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Soft, ultra-creamy and luxurious – with just 3 basic ingredients, 5 minutes and 1 SECRET tip for making perfect flavored butters, you can create an array of delicious compound butters: from roasted garlic butter for bread, to herb flavored butter for turkey and fish, or sweet seasoned spread for croissants and pancakes; plus more!

Overhead photo of soft garlic butter with herbs in a white butter serving dish.

Update: This recipe was originally published in March 2022. I made updates to the article below to include more information about making garlic butter at home. 

This simple homemade butter recipe will guide you to making the best fluffy, rich seasoned butter YOUR WAY! Use your soft butters right away or store them to have on hand as a fast and simple, yet elegant way to infuse flavor and elevate any meal!

Table of Contents

About this garlic butter recipe

There’s no denying it, butter makes everything better! But, have you ever seasoned your butter? Honestly, it’s life changing!

This compound butter recipe turns out butter that is unbelievably creamy and ultra-soft with an airy and light texture! And, this garlic butter recipe is totally customizable, allowing you to flavor and season butter YOUR WAY! Keep your homemade butter simple by adding fresh herbs, such as rosemary, for topping sizzling steaks! Or blend in parmesan cheese to make garlic spread for bread! Or get a little fancy by stirring in honey, vanilla and cinnamon to create a perfectly sweet flavored butter for pastries and croissants!

Homemade butters are perfect for anything and everything! Whether you slather it on bagels and pancakes, dollop it onto fluffy baked potatoes, or toss it with silky pasta (and MORE!), rich specialty butters are such an easy way to elevate and boost the flavor of everyday meals!

If you’re looking for more simply delicious homemade spreads, be sure to try these fan-favorite recipes next: Chives Cream Cheese, Salmon Spread, and Everything Bagel Spread.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Amazingly easy! Making garlic gutter (or any compound butter!) is astoundingly easy – you need just a few ingredients, plus hand-held or stand mixer to whip everything together! (However, you can use just a bowl and a spoon if you are in a pinch!)
  • 5 minutes! You can whip up any flavor of compound butter in under 5 minutes!
  • Specialty butter flavor! Making your own garlic butter or flavored butter allows you to add your personal touch! You can create a soft, rich homemade spread perfectly customized to your tastes! Keep things simple with fresh garlic and a pinch of kosher salt, or brighten up the flavor by adding your favorite type of herbs, such as parsley or thyme! Try adding in freshly-grated parmesan and Italian seasoning for garlic bread or explore new combinations of flavors! With this recipe, you can make rich, fancy butters YOUR way!
  • All natural! Store-bought condiments, such as flavorful butter spreads, are convenient; however, they also contain undesirable additives and preservatives! Homemade flavored butters only contain the ingredients YOU choose! When you make your own garlic butter (or iterations!) you know you’re getting quality!
  • Incredibly versatile! Flavor-infused homemade butters are such a simple and elegant way to elevate any dish!
  • Impress guests! Garlic butter or herb butters, also know as compound butters, are an easy way to impress dinner guests! Roll your whipped flavored butter into a log and serve it sliced into pretty pats! Or use a butter mold to offer various types of flavored butter in the form of pretty shapes!
  • Perfect for gifts! Everyone loves a homemade edible gift! A freshly whipped batch of homemade butter is a great gift for any occasion!
Overhead photo of all the ingredients needed to make garlic butter spread at home.

What is garlic butter?

Garlic butter, also known as compound butter, is a rich mixture of soft butter and supplementary flavoring ingredients, such as minced fresh garlic, herbs, spices and seasonings. You can think of a compound butter with garlic and fresh herbs, or any combination of flavors you love, as similar to a sauce or dressing. They’re all condiments that punch up the flavor and make a dish taste more special!

You can purchase garlic butters and flavorful spreads at the grocery store; however, it’s just as easy (and tastier!) to DIY butters at home!

What use a butter spread?

Compound butters, such as homemade garlic butters, are primarily used to enhance the flavor of various dishes. You can use homemade butters, such as this simple garlic butter or fresh herb butter, to boost the flavor of numerous foods – from the simplest side dish to fancy entrees! Try using your DIY butters on vegetables, including corn, asparagus and broccoli! Or use it to dress up proteins, like grilled steaks, roast turkey, lobster tail and pork tenderloin! You can use both sweet and savory homemade butters any time you want to add more flavor to a recipe! 

