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    Whip & Wander » Recipes » Breads, Butters, and Jams

    Published: Jan 17, 2020 · Modified: May 16, 2022 by Jenni · This post may contain affiliate links.

    How To Make Compound Butter + My Favorite Compound Butter Recipes

    This page may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    6 different compound butter flavors with a white label next to each one identifying the flavor of each one
    a group of flavored compound butter resting on brown paper
    brown packages tied up with twine on top of a white towel resting on a wooden surface
    a knife cutting through an orange stick of compound butter from a group of several sticks of compound butter resting on a tray
    a tray filled with brown parchment paper wrapped packages of compound butter with bows and text saying easy holiday gifts
    a rainbow of compound butter resting in their brown paper wrappings
    a tray of compound butter with a wooden knife cutting into one of them
    a row of colorful compound butter resting on a wooden cutting board with a white towel underneath
    a pile of brown parchment paper packages filled with compound butter with twine ties
    two wooden butter knives resting on two pieces of toast that have compound butter resting on top of a white plate
    a labeled row of various flavors of compound butter on a wooden cutting board

    a wooden butter knife cutting through a stick of honey orange compound butter with additional sticks nearby on a wood cutting board

    Compound Butter: Butter's fancier, more sophisticated friend

    There are few things more delicious than rich, creamy butter. It makes everything from mashed potatoes to steak taste better, is a much-loved morning staple on top of a hot stack of pancakes, and a healthy smear of butter on warm bread straight from the oven is definitely one of the most delicious things you could ever eat.

    You can think of Compound Butter as butter's fancier, more sophisticated friend. Just like classic butter, Compound Butter pairs equally well with savory dishes like meat and vegetables as it does with baked goods and breakfast dishes. It's also one of my favorite things to bring as a sweet hostess gift during the holidays.

    In addition to a simple how-to for making Compound Butter, I've included some of my favorite recipes to get you started. Use these as a jumping-off point to inspire your own signature flavor combinations, and make sure to check back from time to time as I add more to the list.

    6 different compound butters sitting in brown parchment paper

    sticks of compound butter in parchment paper sitting on a wooden tray

    What is compound butter, exactly?

    Compound butter is simply softened butter that has been whipped with various sweet or savory ingredients. Often these include fresh or dried herbs, spices, fruit, and veggies but can also include syrups, honey, wine, and spirits.

    Generally, Compound Butter is rolled into log shapes, refrigerated until firm, and then sliced into medallions to be served. However, it is also common to see Compound Butter formed into fancy shapes with the use of hard or silicone molds. You can also serve it at room temperature so it's creamy and spreadable if you prefer.

    a hand rolling compound butter into a brown parchment paper tube

    How to make Compound Butter

    1. Allow butter to come to room temperature. It should be soft enough that you can easily put a deep dent in it when you push down on it with your fingertip, but not melted.
    2. In a prep bowl or mixing bowl, whip butter with a fork (or for larger batches a whisk) until smooth and fluffy.
    3. Add preferred mix-ins and combine until well-dispersed.
    4. Using a spatula, transfer seasoned butter to a square of parchment paper. Shape and roll into a log with a spatula then fold the parchment paper over the top of the log and roll into a tube. Fold the ends of the parchment paper over to close then secure with kitchen twine, a rubber band, or tape. Alternatively, you may spoon the butter mixture into hard or silicone molds for individual shapes.
    5. Refrigerate until firm. Depending on the size of your butter log or shape, this may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

    a row of 6 different flavors of compound butter on a wooden board with a white towel underneath

    6 different compound butter flavors with a white label next to each one identifying the flavor of each one

    How to serve Compound Butter

    There are endless ways to serve Compound Butter. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

    • With seafood - On top of roasted fish or sauteed in with shrimp
    • Grilled meat - On top of steak, chicken, or pork
    • On top of grilled or roasted vegetables or potatoes
    • On top of mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower
    • Served with ears of grilled or boiled corn
    • Used as a flavorful base for pasta sauce
    • On top of pancakes or waffles
    • On top of oatmeal, Scottish porridge, or other hot cereals
    • Smeared on top of biscuits (like these Grain-Free Biscuits), scones, muffins, warm rolls, or cornbread (like this Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread)
    • Smeared on top of fancy brunch toast and layered with sweet or savory toppings such as smoked salmon and avocado or fresh berries and bananas.

    a white plate with two pices of toast and a hand smearing honey orange compound butter on one slice

    a white plate with two pieces of toast with a savory compound butter and a sweet compound butter and wooden butter knives resting on top

    two pieces of toast with compound butter, smoked salmon, and berries on a white plate

    How long does Compound Butter last?

    It depends entirely on the ingredients you use in each batch. Compound butter made with:

    • Pure maple syrup or honey - should keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
    • Dried herbs and spices - should keep in the refrigerator for about 8-10 days.
    • Fresh herbs, fruit, and vegetables - should keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days.
    • Fresh roasted garlic - should keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days maximum.

