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A row of compound butter logs on a dark teal platter

How To Make Compound Butter + My Favorite Compound Butter Recipes

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  • Author: Whip & Wander
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 oz butter 1x
  • Category: Breads, Butters, and Jams
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

There are few things more delicious than rich, creamy Compound Butter. It elevates the flavor of everything from mashed potatoes to steak, is a much-loved morning staple on top of a hot stack of pancakes, and a healthy smear of flavored butter on warm bread straight from the oven is its own kind of bliss. You can think of compound butter as butter's fancier, more sophisticated friend, but it’s surprisingly versatile and easy to make. Use these versatile flavor variations as a jumping-off point to inspire your own signature flavored butter combinations.


Ingredients

Scale

Base for All Recipes

4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Add-ins:

Beurre Maître D'Hôtel (Master of the House)

  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Cracked black pepper to taste

Any Herb Butter

  • 2 tbsp fresh herbs (chives, parsley, basil, oregano, or tarragon)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice or 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste

Beurre à la Bourguignonne (Garlic Butter)

  • 3-4 roasted garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Truffle Butter

  • 2 tsp black truffle pate or shaved black truffle
  • 1 tsp truffle oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt or truffle salt

Furikake Butter

  • 1 tbsp furikake seasoning mix
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Herbs de Provence & Citrus

  • 1 ½ tsp Herbs de Provence
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Horseradish Dill

  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh horseradish paste
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper

Cranberry Poblano

  • 16 g (2 tbsp) sauteed chopped cranberries
  • 20 g (2 tbsp) sauteed chopped poblano pepper
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp orange zest
  • pinch ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Vanilla

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ¼ tsp sea salt

Whisky Orange

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp whisky
  • 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
  • ¼ tsp sea salt

Honey Orange

  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
  • 1 tsp fresh orange juice
  • ¼ tsp sea salt

Honey Lavender

  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp dried culinary lavender
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Soften the Butter: Bring the butter to room temperature until it's soft enough to create a deep dent when pressed with a fingertip, but not melted.
  2. Mix the Butter: In a mixing bowl, mix the softened butter using a fork until it becomes smooth and malleable.
  3. Incorporate Mix-Ins: Add your preferred mix-ins to the butter and blend thoroughly until well-dispersed.
  4. Shape and Store: Transfer the seasoned butter onto a square of parchment paper. Shape it into a log by rolling it or with a spatula, then fold the parchment paper over the log, forming a tube. Seal the ends with kitchen twine, a rubber band, or tape. Alternatively, spoon the butter mixture into silicone molds for individual shapes.
  5. Chill Until Firm: Refrigerate the shaped butter until it becomes firm, which can take between 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size and shape.

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.

12/13/23 This recipe was updated and may no longer fit specified dietary preferences from previous versions of this post. Previous version 1/17/20.


Nutrition

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