Overhead photo of softened, cubes of butter on a piece of parchment paper.

Garlic butter ingredients

You need three basic ingredients to make luxuriously-soft, creamy homemade garlic butter – butter, an enriching liquid and fresh garlic! You can use this basic gourmet butter recipe to create different flavors of butter, from garlic butter, or herb butter, to honey butter, and anything in between!

  • Butter: You can use either salted or unsalted butter when making garlic butter. However, because compound butter has so few ingredients, it’s essential those ingredients are good-quality! Here you’ll want to use a good stick of butter! There are some popular brands that people think are butters, which are actually margarines. Look at the ingredients – butter is made from pure cream, while margarine is made from vegetable oil. (Kerrygold, Trader Joe’s Cultured Salted Butter, Land O’Lakes, and Goat Butter are all great brands of butter!) Pro-tip: The butter needs to be at room temperature before flavoring with spices, fresh herbs or dried herbs! Set the butter on the counter for at least an hour ahead of time, so that it has time to soften to room temperature.
  • Enriching liquid: The secret to luxuriously-creamy whipped butters and ultra-rich flavored butters with garlic, herbs or other various tasty addition, is to whip the butter with just a touch of fat. Regular butter is simply a solid emulsion made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. Adding a touch of enriching liquid, such as milk or extra-virgin olive oil, gives flavored butters a creamier, richer mouthfeel.
  • Kosher salt (optional): If you are using unsalted butter, I recommend adding a generous pinch of kosher salt to your compound butter – it really enhances the flavors!
  • Garlic: For the best tasting butter recipe, make sure you use fresh cloves of garlic and mince them yourself! While those jars of pre-minced garlic are convenient, they are lackluster in flavor! For simple garlic butter with a subtle garlic taste, use 4 cloves of garlic. However, if you prefer a more distinctive, punchy garlic taste, use 6 garlic cloves (or more)! And if you prefer a richer, mellower flavor, use oven roasted garlic cloves.
Overhead photo of all the ingredients to make herb garlic spread in a medium mixing bowl.

Flavor variations

The possible flavor combinations for compound butters are endless! Below are 10 butter flavor recipes to help get your started! (The ingredients and full instructions are included in the printable recipe carb below!)

Garlic Butter

Homemade garlic spread is the easiest and simplest way to elevate any dish! Homemade garlic butter is perfect for everything from simple sides, such as corn on the cob, or easy meals like noodles, to fancier dishes, such as seared steak and lobster tails!

Garlic butter recipe

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk or olive oil
  • 4-8 cloves of garlic (to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Herb Butter

Butter with herbs is a simple, yet delicious compound butter that complements a wide assortment of dishes, from eggs and toast, to potatoes and pasta! For the best herbal butter, make sure you use fresh herbs! You can use one of your favorite herbs or a combination of herbs for a more complex herbed butter! However, for the absolute best homemade herb butter, use fresh herbs!

Fresh herb butter recipe

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh herbs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Garlic Herb Butter for Turkey

Garlic and herb butter is simply a combination of the two soft butter spread recipes listed above! For the best flavor, use fresh herbs! However, you can also make herbed butter with dried herbs or your favorite poultry seasonings if you are in a pinch!

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk or olive oil
  • 4-6 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup fresh herbs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Parmesan Garlic Butter for Garlic Bread

Soft garlic parmesan butter brimming with savory garlic and complex parmesan is perfect for slathering on garlic bread!

Garlic butter with parmesan recipe

  • 1 cup salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk or olive oil
  • 4-6 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 1/4 cup fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, chives and basil)
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Tuscan butter for chicken

Tuscan herb butter is bursting with robust Italian flavors and sweet sundried tomatoes! This gourmet butter is perfect for enhancing the flavor of poultry, pastas and vegetables!

Tuscan butter recipe

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 3-4 tablespoons fresh basil (chiffonade, cut into thin strips)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Rosemary Garlic Butter for Steaks

Herb butter flavored with distinctive piney flavored rosemary is especially appealing on steaks and red meat! Fresh rosemary is a very pungent herb, so make sure you use a small amount as a little goes a long way! Add a pat of rosemary butter to the top of your steak when they are fresh off the grill or fresh out the sauté pan!

