Homemade butter is richer, creamier, and miles better than store-bought. It’s nostalgic, rewarding, and yes—you’ll get bonus buttermilk for pancakes 🥞. Make it once and you’ll never go back.
0 Set up your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set the ice water aside.
1 Add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl of the stand mixer and turn on the mixer. Starting the mixer on low speed and gradually work up to a high speed, as the cream begins to thicken and splash less.
2 Whisk until the cream forms a solid mass of butter and clings to the whisk. This could take anywhere from 7-10 minutes.
5 Note: if the whipping cream starts to splatter, you can use a splatter guard or wrap around it with saran wrap.
6 You will see the liquid separate from the butter; this is called buttermilk. Reserve the buttermilk for baking, cooking, or enjoying as a refreshing drink.
3 Transfer the butter from the whisk to the bowl of ice water. Next, knead the butter a few times—just like bread dough—with your hands while the butter is submerged in the ice water. This is called "washing" the butter.
4 Remove the butter from the ice water, add salt, if desired, and shape into a log or whatever shape you like. Store tightly wrapped in parchment paper or in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
