How To Make Compound Butter + My Favorite Compound Butter Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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Description

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

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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

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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.

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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.

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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