Rosemary garlic butter recipe

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic (mince)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (mince)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon Garlic Butter for pasta

Punchy, zesty lemon compound butter is so delicious on fish, pasta, roast chicken or spring vegetables, such as asparagus!

Lemon butter recipe

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic (mince)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Dill Lemon Butter for fish

Lemon and dill infused butter is the perfect accompaniment to seafood and fish, especially salmon and cod! However, it’s also delicious melted over peas!

Lemony dill butter recipe

  • 1 cup salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic (mince)
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh dill (mince)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

Honey Butter

Sweet flavored butters, such as honey butter, is the perfect topping for bread of all kinds, from dinner rolls and biscuits to pancakes, waffles and everything in between!

Easy honey butter recipe

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon butter

If you love the fancy butter at Texas Roadhouse, then you will love this sweet flavoured butter! Mixing soft butter with a tiny bit of cinnamon and kosher salt is an easy way to infuse cozy, warming cinnamon flavor into your favorite baked goods! Use cinnamon butters on croissants, english muffins, banana breads and more!

Sweet cinnamon butter recipe

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Overhead photo of homemade garlic butter spread on a slice of bread with a butter spreading knife next to the piece of toast.

How to make garlic butter

Creamy, rich garlic butter with minced garlic and herbs is SO quick and easy to make at home! You only need a handful of basic ingredients and less than 5 minutes!

  1. Whip Butter: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or to a medium mixing bowl and use a hand-held mixer. Beat the butter on MEDIUM, until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.
  2. Add Milk or Oil: With the mixer on LOW, slowly add the enriching liquid to the mixing bowl. Mix on low until just combined. Increase speed to MEDIUM-LOW and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter is very fluffy.
  3. Add Flavorings: Add the garlic, herbs, cheese, and any flavoring ingredient you love. If using unsalted butter, add salt. Mix on MEDIUM-LOW until well combined.
  4. Use or Store: Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Enjoy!

Tips for the best success!

  • Use a good brand of butter! Garlic and butter are the two main ingredients, so make sure you use a good brand of butter (not margarine!) and fresh garlic!
  • Soften butter to room temperature! In order to easily season and flavor butters at home, the stick of butter needs to be at room temperature. Set the butter out on the counter at least an hour ahead of making this garlic butter recipe! Butter is easiest to work with when it’s nice and soft (but, not melted!)
  • Rinse and chop herbs! You can use both fresh and dried herbs to season the butter! If you are using fresh herbs, use the tender leaves only (discard stems) and finely chop prior to adding to butter mixture!
  • Add enriching liquid! Whipping butter with a tablespoon or two of milk or olive oil will result in incredibly fluffy, perfectly soft and ultra-rich flavored compound butter!

Step-by step-photos: making this recipe at home

Below you will find a picture collage showing you exactly how to make this garlic butter recipe (or any flavored butter recipe!), step-by-step! Please scroll down for the printable recipe card, which contains detailed instructions and measurements!

Overhead photo collage of how to make garlic butter at home with written instructions on each step.

FAQ: frequently asked questions

Unsalted or salted butter?

You can use either salted or unsalted butter for making homemade flavored butters! However, some dishes are more suited for one or the other! Generally, unsalted butters are better for preparing sweet flavored butter recipes, such as cinnamon butter or whipped cherry butter! While salted butters are best for making savory butter flavors, like herbal butter with fresh herbs for steak. While there is no hard and fast rule, I do recommend adding at least a generous pinch of kosher salt when using unsalted butter! This is especially true if you are making garlic butter sauces and spreads!

Fresh or dried herbs for herb butter?

You can use fresh herbs or dried herbs in this easy garlic butter recipe! For the best taste and freshest flavor, use fresh herbs to season your butter! However, don’t feel like you can’t use dry herbs in a pinch! When substituting dried for fresh herbs in this butter recipe, do so in a 1:3 ratio – meaning 1 teaspoon of dried herb will replace 3 teaspoons of fresh! (Helpful tip: There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon!)

What herbs are in herb butter?

