Homemade Butter from Heavy Cream (with your stand mixer)

Homemade butter feels much more impressive than it actually is. All you need is whipping cream, a stand mixer, and about 5-7 minutes. The result is fresh, creamy, and richer than anything you’ll find at the store.

I’ve been making homemade butter in my kitchen for years, and every time it still feels a little like a magic trick. You pour cream into a stand mixer, walk away for a few minutes, and come back to a bowl of soft yellow butter and a puddle of fresh buttermilk. The whole thing takes about 5 to 7 minutes of active mixing.

The one detail worth getting right is the cream itself. You need whipping cream with at least 36% milk fat, which is what’s most commonly available on grocery store shelves. Don’t try to substitute lighter creams like coffee cream or half-and-half. They don’t have enough fat to separate into butter, and you’ll end up with a bowl of over-whipped nothing. Full-fat whipping cream is what turns this into the magic trick I promised.

To rinse or not to rinse

Once the buttermilk drains off, decide whether to rinse your butter under cold water. I’ve learned that a quick rinse extends the shelf life by removing the last of the buttermilk, which is what spoils. But that buttermilk is what I think makes fresh homemade butter taste incredible. If you plan to use your butter within a day or two, rinse it lightly so you can enjoy the fuller flavor. If you want it to last up to two weeks in the fridge, rinse it well until the water runs clear.

What to do with the leftover buttermilk

Making butter gives you a bonus ingredient: about a cup of fresh buttermilk. It’s tangier and thinner than the cultured buttermilk you buy at the store, and it’s perfect for baking and dressings. Store it in a covered jar in the fridge for up to a week, and use it in any of these recipes:

• Buttermilk Panna Cotta — a silky make-ahead dessert
• Creamy Lemon Buttermilk Dressing — great on green salads and grain bowls
• Creamsicle Orange Sherbet — a nostalgic frozen treat
• No Yeast Bread — a quick loaf you can bake the same day

Tip: Skip the cheesecloth

Many homemade butter recipes call for straining the butter through cheesecloth or muslin. I’ve tested it, and the butter sticks to the cloth, which makes the whole process messier than it needs to be. A fine-mesh sieve works just as well and is much easier to clean.

Storing homemade butter

Store: Homemade butter needs to be refrigerated. Wrap it in wax paper or store it in a covered jar, and use it within 2 weeks. Left on the counter, it will only keep for 1 to 2 days before the buttermilk starts to go off.

Freeze: Butter freezes beautifully. Wrap it first in wax paper, then in a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It will keep for up to 6 months.

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Homemade Butter from Heavy Cream (with your stand mixer)

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 0 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

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Fresh homemade butter made from whipping cream in a stand mixer, ready in about 5 to 7 minutes. Creamy, rich, and better than anything at the store.

1

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups whipping cream
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Instructions 

• Pour the cream into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat the cream on medium-high speed until it thickens into whipped cream.
  2 cups whipping cream
  
• Reduce the speed to medium-low and continue to beat the cream until it separates and the butter sticks to the beaters. You may want to cover the bowl during this step to prevent splatters.
  
• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and carefully pour the liquid through it.
  
• Put the butter in a clean bowl and pour COLD water over it. Use your hands or a spatula to knead the butter to clean any remaining buttermilk. Drain the water and repeat until it runs clear.
  
• If you're using salt, put the butter on a plate, sprinkle salt over the top, then mix it into the butter.
  ½ teaspoon sea salt
  
• Store the butter in your fridge, either wrapped in waxed paper or in a jar, for up to 2 weeks.
  

Video

Notes

Can I make homemade butter last longer?

The key to making homemade butter last longer is to rinse it well under cold water—the cream spoils, not the fat. But the cream also makes the butter taste amazing, so you’ll need to decide what is most important to you: flavor or storage.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 tablespoon, Calories: 102kcal (5%), Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 12g (18%), Saturated Fat: 7g (44%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 31mg (10%), Sodium: 101mg (4%), Potassium: 3mg, Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 355IU (7%), Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.