Growing up, we didn’t keep butter in the refrigerator… we liked the spreadable texture of room temperature butter. A stick of salted butter was stored in a covered butter dish on the counter, available to anybody who wanted a smear on toast. It’s the old fashioned way, the way my grandma did it and her grandma before her. I’d spread it on my whole grain toast each morning (the way I usually start my day), watching that gorgeous yellow butter melt into the nooks and crannies of my golden slice of toast. Heaven.
When I got to college, I noticed that my friends all kept their butter in the refrigerator. I was perplexed. Why would you want to do that? Butter won’t spread straight from the fridge. It’s hard and cold, not soft and melty. They cited food safety as a concern– the refrigerator, they claimed, was safer for storing butter. I tried to jump on the chilled butter bandwagon, but it didn’t work for me. It was too hard, wouldn’t melt fast enough, and more often than not left a big chunk of semi-soft butter in the middle of my toast. Blech.
While searching for an alternative I transitioned to margarine, which was spreadable and salty and fine, but not as yummy as butter. I was willing to compromise– the “spreadable” factor was most important for me. Then I learned about the many health concerns attached to most margarines on the market. They’re heavily processed and many contain trans fat, which increases blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Yuck. While butter substitutes are good for certain things, like cooking dairy-free or serving with a kosher meat meal, I vastly prefer the flavor of natural butter. Over time I found some healthier butter substitutes, like Organic Earth Balance Buttery Spread. Trouble is most of them contain soy, which negatively effects my hormones.
I yearned to take my good old fashioned butter back to room temperature for that easy spreading texture… and really, there’s no reason not to have it that way. Butter will last for about 3 weeks in a covered butter dish at room temperature before it turns rancid. Even after it turns rancid, the taste is bad, but it won’t make you sick (though honestly, who wants to eat anything with the adjective “rancid” attached to it?). I bought a covered butter dish from a local vintage market and returned to my roots, keeping my butter at room temperature again. Unfortunately I’m the only butter fan in my house, and sometimes the stick would go rancid before I had a chance to finish it.
My little jade-colored chicken butter dish.
The solution came in the comments section of another website (for the life of me I can’t remember which one), where people were discussing this subject of room temperature butter. A woman claimed that she made her own spreadable chilled butter by combining room temperature butter, olive oil, and salt. The resulting butter was spreadable straight from the fridge. I loved the idea, so I gave it a try. The first batch wasn’t very successful– it tasted way too much like olive oil. I tried again with a smaller quantity of light olive oil (which is less olive-y tasting). The light olive oil was better in terms of flavor, but it’s really just processed olive oil, sometimes mixed with other vegetable oils.
Eventually I settled on avocado oil, which is a healthy oil choice (less processed than seed oils), and has a nice, neutral flavor. This mixture is perfectly textured straight from the fridge. Nutritionally speaking, this Homemade Spreadable Butter is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than pure butter. You can adjust the saltiness (and thereby the sodium) to taste. Olive oil will work too, but you should try to find one that has a neutral or buttery flavor profile – and even then, it may give the spreadable butter a hint of olive flavor. That doesn’t bother me, but if you’re looking for a traditional butter flavor, stick to avocado oil!
Now my butter dish sits on my kitchen shelf, a reminder of the good old days. Homemade Spreadable Butter for the win! How do you keep your butter– in the fridge, on the countertop, or not at all?
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Homemade Spreadable Butter
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (I prefer organic)
- 3/4 cup avocado oil (you may substitute a neutral-flavored or buttery-flavored olive oil)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
NOTES
Instructions
- Let the butter slowly come to room temperature. To speed this process, cut the butter into small chunks and separate them from each other. Do not try to speed things up in the microwave, even at half power... you’ll change the texture of the butter.
- Place the room temperature butter into a food processor along with the oil and sea salt.
- Process the butter, oil and salt for 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides of the processor periodically, till all lumps have disappeared and the mixture is smooth and soft. It will be quite liquid, but don't worry, it will firm up in the fridge.
- Pour the softened butter into a container that can be sealed airtight (like a Tupperware). Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until fully chilled and firm.