You can make a quick garlic butter with whatever herbs and seasonings you love! Italian parsley and fresh basil are the two most common herbs in garlic spreads. However, homemade butters are a great way to preserve any fresh herbs from your garden, especially those like thyme or rosemary, which lose a lot of their delicious texture and flavor when dried. Below are some of my favorite herbs and spices to use when seasoning butter!

Helpful tip #1: If you are looking to expand your knowledge of herbs and their culinary applications, this complete guide to fresh herbs and this kitchen tutorial on how to store fresh herbs are incredibly informative!

Tip #2: When making garlic butter at home, don’t limit yourself to just fresh or dried herbs! You can also add your favorite pantry seasonings and spices, such as red pepper flakes and freshly-ground black pepper in your herbed compound butter! Plus, you can season butter with various yummy flavoring ingredients, such as lemon zest!

Herbs for herbal butter

  • Fresh parsley: Both curly and flat-leaf parsley are great options when making garlic butter! Parsley garlic butter pairs well with everything from eggs and potatoes to fish, pasta, meats, and more!
  • Basil: Slightly sweet and minty with a hint of peppery goodness, fresh basil butter is perfect for preparing sauces, slathering on sandwiches, tossing with pasta and more!
  • Chives: Dainty chives with their delicate onion flavor is perfect for flavoring butter! Use chive butter on everything from eggs and bagels, to corn-on-the-cob or green beans, and potatoes, risottos and more!
  • Thyme: Lemony, slightly peppery thyme butter tastes delicious with rice dishes, potato recipes and chicken!
  • Dill: Slightly grassy, sweet dill flavored butter is perfect for topping fish or for using in eggs!
  • Rosemary: Fresh rosemary is a woody herb with a lemony, pine-like taste. Rosemary butters are delicious on potatoes and chicken dishes!
  • Oregano: There are two types of oregano – Mediterranean and Mexican. Mediterranean oregano is more citrus-forward, while Mexican oregano is peppery and slightly sweet. Oregano butter is delicious on Italian cuisine, dishes like pizza and pasta; however, it’s equally delicious on poultry!
  • Sage: Slightly peppery and minty sage butter is perfect for rich, creamy pasta dishes and sausage recipes!
  • Tarragon: Licorice-like tarragon is a popular herb in French cooking! Try using tarragon butter to top poached eggs, lobster tails and roast chicken! Or use it to make Sole Meunière!
  • Mint: Cool and refreshing mint butter pairs great with lamb!
  • Lavender: While not traditional, you can use lavender to flavor butter! It’s an assertive herb with a floral, slightly bitter flavor. Smear soft lavender butter on warm biscuits, hearty whole-grain breads or toasty scones for a touch of sophisticated flavor!

How to roll compound butter into a log?

Forming your garlic infused butters into a cylinder is so simple! Below is the step-by-step method for making a butter log (or butter roll!) – you only need some parchment paper and your hands!

  1. Add to parchment: Dollop your garlic flavored butter down the center of a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
  2. Fold: Fold one end of the paper up and over the herb butter.
  3. Roll: Using your hands, gently roll the log of butter forward, into a cylinder.
  4. Twist ends: Use your fingers to twist the ends of the paper to seal!
  5. Store: Chill the butter in the refrigerator until ready for serving. When ready to use your different butters, slice off what you need and store the rest for later!
Overhead photo of garlic compound butter rolled into a log and wrapped in plastic.

Serving garlic infused butters

You can serve herb and garlic infused butters in various ways!

  • Butter Logs: Compound butters are typically shaped into logs, chilled until firm and sliced into pats to serve on foods. However, you can also use butter molds for serving herb butter! (Scroll up to see how to roll garlic butter into a log!)
  • Butter Molds: To make a molded herb butter, spoon the soft seasoned butter into molds, chill until firm and then remove the butter shapes from the molds!

For the best taste and easiest spreadability, make sure you serve your garlic spread at room temperature! Icy-cold butter is not an appetizing addition to any dish!

