Easy peasy homemade butter

Here’s an extra post, to go with last week’s bread making post. Nothing beats homemade bread except homemade bread with homemade butter!

Making Butter at Home
It’s easier than you think—and ridiculously satisfying.

If you’ve never made your own butter before, let me just say: you’re in for a treat. Like, a golden, creamy, spread-it-on-everything kind of treat. 🧈✨

People always seem surprised when I tell them how simple it is. There’s this idea that butter-making is some old-world chore best left to dairy maids in bonnets. But the truth is, you can make a batch of fresh butter in your own kitchen with just one ingredient and a little bit of shaking (or blending, or whipping).

No cow required. (Although, if you do have a cow, please know I’m wildly jealous for most of the year. 🐄💛)

So… What Do You Need?

Just one thing: heavy cream. That’s it. (Though a pinch of salt at the end is nice.)

If you want to get fancy, you can source fresh cream from a local farm, but store-bought works perfectly, too. Make sure it’s not ultra-pasteurized for best results.

Three Easy Ways to Make Butter

1. The Mason Jar Workout 🏋️‍♀️

We did this in school when I was a kid, and ate our hard work on saltine crackers.

• Pour cold heavy cream into a mason jar (about halfway full).
• Seal the lid tight and start shaking like your life depends on it.
• First, you’ll get whipped cream. Then you’ll feel it “break”—suddenly, there’s a clump of butter and liquid sloshing around.
• That liquid is buttermilk—save it for pancakes!
• Pour off the buttermilk and rinse your butter under cold water while pressing out any extra liquid.

Great for: Kids, arm workouts, and turning off your brain for a few minutes.

2. The Food Processor Trick

• Add heavy cream to the processor bowl and let it run.
• In a few minutes, it’ll whip, then clump, then separate. Voilà—BUTTER.
• Strain, rinse, and press out excess buttermilk.

Great for: Bigger batches or when you’re short on time.

3. Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer

• Whip heavy cream like you’re making whipped cream… and just keep going.
• The moment it splits into butter and buttermilk, stop the mixer.
• Strain, rinse, and knead the butter with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Great for: If you already have a mixer out for your bread!

Optional Add-Ins for Fancy Butter

Once you’ve made your base butter, you can add:

• Sea salt for that classic flavor
• Garlic & herbs for a savory spread
• Honey or cinnamon for a sweet treat
• Chopped chives, roasted garlic, even sun-dried tomatoes… go wild

Why Make Butter?

Because it’s fun. Because it tastes better. Because there’s something wildly satisfying about smearing your own butter on a slice of still-warm homemade bread.

It’s not just food—it’s a moment. A little piece of homesteading magic in your day.

If you give it a try, let me know how it goes! Bonus points if you tag me in a photo of your bread + butter duo—I’ll be over here cheering you on with crumbs on my lap. 🥖🧈💛

Don’t forget to check out last week’s post on how easy it is to make bread at home!