect for beginners! Fresh, creamy, and ready in 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, optional
Instructions
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer).
- Begin whipping the cream on medium speed until it thickens into whipped cream, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Continue whipping past the whipped cream stage. The cream will begin to clump and separate into butter and buttermilk. This usually happens around 8 to 10 minutes in total.
- Once the butter and buttermilk fully separate, stop the mixer. Pour the contents through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth set over a medium bowl to catch the buttermilk. Save the buttermilk for baking if desired.
- Transfer the butter to a clean bowl and press it with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to remove as much excess buttermilk as possible. This step is important; any leftover buttermilk can cause the butter to spoil quickly.
- Rinse the butter under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water, kneading it gently with your hands or spatula to wash out the last bits of buttermilk. Continue rinsing until the water runs clear.
- For salted butter, sprinkle kosher salt over the butter and knead it in evenly.
- Pack the butter into a clean jar or container with a tight lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.