Hi, hi!!! Show of hands- how many of us have ever made homemade butter? If you’ve been around this here little corner of the inter webs from the beginning, you have heard me wax poetic about my first butter churning- the old fashioned way with my kindergarten class on an East Texas dairy farm. Back then I also shared my recipe for the most amazing pancake batter in the history of pancakes. (Bold claim, I know-I stand by it) Today, I want to show you how to make homemade butter in ten minutes, with two ingredients and share the three reasons why now, at Christmastime, is when you absolutely need to know how to make it. Seriously, it’s two ingredients, ten minutes and the hand mixer languishing in the back of your cabinet.

Reason one- it’s Christmas, and as with everything else- homemade is so much BETTER. If we’re not putting a little extra effort into the food now, then when? Someone in your family is going to take the time and effort (maybe it’s you) to make the homemade rolls, various breads or baked goods that scream for a gorgeous slathering of homemade butter. It’s just rude to set out the store bought stick. Okay, maybe it’s not rude, but take the ten extra minutes to make homemade butter and Aunt Sally or whoever brought the baked goods might just cry tears of joy. You will be her new favorite.

Reason two you need to know how to make homemade butter- someone is probably making whipped cream for some dessert or another- a pie, a mousse- what are y’all making for Christmas dessert by the way? I wanna know. I usually do a chocolate mousse, but I’m up for some new ideas.

Anyhoo- as everyone is merrily cooking away in the packed kitchen whipping up the Christmas feast, someone easily distractible (ahem, could be me) goes to make the whipped cream for said mousse and starts chatting away or sipping on their Chardonnay and over whips the darn cream. It breaks and looks like this. Good for chocolate mousse or topping the pie? Not even a little bit… But keep whipping and you end up with…. you got it-homemade butter for Aunt Sally’s homemade rolls. She will love you and will think you did it on purpose.

Reason three- buttermilk. I swear the only time I make recipes that call for buttermilk is around the holidays. Buttermilk is never, ever an ingredient I have in my fridge and I have not ONCE ever remembered to put it on the grocery list. I am 39 years old- that is a decent amount of adulting, cooking years and I have NOT ONE DOGGONE TIME remembered to purchase the buttermilk. Guess what is a convenient by-product of making homemade butter? You got it- you guys are smart- buttermilk for all the things. You just saved a family member a last minute trip to the store-and you are now also THEIR favorite.

This is seriously so easy- after you whip the heck out of the cream, just drain off the buttermilk- SAVE it- you’ll need it for something, I promise. Add salt and you’re done. Boom. Just wait for your family to ooh and aah as they spread your heavenly concoction on Aunt Sally’s rolls and Grandma’s banana bread. And if you tell them it was really hard and took you a long time to make this special homemade butter just for them – I promise I won’t tell them otherwise.

And if you needed one extra reason…..these pancakes. They could be Christmas morning breakfast perfection if they wanted to be. Just saying…. 😉

You can keep the butter in a cute little crock like this one my mama gave me or you can just put it in any small dish and set on the table. Did you know that butter doesn’t actually need to go in the fridge? You can keep it out on the counter for about 10 days as long as it is protected from light and air. Butter’s high fat and low water content mean it’s not prone to bacteria growth. Caveat- if you live here in the south with me- this is probably only a good idea in the cooler months. When the inside temps creep above 70, it’s probably best for your homemade butter to live in the fridge. But until summer hits, I’m keeping my butter on the counter for all the deliciously spreadable occasions.

Any opaque, airtight container will work- but these butter crocks are awfully cute and you will never fight to spread cold butter on warm toast again. You’re welcome.

Gorgeous home made butter

Homemade Butter

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Home made butter in 10 minutes. So good and so easy. Elevate your pastries, veggies and meats with this crock of delightful business.

• 2 cups fresh heavy cream
• 1/2 t kosher salt

1. Pour cream into a large, heavy bowl
2. Mix with hand mixer on high speed until butter solids and buttermilk separate- about 5-6 minutes
3. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl
4. Pour mixture into strainer catching the buttermilk in the bowl
5. Rinse the butter with cold water
6. Use your hands to squeeze out any remaining buttermilk and pat dry
7. Transfer to a clean bowl and stir in your salt and any herbs or add ins you like
8. Keep in fridge for about a week.