Make Your Own Butter Spread
Back in the early days of this blog I tried a recipe for making your own margarine spread that combined margarine and milk. It didn’t turn out well and I chalked it up to “live and learn” and moved on to other projects. But then a few readers gave me some info on using butter for a homemade spread instead, and now I’ve made a DIY spreadable butter that turned out so much better than my first try!
So the two things that helpful readers shared with me were that I should use butter (not margarine) and mix that with oil (not milk) and then I would most likely have success. Here’s an excerpt of what a reader named Melissa had to say:
“If you want a butter spread, use 1 cup softened salted butter (not margarine) and 3/4 cup grape seed oil or another healthy oil (olive oil will give it an olive oil flavor). Whip with mixer. Put into a container and refrigerate. It will seem runny at first. It will firm up. I use this all the time. If you want it even softer you can add up to 1/4 cup more oil.“
Giving Homemade Butter Spread A Second Try
So this time around I did as suggested and used butter and oil. I decided to use grapeseed oil and just used the unsalted butter I had in the house. I whipped it with my electric mixer and then put it in the refrigerator so it could firm up.
Yes – Much better! So I now have a strategy I can use if I ever want to have some butter in the house in a very handy spreadable form.
Which brings me to a final question. Growing up my mother never kept butter in the refrigerator. It was always in a little saucer in the cupboard so we always had spreadable butter at room temperature and there was never any problem! Is there anyone else out there that keeps some butter at room temperature at all times? I’m curious if this is just an old fashioned practice or if there are more folks out there yet today that follow this same habit. Feel free to leave me a comment or story. I’d love to hear it!
Homemade Spreadable Butter
Equipment:
- Electric mixer
Ingredients:
- 1 cup softened butter (I used unsalted)
- ¾ cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil) see notes
Instructions:
- Place the softened butter and the oil in a mixing bowl.
- Whip with a mixer until the ingredients are well mixed together. The mixture will still be more liquid-like at this point.
- Pour the mixture into a wide-mouth container and put in the refrigerator. The mixture will firm up as it cools.
Notes:
I grew up in the Dairy State (Wisconsin) with a large family (6 siblings), with varied tastes. My Mother always kept some butter covered in the cupboard at room temp. for us kids. And, had butter in the Fridge for her & Dad. Never had an issue, as the butter was used fast enough. I know create flavored spreadable butters with my mixer and keep it in the fridge. I still love regular room temp soft butter.
I leave a whole tub of butter out, in the cupboard.
We leave some butter out at room temp too but in the heat of the summer or when the oven has been on for a long time, it can melt.
If you leave too much out at once and don’t use it, it will go rancid or sour in a few weeks. A small amount, keep in a cool, room temp location has always worked for us and our parents.
Keeping it on the counter uncovered is not a good idea, either, especially if you have a cat…
I’m going to try your whipped butter recipe!
I used to leave some butter in a covered butter dish on the worktop. It’s still not spreadable in colder months though, and in hot months it would go rancid or mouldy if I didn’t use it quickly enough (I didn’t use a lot, and had just left too much out at a time).
However, I prefer not to use butter for ethical reasons so I’ve taken to using refined coconut oil (refined doesn’t taste of coconuts). If I want a bit of a flavour to it I add autolysed yeast flakes – I always have some of this mixture in a jar, and it tastes great on toast or crackers.
I use butter (no margarine). I take a stick or two of butter and leave them out to get soft and then I transfer to a jar. No problems yet 🙂
I’m with you! I cannot stand the flavor of margarine. I believe it was invented to help people eat healthier. They have now found that that’s not how it goes! So why not eat butter that’s so much tastier?
I’ve always left the butter out that we use for sandwiches, etc. We do have to keep it covered in case the cat decides it looks delicious . . .
I have been leaving a stick out for over a year now, after a friend telling me she’d been doing it her whole life. It’s great. On the other hand, if you don’t havd central heat and air it will become liquid in summer and likewise solid in winter, so the spread could really be helpful.
You are so right Billie – I don’t have air conditioning and in the summer the butter left out gets pretty melted! And in the winter stays hard a long time too.
I always leave some out…uncovered and ready to go……Husband likes marg but I always use butter…..
Thanks Bev! We never use margarine in our house and sometimes I miss having a spreadable butter… its handy sometimes! I’m definitely going to make this! Thank you!
I always have softened butter on the counter. I do use a “butter boat’ now, and it works great.
Good idea about the spread, though. I may try that.
We’ve always kept butter on the counter and have never had any problems with it whatsoever. I’m 50 years old … I’m guessing it’s a safe bet that it’s okay to do this. 😀
I agree . . . seems there’s plenty of people who have done this for years with no problems or dangers.
Beverly,
Two Comments for the fabulous post…
#1: I have left a small amount of butter out for that very same reason, in a covered milk glass buter dish. My mother and grandmother dd the same. My understading is that the fat in the butter has a preservative effect – and most butter has CLA a natural chemical change that occurs when cown eat and digest grass/alfalfa, and it is expressed in their milk and is also beneficial for fat metabolism in our diet. You can also supplement CLA if you don’t eat enough butter (part of the reason for the French Paradox, the French women eat alot of butter but are rarely overweight.) Sorry I digress…Squirrel!!
#2. Try uisng flaxseed oil w/whipped butter for amazing flavor and spreadability, I have been doing this for years! We love it!!
Love all your “Make your own posts…” Keep em’ coming!!!
Thanks so much Eydie! I knew there had to be some more folks out there that followed this same practice with their butter. I’ll have to remember to try the flaxseed oil too!