- This Homemade Spreadable Butter will last up to 3 months in the refrigerator. It is spreadable straight from the refrigerator. Do not leave the butter at room temperature too long or it will start to separate. If this happens, you can stir the oil back into the butter before refrigerating again.
Chris says
I find, that making my own butter is best. I then add grapeseed oil to make it spreadable.
To make your own butter. I-litre of whipping cream, mix full container in food processor for ten minutes.
Strain butter from liquid buttermilk. Put buttermilk in a separate container and use for baking muffins etc.
Put the butter back into food processor and add two cups of grapeseed oil. Blend it for a few minutes, pour it into a container and let it solidify in the fridge for about two hours. You now have, homemade spreadable butter. A lot nicer than buying butter from the store.
C says
I actually find this goes together just as well if not better when the butter is cold. The food processor is powerful enough to combine it thoroughly and it doesn’t get quite as liquidy, so a little easier to work with. For anyone like me who sometimes fails to plan ahead. 😉
So glad I found this recipe and I no longer have to buy the commercial brand. I can adjust the salt and add whatever flavor garlic/herbs or honey to suit my fancy. Thanks, Tori!
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome!
Brenda says
Hello – Can I use salted butter?
Tori Avey says
Sure!
Paula says
A nutritionist gave me this recipe years ago but I quit making it. When I looked online to replace my lost recipe I found yours. I’m going to try it with cold pressed canola oil which is loaded with great omega fats. I look forward to more of your recipes and tips arriving in my inbox. Thank you
Aree says
You may also use organic virgin coconut oil instead of other oils to mix with the butter, as well.
Nirvana Jaganath says
But coconut oil solidifies at cold temperatures so it will harden in the fridge when mixed with the butter. I would think that you would need an oil that stays liquid at colder temperatures. I’ve used avocado oil and sunflower oil in the past with much success.
Sidney Milton says
Many years ago I sold Tupperware – back when it was the ultimate food keeper, not like today. This was one of the recipes we were given to help promote our products. I lost my personal copy and found your recipe by searching for making spreadable butter. Thank you. I now can get back to my old “cost saving healthly” food.
Isobel says
I do keep my butter on the counter (by the window) in an earthenware covered butter dish (cool in itself). I cut a small piece (about 5cm- 2.5inch) off the main stick tho’. The rest of the pack goes in a ziplock bag and into the fridge. (Then the butter doesn’t pick up any smells from the fridge) Works great for us. Looove my butter ?
Mike says
Hi,
I’ve used this recipe for years. Thanks!
My doctor recently told me to cut back on salt so now, rather than adding salt, I use Alsosalt which is the best tasting of the batch of salt substitutes.
Joe R says
Butter goes rancid because of light, espcially florescent light. That is why its wrapped in aluminum foil in the stores. use a butter dish with an opaque cover and keep it away from the light.
Cathy says
I’m going to try your spreadable butter recipe with avocado oil. I’m really looking forward to using something that I know all the ingredients that are in it.
Thanks
Sara says
A friend told me homemade spreadable butter cookies as possible – I was dubious. Then I found your well thought out recipe! I’m trying it today! Thank you!
Bella says
Thank you for sharing the tips. I make my own butter using organic heavy whipping cream, and now I started adding some avocado oil, as you recommended. The butter is still hard after staying in the refrigerate but I store it in ice cream cool cones so it is easy to spread it on my bread. I don’t even need a knife or spatula. I really recommend it!
