How to Make Your Own Butter and Buttermilk

There are so many things you can make yourself. Butter is an easy to make kitchen essential that is great for cooking and baking. Learning how to make your own butter is so easy, it’s a great activity to teach children and tastes better than store bought.

You Can Make Your Own Butter At Home

For the past few decades, butter has gotten a pretty bad rap. At first it was all fat was bad, and butter was replaced with margarine. Now, all dairy is considered bad.

Overly processed and ultra pasteurized dairy probably isn’t too good for you. Instead, try making dairy products in your own home! Cheese, yogurt, and even butter can be made in your own kitchen. In fact, butter is incredibly simple to make and it’s even better than the stuff you buy at the store.

If you have a local dairy farm, which I am lucky enough to have, then buy some heavy whipping cream from them as it will be better for you and taste better too!

What You Will Need:

• 1 pint of heavy whipping cream – go for organic or locally sourced as it taste better with few additives
• 1/8 Tsp salt – optional, if you are looking to make salted butter
• mixer and bowl – I prefer a stand mixer because it’s easier to make
• an additional bowl – to place the homemade buttermilk

How Much Butter Does 1 Pint of Whipping Cream Make?

1 Pint of whipping cream will make about 1 cup of butter, plus buttermilk. 

The Process of Making Butter

Pour your heavy whipping cream into your mixing bowl and either turn on your stand mixer, or begin using your hand mixer to whip the cream. Start on medium and slowly make your way up to high. The process will take a while, which is why I prefer to use a stand mixer.

It will take between 15 and 20 minutes, but as you can see, the cream will begin to whip. At first you will get whipped cream. It will be light and fluffy, will soft peaks.

It takes while, but it will begin to separate. There will be a watery substance and some grainy fat. Be patient as this is the part that takes the longest to start happening.

If you are using a stand mixture, you will know that it’s done because all of a sudden the buttermilk will start slashing and splashing all over your sink. Also, the butter will, conveniently so, stick to the whisk in the middle of the mixer and the buttermilk will be left in the bowl.

Separating the Buttermilk

Once you get to this point, turn off your mixer and remove the bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a separate bowl. You will need to strain the buttermilk as small chunks of butter will be left in the liquid. You have now made your own buttermilk!

This deliciousness can be used to make buttermilk pancakes or buttermilk biscuits. Both of which are so much better when used with your own buttermilk!

Cleaning and Rinsing

With a spatula, take the butter off the whisk and place it back in the bowl. Turn your mixer on low. This will push a bit more of the buttermilk out of the butter. 

If you are not using a stand mixture, you can use a large spoon or spatula to squeeze it to remove the buttermilk. Again, you may have to do this a few times to get all the buttermilk out.

Rinse the butter under ice cold water until the water runs clear. This helps to rinse out the remaining buttermilk.

Optional: Making Salted Butter

Once you have completely separated the buttermilk from the butter, if you would like to, add a dash of salt, about 1/8 of a teaspoon, and mix well.

You can also add the salt earlier in the process, when the cream is whipped. It’s important to note that your buttermilk will also have salt.

Storage Options

A fun option to storing butter is in a butter keeper. It allows you to store it on the counter will water underneath, protecting it from airborne bacteria and dirt.

You can also freeze butter as a way to preserve it for future use, or keep it stored in the refrigerator if it’s too hot to store it on the counter.

Making your own butter is great. Enjoy it was some Homemade Strawberry Jam as well as freshly baked No Knead Beer Bread. 

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