    When frozen, most Compound Butter should keep for up to 2 months when sealed in an airtight container.

    brown paper packages tied up with string on a white towel lined wooden tray

    brown parchment paper wrapped compound butter tied with twine on a white towel

    a white towel with 6 tubes of parchment paper wrapped compound butter tied with string

    What tools do I need to make this recipe?

    • A prep bowl or mixing bowl
    • A fork (or whisk for larger batches)
    • A spatula
    • Parchment paper or silicone molds
    • Kitchen twine, rubber bands, or tape to secure (if using parchment paper)

    You may also need these tools, depending on what mix-ins you choose to use:

    • A cutting board
    • A chef's knife
    • Measuring cups and measuring spoons
    • A small saucepan

    Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

    brown parchment paper with sticks of compound butter in various flavors resting on top

    sticks of different colors and flavors of compound butter resting on crumpled brown parchment paper

    A note for special diets

    Compound Butter is friendly for many diets, and depending on the ingredients you choose to add to the butter, it can fit grain-free, gluten-free, Keto, and Low-FODMAP diets.

    If you'd like to make versions friendly for Paleo or Whole30 diets, you'll want to swap the butter out for ghee or coconut oil.

    Print
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    6 different compound butters sitting in brown parchment paper

    How To Make Compound Butter + My Favorite Compound Butter Recipes

    ★★★★★ 5 from 23 reviews
    • Author: Whip & Wander
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 1 stick of butter 1x
    • Category: Breads, Butters, and Jams
    • Method: No-Cook
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    How to make Compound Butter + my favorite Compound Butter recipes to bring as a sweet and easy hostess gift during the holidays.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Lemon Dill Horseradish

    • 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh horseradish paste
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp cracked black pepper

    Cranberry Poblano

    • 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • ¼ cup fresh cranberries, chopped and quickly sauteed until softened, then cooled
    • ¼ cup poblano pepper, chopped and quickly sauteed with the poblano until softened, then cooled
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • ¼ tsp orange zest
    • pinch ground cinnamon

    Lemon Chive

    • 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 2 tbsp fresh chived, chopped
    • 1 ½ tsp lemon zest
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp cracked black pepper

    Whisky

    • 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
    • 2 tsp whisky (Bourbon or Scotch both work really well)
    • ¼ tsp orange zest
    • ¼ tsp sea salt

    Honey Lavender

    • 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 2 tbsp honey
    • ¾ tsp dried culinary lavender
    • ¼ tsp sea salt

    Honey Orange

    • 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
    • 1 tsp fresh orange juice
    • 2 tbsp honey
    • ¼ tsp sea salt

    Instructions

    These instructions work for one stick of Compound Butter or larger batches:

    1. Allow butter to come to room temperature. It should be soft enough that you can easily put a deep dent in it when you push down on it with your fingertip, but not melted.
    2. In a prep bowl or mixing bowl, whip butter with a fork (or for larger batches a whisk) until smooth and fluffy.
    3. Add preferred mix-ins and combine until well-dispersed.
    4. Using a spatula, transfer seasoned butter to a square of parchment paper. Shape and roll into a log with a spatula then fold the parchment paper over the top of the log and roll into a tube. Fold the ends of the parchment paper over to close then secure with kitchen twine, a rubber band, or tape. Alternatively, you may spoon the butter mixture into silicone molds for individual shapes.
    5. Refrigerate until firm. Depending on the size of your butter log or shape, this may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

    Notes

    Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.


    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (with no mix-ins)
    • Calories: 100
    • Fat: 12 g
    • Saturated Fat: 7 g
    • Cholesterol: 30 mg

    Keywords: Compound Butter

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. carol says

      October 20, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      Can you use margarine instead of butter?

      Reply
      • Whip & Wander says

        November 02, 2020 at 2:25 pm

        I have never used margarine for this, so I can't speak to how well it performs in rolling, slicing, and keeping. I imagine that technically you can make compound margarine, however, you're not going to have the same results in quality or taste as you are using butter.

        Reply
    2. Alexis says

      March 19, 2020 at 7:24 am

      Oh my goodness, these compound butter recipes sound amazing. I can't wait to try them at our next party.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Sondra Barker says

      March 13, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      Wow this is so cool! This would be great to try out for a small get together or party appetizer.

      Reply
    4. Colleen says

      March 10, 2020 at 6:04 am

      So many great flavors here! I'm trying the honey orange butter first. It's going to be so good on my next batch of muffins. Thanks for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Nicole Hood says

      February 26, 2020 at 9:12 pm

      I love these flavors especially the whiskey and honey orange! Thanks for the tips. I have always wanted to make compound butter.

      Reply
    6. Ramona says

      February 20, 2020 at 5:03 am

      Definitely a beautiful gift to give to someone - I really love the idea and the combinations are absolutely mouth-watering. Will be making these pretty immediately. Fab idea! Thanks so much.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
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