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–+ servings
How to make homemade butter with a fresh pressed raw cream butter on a plate with a butter knife.

How to Make Butter

Learn how to make butter with either a blender or stand mixer.  This easy recipe only requires heavy cream (raw cream or store-bought) and less than 15 minutes of hands-on time!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 16 tablespoons

Equipment

  • blender or stand mixer
  • cheese cloth or fine mesh colander
  • butter molds optional

Ingredients
  

  • 1 quart heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt optional

Instructions
 

  1. Pour the cold cream, straight from the refrigerator, into the blender and secure the lid.
  2. Start blending at medium speed, then gradually increase to high speed. After a few minutes, you’ll notice the cream thickening and turning into whipped cream. Keep going! I usually have to begin scraping the sides of the container and pulsing the blender at this point, as air pockets form around the blades. The cream will begin to separate into butter and buttermilk and you will hear a sloshing sound in the blender.
  3. Once the buttermilk separates (you’ll see chunks of yellow globs floating in liquid buttermilk), stop the blender. Pulse it 3 more times for just a second or two each.
  4. Once the buttermilk separates (you’ll see chunks of yellow globs floating in liquid buttermilk), stop the blender. Pulse it 3 more times for just a second or two each.
  5. Transfer it into a bowl and pour cold water over it until the water draining runs clear. Use a spatula or your hands to knead the butter, rinsing out any remaining buttermilk. Change the water a couple of times until it runs clear.
  6. If you like salted, sprinkle in a little salt and knead it in. Knead to press out any buttermilk before stamping, molding or storing.

Notes

Making Butter in a Stand Mixer
  1. Add your cream to the bowl of the stand mixer. Secure the whisk attachment.
  2. Start the mixer at medium speed. After a few minutes, the cream will turn into whipped cream. Keep going! At this point I always cover my mixer with a damp tea towel-- as the buttermilk begins to separate from the butter, it will make a big splashy mess!
  3. As you continue whisking, the cream will start to separate into butter and buttermilk. This may take 5-10 minutes. If the cream gets too warm before the butter separates, you may need to take a break and pop the bowl into the refrigerator.
  4. Once the butter clumps together and buttermilk is visible, stop the mixer. Pour the mixture through a strainer or cheesecloth to separate the buttermilk. Set aside the buttermilk for later use.
  5. Just like with the blender method, transfer the butter into a bowl, add cold water, and knead out the excess buttermilk. Change the water until it runs clear.
  6. Knead salt into the butter if you want it salted. Knead the butter to press out any buttermilk before stamping, molding or storing.
Top Tip: Cold cream churns faster and more easily. When using a blender, the cream should be straight from the refrigerator and as cold as possible. If making it in a churn or stand mixer, the cream can be closer to 55-60F. Usually setting the cream out on the counter for 20 minutes before churning will do the trick!
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