How to use garlic and herb butters

The real question is what can’t you use soft flavorful butter with? Whether your butter spread is garlicky-fresh or salty-sweet, ultra-soft whipped butter is a delight on so many things:

  • Spread garlic butter onto a slice of toast, homemade bagels or fluffy dinner rolls for an easy side dish or snack!
  • Slather honey butter onto homemade beer bread or cornbread for a touch of deliciously sticky sweet flavor!
  • This easy garlic butter makes the best garlic breads! Smear soft DIY garlic butter onto French bread or a rustic baguette and bake in the oven for easy homemade garlic bread!
  • Use garlic butter to brush on pizza crust! Make an Italian herb butter with plenty of garlic, parmesan and fresh basil to season your pizza crusts!
  • Slice open a hot potato (or sweet potato) and dot on your favorite herb butter for a punch of flavor!
  • Melt it over mashed potatoes! Compound butter recipes are the perfect way to add a huge boost of flavor to creamy potatoes!
  • Easy butter garlic vegetables! Herbs and butter are such an easy way to add flavor to fresh vegetables, such as broccoli, mushrooms and green beans!
  • Smear your seasoned butter over warm, fresh from the grill corn on the cob!
  • Toss warm noodles with pats of seasoned butter to make the easiest butter noodles with quick garlic butter sauce!
  • Juicy roast chicken or chicken breasts! Pick a fancy butter recipe and rub it over a whole chicken or chicken breast before roasting to keep the chicken juicy!
  • Butter spreads are such an easy way to infuse flavor to seafood, fish and shellfish. Rub the herbed butter spread gently and evenly over fish, such as tilapia or salmon, before roasting. Or melt the butter over low heat and serve it as a dipping sauce for fried shrimp, lobster, and more.
  • Add a pat of garlic herb butter to steaks as soon as they come out of the oven or off the grill. Or try it on these ultra-tender steaks in the crockpot.
Overhead photo of a loaf of homemade garlic bread, before being baked.

Storing leftovers

To keep your garlic herb butters and garlic butter sauces fresh and flavorful, store them in airtight containers or protective wrappings in the refrigerator. You can shape flavored butters into logs and store them in plastic wrap for easy slice-and-serve butter. Or, dollop seasoned butters into a large airtight container for fuss-free serving.

Regardless, homemade garlic infused butter will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. 

Freezing instructions

Homemade garlic butter with herbs stores great in the freezer! It’s the most versatile condiment to keep on hand – use it to quickly and easily add buttery, rich flavor to any meal!

Store butter flavored with herbs in a freezer-safe, airtight container, baggie or plastic-wrap. Garlic spread will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. 

You can use your fancy butters at home straight from the freezer by adding them to whatever hot meal you are making. Or, you can defrost them in the refrigerator overnight. I recommend defrosting your seasoned butters if you plan on using them as a garlic spread for breads or as a whipped butter topping for fancy dishes, such as grilled steak or lobster.

Overhead photo of a slice of buttery homemade garlic bread with parmesan cheese.

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More homemade butter recipes!

If you love this recipe for garlic butter, be sure to try these recipes next:

Overhead photo of garlic butter in a white small serving dish with a butter spreader next to the dish..

Garlic Butter Recipe (+ Flavor Variations!)

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 7 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Make the best soft, ultra-creamy and luxurious garlic compound butter with just 3 basic ingredients, 2 minutes and 1 SECRET TIP! Use this recipe as a guide for creating an array of delicious flavored butters: from garlic butter for bread, to herb flavored butter for turkey and fish, or sweet seasoned butter for croissants and pancakes; plus more!
Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.

Equipment

  • 1 Stand or Hand-held Mixer

Ingredients 

Garlic Butter

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 2 TBS Whole Milk OR a good quality Olive Oil (SEE NOTES)
  • 4-8 cloves Garlic – minced, or more to taste
  • ¼ tsp Kosher Salt – OMIT if you are using salted butter!

Herb Butter

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 2 TBS Whole Milk OR a good quality Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Herbs (SEE NOTES)
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt – OMIT if you are using salted butter!

Herb Garlic Butter

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 2 TBS Whole Milk OR a good quality Olive Oil
  • 4-6 cloves Garlic – minced, or more to taste
  • 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Herbs (SEE NOTES)
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt – OMIT if you are using salted butter!

Parmesan Garlic Butter

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 2 TBS Olive Oil
  • 4-6 cloves Garlic – minced, or more to taste
  • 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Herbs (Parsley, Chives, Basil)
  • 1/4 Cup Freshly-Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Pecorino!)
  • 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt – OMIT if you are using salted butter!