Barbara says
I made my grandmothers recipe using buttermilk unsalted butter and an old glass jar with a lid I did this following your recipe except no electric tools were used and using butter milk with extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste I love my grandmothers recipe it’s been handed down threw many generations of our family but I wanted a more creamier spreadable butter and this worked out great I just let the butter melt into the butter milk and added a teaspoon of the olive oil and shook the ingredients slowly inside the jar it takes longer but the effects are amazing ? you can still taste the old fashion taste of my grandmothers recipe but spreading it across homemade biscuits cornbread or even toast is much easier thank you for recommending the olive oil works wonders
Maurice F says
we need a higher ratio of Omega 3 than Omega 6 in the average “american diet” as most everything processed that use various levels of canola etc are incredibly high in OM6 compared to OM3 (ratio is usually prefered at 1:3 or 1:2 OM3 vs 6 for “healthier” at least from everything I read)
so, something that could be “healthier” may actually not be as healthy as it would otherwise be, olive oil is “good” as its fat profile is balanced towards the healthier side of things, as is avocado oil, as is grapeseed, I think for “flavor wise” the avocado or grapeseed probably would be good picks.
alas folks tend to eat less of what they should (such as heart/brain healthy fats from fatty fish. some nuts, some seed) and focus too much on a “normal diet” which throws omega 6 out to lunch (body does not know difference between omega 3 and 6 and will use both “equally” which can not at all be a good thing as they “compete” with each other) Omega 9 is absolutely useless marketing BS which our bodies cannot process anyways.
Still a good read, reduce some of the fats and replace with healthier versions of them (to a point) basically turning the butter into margarine with “known” ingredients, a pinch of salt is never a bad thing (we tend to get more than enough salt in our daily diets, but we still need some to survive of course) still a cool idea, cause this might “allow” one to use more “butter” which is tastier than margarine any day of the week (I found breamate margarine at giant tiger which I love so is “almost” like doing your recipe ^.^
Terry says
Yep I use avocado oil too for a better omega 3/6 ratio.
Vicki Young says
Tori,
I learned a VERY similar way of having spreadable butter from my mentor and “God Mother” over 40 years ago! I did this when all of my children were still at home and I was still cooking for more people.
I got away from it as my family got down to ONE….me! However, I want to go back to it because of all the benefits! WE USED SAFFLOWER OIL and salted butter. It was delicious, healthy, perfectly spreadable and it makes expensive butter go further! We ALWAYS stored it in glass containers, which is healthier and somehow it just seems to taste better in glass containers! The SAFFLOWER OIL is not strong or overpowering like olive oil can be……it works PERFECT! I just cannot remember if I used 1 cup or 1.5 cups of the SAFFLOWER OIL to 1 lb. butter!
Nat says
Would flaxseed oil work?
Tori Avey says
It has a rather strong flavor, Nat– I’m not sure how the end result would taste, honestly.
Chris says
Have you tried making your own butter with whipping cream, then adding oil. Mmmmmmmm…so good.
Patsy Williams says
I am trying to reduce my intake of fat, so l use safflower & sunflower oils mixed with my Blue Bonnet. I don’t measure; just until it is the right consistency for me. I sometimes make a batch adding garlic powder for a yummy slice of garlic bread. Are these oils ok to use for better health?
Dana says
Avocado oil works great for this recipe. I think it makes it taste the most like butter.
Jenny Hamann says
I will try that. I sometimes use avocado in lieu of butter so avocado oil sounds like it might be a good option. If you like pure butter, have you ever considered getting a butter bell. Most butter bells hold about 1 stick (but you could put less in the bell) and keep butter fresh longer than a regular covered dish at room temperature. The butter goes inside a “bell” that is then inverted into a crock that contains cool water. The water should be changed and freshened once or twice a week. I have had butter in my bell for up to 6 weeks without it going rancid.
fiona smith says
Thanks for this. Its a great idea!
If you do want to use just butter and its just you who eats it. I have a lovely little covered dish for keeping on my counter top and I only put a small amount out at a time and leave the rest in the fridge. This way you have no worries about it going rancid.
Tammy Cole says
Thank you, I can’t have soy products
Helmut Eckart says
Very nice, works like a Charm <3 Nice to see you again Tori!
Ann R says
Do you think coconut oil will work? I’m trying to find ways to add some to my diet for the health benefits.
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Ann, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! I think coconut oil would work just fine. Please let us know if you try it!
Todd Smith says
Since coconut oil solidifies completely at refrigerator temperature, I would not recommend it for this .
ReaderWithoutAName says
Food-grade fractionated coconut oil remains a liquid and does not solidify when it’s cold. One must ensure it is food-grade though.