Okay, so maybe I just tend to get overly excited about butter in general, but I am pretty sure that making homemade butter in my Kitchen-Aid is both the coolest and the most domestic thing I’ve ever done. Just when I didn’t think it was possible to love an appliance even more….I mean really, what’s better than homemade butter? Mmmmmmmm…..butter……
But I digress.
It was seriously so easy that I see a lot more butter making in our future. Since this was technically a homeschool activity (and had no selfish motivations whatsoever!), we tried to follow the instructions from Little House in the Big Woods as closely as we could. Of course considering that we didn’t have a cow or a real butter churn, or even a wooden bowl and paddle, we did a lot of improvising.
We used a quart of heavy cream, which made very close to a pound of butter and about 2 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk. I paid $5.99 for the cream at Publix, which was a lot, but next time I’d probably stock up at Sam’s Club, where it is just under $3 a quart. I’ve heard Aldi has super cheap cream as well. We also grated a carrot to add yellow coloring because that is the way Ma Ingalls did it, but next time I would probably skip that step!
Here is what you need:
Step 1 (optional): Peel & finely grate a carrot. Heat in small saucepan with 1/4 cup milk until milk is bubbly. Use a clean cheesecloth to strain orange-colored milk into the bowl of your stand mixer. Discard shredded carrot.
Step 2: Pour cream into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add salt. Cover mixer with a towel–trust me on this one, it will be messy! Turn mixer on high.
Step 3: Continue mixing, checking on mixture frequently. It will first turn to whipped cream, then begin to get grainy and separate into butter and buttermilk, and the splashing will get much worse. The butter is ready when it sticks in a clump to the paddle.
Step 4: Place a colander over a bowl, then strain the buttermilk off of the butter. (For a GREAT recipe using buttermilk, try these super yummy refrigerator raisin bran muffins–they are our FAVORITE!)
Step 5: Using your hands or a spatula, press out excess buttermilk under cold running water until water runs clear. Shape into stick or ball. Butter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Serve with bread and enjoy!
Note: While we were making our main batch of butter in the Kitchen-Aid, we also made a very small amount of butter by placing the cream in a small jar and taking turns shaking it. This was a great way to show the kids how much work it is to make butter by hand! Our shaken butter didn’t turn out quite as firm, probably because we didn’t shake it long or hard enough–my 3 and 6 year old didn’t have a lot of stamina, but older kids would probably do a little better!
Recipe: Homemade Butter
Summary: It takes just minutes to whip up this batch of homemade butter (& buttermilk) in your stand mixer!
Ingredients
- 1 carrot (optional)
- 1/4 c. milk (optional)
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- (OPTIONAL) Peel & finely grate a carrot. Heat in small saucepan with 1/4 cup milk until milk is bubbly. Use a clean cheesecloth to strain orange-colored milk into the bowl of your stand mixer. Discard shredded carrot.
- Pour cream into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add salt. Cover mixer with a towel–trust me on this one, it will be messy! Turn mixer on high.
- Continue mixing, checking on mixture frequently. It will first turn to whipped cream, then begin to get grainy and separate into butter and buttermilk, and the splashing will get much worse. The butter is ready when it sticks in a clump to the paddle.
- Place a colander over a bowl, then strain the buttermilk off of the butter. (For a GREAT recipe using buttermilk, try these super yummy refrigerator raisin bran muffins–they are our FAVORITE!)
- Using your hands or a spatula, press out excess buttermilk under cold running water until water runs clear. Shape into stick or ball. Butter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Serve with bread and enjoy!
Preparation time: 30 minute(s)
Cooking time:
Number of servings (yield): Approximately 1 pound of butter + 2 1/2 cups of buttermilk
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Have you ever made homemade butter? Did you do it differently? How did it turn out?
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Allison February 18, 2013 at 7:40 am
This is SO COOL! Cant WAIT to try it! Thanks Ruth!!!!!!!!!
Denise February 18, 2013 at 7:43 am
I am adding heavy cream to my shopping list right now!
Lisa February 18, 2013 at 7:51 am
This is really cool. I really wish I had a kitchenaid mixer to try it. (Maybe someday!) I’m curious about the shaking method that you used. Do you think it would work with a larger amount? How long did you shake it for?
