How to make Homemade Butter (using a KitchenAid Mixer)

Learn how to make homemade butter the old fashioned way using fresh cream and your KitchenAid stand mixer. No butter churn required! 
Making homemade butter isn't something everybody thinks about, but it can easily be made using whipping cream and a stand mixer. When you're making butter what you're doing is separating the fat from the milk. This can be done using a stand mixer, hand mixer, blender or mason jar (shake by hand). Thankfully making butter today is more modernized and less time consuming, then back in the day. 

Making my own butter isn't something I do on a regular basis, but since the grocery stores are still short on items, I found myself in a need for butter and none to be found, so I made my own using fresh whipping cream (which the store did have) and my KitchenAid stand mixer. 


Keep in mind that homemade butter can be about twice as expensive as butter you buy in the store (depending on the price of cream), so it isn't any cheaper, but it is a great option when you can't buy store bought butter. I purchase Sarah Farms whipping cream at Costco for $3.59 for a 32 ounce bottle (1 quart) which is a great price! One quart of cream yields about 1 pound of butter, so in this case, it's about the same price as store bought. 😊

I don't know about you but there's just something about making your own butter that takes you back to simpler times . If you've never made your own butter before, you don't know what you're missing. I promise once you make it for the first time, you'll be hooked! I've already made 3 pounds myself to store in the freezer. If you do decide to make your own butter, let me know how it goes.   


Here's a quick step-by-step video on how quickly and easily you can make butter using whipping cream and a stand mixer!  

These are the ingredients you will need:  a stand mixer, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, ice cold water and salt for salted butter (optional).  

To start set the cream out on the counter for about 1 hour to come to room temperature. This will speed up the mixer time. Pour 1 quart or 2 - pints of heavy cream or whipping cream into your mixer bowl. Turn the mixer on and start on low speed gradually increasing to medium - medium high speed. First the cream will turn into soft whipped cream.  

Then it will turn into cream with stiffer peaks. Keep mixing until the cream starts to separate. You will start to see the mixture stick to the whisk attachment. 


At this point cover the mixer with a dish towel to prevent splattering (this is a must) and continue mixing until the cream separates. This usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes and you will hear (a sloshing sound) and see the butter fat separate from the liquid (buttermilk). 

Once the butter has solidified, pour off the buttermilk and save it for baking or use in homemade biscuits, pancakes or waffles. Now you want to rinse the butter to remove all the buttermilk. If not the butter will turn rancid. 


Rinse the butter by pouring ice cold water over the butter. 


Then start pressing the remaining buttermilk out with a small spatula or knead with your hands (I prefer kneading with my hands). Pour off the water and repeat the process until the water runs clear. Once the water runs clear keep pressing the butter to remove as much of the buttermilk as possible. 

At this point add a bit of salt and work it through the butter using your spatula. Pat the butter dry with a paper towel.  

Place butter in a covered bowl or shape into sticks and wrap in parchment paper. 

Store in refrigerator for up to one week or label, date and freeze for up to 12 months. Unsalted butter will freeze for 12 months, but salted butter will only freeze for 6 months. 



Yield: 1 pound butter
Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen
How to make Homemade Butter

How to make Homemade Butter

Learn how to make homemade butter the old fashioned way using fresh cream and your Kitchen Aid stand mixer. No butter churn required!
Prep time: 1 H & 15 MTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Ingredients

  • 1  32 oz container (1 quart) of heavy whipping cream or heavy cream
  • ice cold water
  • 1/2  teaspoon salt, optional

Instructions

  1. To start set the cream out on the counter for about an hour to let it come to room temperature. This will help the mixing process go more quickly. If the cream is cold it will take longer to separate.
  2. Pour 2 - pints of heavy cream (32 ounces) or whipping cream into your mixer bowl. Turn the mixer on and start on low speed gradually increasing to medium - medium high speed.
  3. First the cream will turn into soft whipped cream, then whipping cream with stiff peaks. Keep mixing until the cream separates.
  4. You will start to see the mixture stick to the whisk attachment. At this point cover the mixer with a dish towel to prevent splattering (this is a must).
  5. This usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes and you will hear (a sloshing) and see the butter fat separate from the liquid (buttermilk).
  6. Once the butter has solidified, pour off the buttermilk and save it for baking or use in homemade biscuits, pancakes or waffles.
  7. Now you want to rinse the butter to remove all the buttermilk. If not the butter will turn rancid.
  8. Rinse the butter by pouring ice cold water over the butter and pressing the remaining buttermilk out using a small spatula or knead with your hands.
  9. Pour off the water and repeat the process until the water runs clear.
  10. Once the water runs clear keep pressing the butter to remove as much of the buttermilk as possible.
  11. At this point add a bit of salt (optional) and work it through the butter using your spatula.
  12. Pat the butter dry with a paper towel and place butter in a covered bowl or shape into sticks and wrap in parchment paper (label and date).

Notes:

Homemade butter stores in refrigerator for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 12 months. Salted butter will freeze for up to 6 months and unsalted butter will last 12 months. Butter left out on the counter will last 3-5 days at room temperature. 

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I am sharing this recipe on Meal Plan Monday, stop by and check out this weeks recipes. 




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6 comments

myliesmom said…
Hi!
The first time I made homemade butter was when I was 7 years old. I was suppose to be helping my mom whip cream for our Thanksgiving pie. My mom had just said, watch what you're doing, because if you whip it too long...we'll have butter. I looked into the bowl and we had butter!
Unknown said…
you have some of the best recipes online bar none !
Tina Butler said…
@myliesmom, LOL that happened to me one time as well. It was the best unexpected surprise.

@unknown, thank you so much! Your comment just made my day :)
Cougwife said…
Do you have kids? Do they have time on their hands? Here is a fun one I did with my kids YEARS ago when they were young. Put your cream in a jar (we had cows we milked), shake vigorously, then sit them down on a rug and have them roll the jar back and forth until they get butter. Have them help wash it as well. Fun afternoon for the kiddos. Don't have that kind of time? Use a blender (I don't own a stand-up mixer). Works well, too!
Anonymous said…
Made butter many years ago friend had a jersey cow so lots of fresh cream
Anonymous said…
28 Mar 2023 - simple, fun and worked as outlined. While baking an Artisan Loaf we worked the Kitchen Aid into a frenzy . All timed to perfection... Added a splash of flaked salt to enhance the output. Right around 1lb for a Friendly Farms 32oz Heavy Wipping Cream . Thanks again... my gosh, the fresh bread, Butter, "Darbo" Strawberry Fruit Spread"... heaven.....