Side dishes
Homemade butter from heavy cream
Make butter at home with cream containing at least 35% fat. Step photos show whipping, draining and washing, with storage advice and uses for the liquid.
Part of the collection: Everyday dairy products you can make at home
- Total time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Rest / waiting
- 1 hr
- Servings
- 20
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- International
Ingredients
Quantities adjust to your servings. Times, temperatures and “to taste” stay the same.
Check off the ingredients you already have above.
Method
Follow the recipe one step at a time.
Whip the cream
Put cold cream in a large clean bowl. Beat at medium speed until whipped, then continue. After about 5–10 minutes, depending on the mixer, yellow grains separate from milky liquid.
Drain the butter
Tip into a strainer over a clean bowl. Refrigerate the liquid: it is sweet-cream buttermilk, not cheese whey. Gather the butter grains with a spatula.
Wash and press
Cover the butter with some very cold water and gently press with a spatula. Discard the water and repeat with the rest until nearly clear. Press out trapped liquid without warming the fat.
Salt and chill
Mix in the salt, shape and place in a covered container. Refrigerate for 1 hour before using. The butter firms up and becomes spreadable after a few minutes out of the fridge.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Tips and storage
Ordinary milk or light cream cannot replace heavy cream here. Use within 5–7 days as a cautious guide. Refrigerate the reserved liquid and use in pancakes or dough within 1–2 days; it is not acidic cultured buttermilk. This recipe has not been kitchen-tested. Contains milk. Use clean, sanitized equipment and refrigerate at 4 °C or below. This is not a shelf-stable canned product.
Nutrition facts
1 of 20 servings, about 10 g
- Protein
- 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0.1 g
- Fat
- 8.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 5.1 g
Estimated per serving; yield, moisture and brands affect the values.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central generic butter composition
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
500 ml of heavy cream yields roughly 200 g butter, depending on fat content. Use a mixer, strainer and very cold water. Allow 20 minutes of work and 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use milk alone?
Not with this method: it needs the concentrated fat in heavy cream.
Why wash the butter?
Washing removes trapped milk liquid. Press it thoroughly and keep refrigerated.
