Homemade Butter

Learn how to make homemade butter with just cream and a jar. Easy, fun, and beginner-friendly—with real buttermilk as a bonus!

Course basics, Breakfast, condiments, snacks, spreads

Cuisine American, farmhouse, old-fashioned, traditional

Prep Time 10

Servings pound (4 sticks)

Calories

Pour cream into a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed. Watch it go from: Cream → whipped cream → over-whipped → butter + liquid. Stop once large butter clumps form. Pro tip: Cover the bowl loosely. Buttermilk likes to splatter.
Rinse the Butter (Don’t Skip This!)
This step helps your butter last longer. Scoop the butter into a bowl. Pour cold water over it. Gently press and squeeze the butter. Drain and repeat until the water runs clear. Think of it as a spa day for your butter.
Sprinkle in salt to taste & mix gently.
Shape it however you like: Roll it in parchment, press into a small dish, scoop and store in a jar.

Pour cream into the jar. Don’t overfill—give it room to move. Screw the lid on tight. Shake the jar like you mean it. First, it sloshes. Then it thickens. Then suddenly… thud—butter forms! Keep shaking until the butter clumps clearly separate from the liquid.
Rinse the Butter (Don’t Skip This!)
This step helps your butter last longer. Scoop the butter into a bowl. Pour cold water over it. Gently press and squeeze the butter. Drain and repeat until the water runs clear. Think of it as a spa day for your butter.
Sprinkle in salt to taste & mix gently.
Shape it however you like: Roll it in parchment, press into a small dish, scoop and store in a jar.

That leftover liquid is real buttermilk, not the store-bought substitute.

Use it for:

Store it in the fridge and use it within a few days.

Two recipes. One jar. That’s a win.