Ruth Soukup February 18, 2013 at 8:02 am
It would definitely work for a larger amount, you just need to be careful about using a glass jar with kids. We shook for maybe 20-25 minutes, but not continuously and not very vigorously. The girls got tired of shaking VERY quickly, but I think if you were doing it right it would turn out just as good as with the Kitchen Aid. Let me know if you try it!
Amanda April 4, 2013 at 11:21 am
You do not need a kitchenaid. Any mixer would do including a hand mixer.
Momsee February 18, 2013 at 8:09 am
Where does the buttermilk come into play? I didn’t see it in the recipe anywhere?
Ruth Soukup February 18, 2013 at 8:14 am
The buttermilk is created at the end when the butter separates from the buttermilk. The butter will form a big lump in a pool of milk. Step 5 is to place a colander over a bowl to strain the butter from the buttermilk–the bowl will catch the milk! Hope that makes sense–let me know if it doesn’t!
Momsee February 21, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Thanks. I was thinking that you needed the buttermilk to make the butter.. got it now.. Thanks!
Debi April 26, 2013 at 6:45 pm
buttermilk is the product that you end up with after shaking the cream. Butter and the milk it leaves behind (buttermilk)
Carol February 18, 2013 at 9:56 am
I don’t have a stand alone mixer, but I do have a big food processor.. wonder if it would work too, what do you think?
Anje February 18, 2013 at 3:32 pm
You can also make butter by putting the milk/cream in a bottle and shake it for 10-15 minutes. Very popular for children and no need for equipment. (You may need to knead a little salt in at the end.) Remember doing this at school.
Jess February 18, 2013 at 8:16 pm
Will be trying this as soon as I get my Kitchenaid! Thanks for the great idea Ruth!
Kristi February 18, 2013 at 8:37 pm
I remember doing the “shake the jar” method with my mom when I was a kid! Thanks for bringing back a happy childhood memory!
Claire @ A Little Claireification February 19, 2013 at 7:15 pm
OMGosh you are my hero. Girl, this is crazy awesome! I love it.
xo, Claire
(PS: For me, Target always has the cheapest Heavy Cream – it’s usually $3.99 for an Archer Farms quart (Winn Dixie is always $7-8 bucks – nuts. And I know this because, even though we shop Publix, when I am missing Heavy Cream (often), WD is only a few blocks away) so whenever I am in Target I now just buy two).
Gillian February 19, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Yummy butter!
The Kitchenaid is awesome – lots less work!
When I did this with my homeschooled daughter who is now 20, I put in a couple of clean marbles with the cream in the jar – it accelerates the process (although the process is louder too) … works like a charm!
Wanda Tyndall February 21, 2013 at 2:16 pm
We made homemade buttermilk when i was a child growing up on the farm! Now this is awesome, I can make it without the cow!!! thanks so much for sharing this with us, you Rock!
Dennie February 25, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Please If I may ask, what does the carrot have to do with anything????Next trip to the grocey store I’m going to start making my own butter! Thanks for the recipe.
Djay March 3, 2013 at 10:24 am
the grated carrot makes it yellow. 1/4 cup milk heated with grated carrot in it then strain w cheesecloth into kitchenaid add heavy cream to bowl and beat.
Carla March 3, 2013 at 10:13 am
Can you freeze this butter if you make alot, or just refridgerate? Love the idea of making my own butter.
Linda April 22, 2013 at 2:45 am
Hi Ruth,
I have always wanted to learn how to make my own butter…this is something that sounds easy enough but I don’t think the carrot is necessary..lol.
Thanks for sharing the recipe and by the way – found it on Pinterest
Linda
tlw May 24, 2013 at 12:05 am
Many years ago, when I was a little girl, my momma used whole cows milk that she would put inside a glass gallon jug. She would sit on the front porch with the jub laid down in her lap, towards her knees..She would rock the jug up and down from end to end til the butter was made. She then rinsed the milk out of the butter, press the water out, then add a little salt..That was the best tasting homemade butter I ever tasted. We then used the buttermilk for making biscuits and cornbread..The butter was so good in chocolate gravy and on her breads and homemade loaves of bread..I miss it still today…tlw.
Heather June 13, 2013 at 11:27 pm
This is way cool! Have you ever tried baking with this butter?