Better butter
This article was originally published in December 2015
Add flair and flavor to holiday gatherings or weeknight dishes with compound butters. They’re a super simple way to upgrade your meal instantly, and while seemingly fancy, take very little time to prepare. Basically just butter with herbs or other seasonings mixed into them, compound butters can be game changers, jazzing up meats, seafood, veggies and rolls. They also make a fantastic DIY gift.
Basic How-to
Follow these simple instructions, experimenting with various mix-ins and flavor combinations.
1. Begin with room temperature butter and place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, stand mixer, sturdy spatula or spoon, beat ingredients together until well incorporated and fluffy.
2. Lay a piece of plastic wrap or parchment onto a flat surface. Spoon the butter mixture onto the middle. Pull the plastic wrap or parchment over the butter tightly, rolling and forming the butter into a log shape. Twist the ends and refrigerate until set, about two hours.
3. Once chilled, slice the butter into little “coins.” Serve the pats of butter alongside anything and everything.
Storage
Compound butter will last in the refrigerator for about five days and in the freezer for up to two months. If freezing, wrap in parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Allow frozen butters to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Flavor combos to try
Blue Cheese Chive
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- Pinch of sea salt
Rosemary Olive
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
Vanilla Cinnamon
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 vanilla bean – split lengthwise, seeds scraped out, pod discarded
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
Lemon Mint
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Pinch of sea salt
Revised October 2025