Tuscan Butter (for poultry, pastas, vegetables and more!)

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil (good quality!)
  • 4 cloves Garlic – minced, or more to taste
  • 4 whole Sun-Dried Tomatoes (in oil) – drained & finely chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Freshly-Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Pecorino!)
  • 3-4 TBS Thinly Sliced Fresh Basil (chiffonade)
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt – OMIT if you are using salted butter!

Rosemary Butter (for steaks!)

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil (good quality!)
  • 4-6 cloves Garlic – minced, or more to taste
  • 1 heaping TBS Finely-Chopped Fresh Rosemary
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

Lemon Dill Butter (for fish, seafood and chicken!)

  • 1 Cup Butter – cubed & softened to room temperature (SEE NOTES)
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil (good quality!)
  • 1-2 cloves Garlic – minced, or more to taste
  • 2-3 TBS finely chopped Fresh Dill
  • 1 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Zest
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt – OMIT if you are using salted butter!

Instructions

  • Whip Butter: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or to a medium mixing bowl and use a hand-held mixer. Beat the butter on MEDIUM, until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.
  • Add Milk or Oil: With the mixer on LOW, slowly add the enriching liquid to the mixing bowl. Mix on LOW until just combined. Increase speed to MEDIUM-LOW and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter is very fluffy.
  • Add Flavorings: Add the garlic, herbs, cheese, and any flavoring ingredient you love. If using unsalted butter, add salt. Mix on LOW until well combined.
  • Use or Store: Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Enjoy!
  • To shape into logs: Cut two sheets of plastic wrap to be a few inches longer than a stick of butter. Spoon the HALF butter onto one of the sheets of plastic wrap, arranging it lengthwise in the middle. Roll the garlic herb butter up tightly in the plastic wrap, forming a long cylinder or log. One both hands to twist the ends of the plastic wrap, rolling the butter log across the work surface to help form and tighten the roll. Keep rolling until a tight log of butter forms. Tie a knot at each end of the plastic wrap or use a piece of kitchen twine to tie off ends. Repeat with remaining plastic wrap and butter. Refrigerate. To use, unwrap and cut crosswise into thick round coins of garlic butter!

Notes

  1. Butter: Butter is the main ingredient, so please use a good brand as quality matters! You can use salted or unsalted butter depending upon your preference. If using salted butter, you can omit the kosher salt, or use just a pinch!
  2. To speed up softening butter to room temperature: Cut the cold stick of butter into small cubes! Alternatively, you can use the large holes of a box grater and grate the cold butter!
  3. Milk: You can replace the whole milk with a good-quality olive oil (NOT extra-virgin) if you prefer! Olive oil works great if you are using the butter in savory dishes, such as bread, steak, fish, and chicken!
  4. Herbs: You can use your favorite or any combination fresh herbs you love! Parsley, chives, basil, green onions, thyme, rosemary and/or oregano are all great options. Please be careful if you select herbs with a stronger flavor, such as rosemary and oregano – I recommend decreasing the amount! (Shown Here: An even split between Parsley, Chives + Basil. I did about a heaping tablespoon each.)
  5. Cheese: You can substitute parmesan with pecorino, asiago, or any other firm cheese in the butter. If you use 1/2 cup of salty cheese, I recommend omitting the kosher salt!
  6. Serving Suggestions: Bread, Pasta, Potatoes, Steak, Veggies, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Cheese and MORE! (See the post for more suggestions!)
  7. Compound Butter Flavor Variations: See the post for more recipes!
  8. Storage: To store like compound butter, roll the softened butter in plastic wrap or parchment paper, forming a long log. Refrigerate until ready to use. Alternatively, you can pipe softened butter into fun shapes (Stars! Hearts!) and wrap them individually in plastic wrap!
Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 16 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal    Carbohydrates: 1g    Protein: 1g    Fat: 12g    Saturated Fat: 7g    Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g    Monounsaturated Fat: 3g    Trans Fat: 1g    Cholesterol: 31mg    Sodium: 128mg    Potassium: 9mg    Fiber: 1g    Sugar: 1g    Vitamin A: 358IU    Vitamin C: 1mg    Calcium: 7mg    Iron: 1mg
Course: Condiment, Spread
Cuisine: American, French

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