Compound Butter Recipes

Compound butter is the bee’s knees!

With compound butter, you can add a mixture of flavors together on what you’re cooking that gives a depth to your meal versus sprinkling spices.  Compound butter can be used on anything from supper vegetables to morning toast.  For this post, I made the top four that get used in my house the most; Cinnamon Butter, Italian Herb Butter, Blue Cheese Butter and Cilantro Lime Butter.

Don’t be afraid to play with flavors.  I stumbled into the Cilantro Lime butter that I use now.  It is now a mandatory part of fajita night.  Cinnamon butter is another mandatory staple in the house.  Cinnamon butter is my go-to for sweet potatoes, oatmeal and warm rolls.  Oh myyyy gawd, the warm rolls…..

You can freeze compound butter mixtures for later.  Wrap them in parchment paper, use tape to secure the edges and store in a freezer proof container.  I start making cinnamon butter in October to get me through Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Mix, play around with ingredients, taste, and then mix some more.  For meats, fish and vegetables, I use savory mixtures, which are heavier on the herbs.  For breakfast and desserts, I play with sweet or cinnamon mixtures.  (Try to stay away from adding white sugar to your butter mixture, as it will add moisture that helps deteriorate the butter.)

To begin your compound butter mixture, if you aren’t making your butter, use a quality unsalted butter to give you a reliable base to build your mixture with.  Don’t use margarine for compound mixtures.

 

GOOD FOOD. GOOD FRIENDS. GOOD TIMES

 

Herb Butter

½ cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced (2 cloves)

½ teaspoon salt (to taste)

½ teaspoon pepper (to taste)

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Place on parchment paper, roll into a log and twist edges (or tie with kitchen twine) to seal
3. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Slice into rounds and enjoy.

This flavorful butter is fantastic on vegetables and pasta.  Also a wonderful addition spread on fresh bread.

Cilantro Lime Butter

½ cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped fine

½ tablespoon garlic, minced (approx. 1 clove)

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 teaspoon lime juice

½ teaspoon salt

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Place on parchment paper, roll into a log and twist edges (or tie with kitchen twine) to seal
3. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Slice into rounds and enjoy.
5. Optional step: MAKE FAJITAS!!

This is a great addition to any beef or vegetable dish.  Did I mention fajitas?

Blue Cheese Butter

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup blue cheese crumbles

1 tablespoon parsley

½ teaspoon salt (to taste)

½ teaspoon pepper (to taste)

 

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Place on parchment paper, roll into a log and twist edges (or tie with kitchen twine) to seal
3. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Slice into rounds and enjoy.

Steak. Steeeeak! Also very good on potatoes and pork chops.  I could eat blue cheese on anything, so I may be a little biased, but it’s just soooo good.

 

Cinnamon Butter

½ cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon honey

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Place on parchment paper, roll into a log and twist edges (or tie with kitchen twine) to seal
3. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Slice into rounds and enjoy.

Sweet potatoes, rolls, morning toast, oatmeal, pears, apples, or the tip of your finger (no waste here!) There are so many good places that you can use this butter.  Makes a nice addition to apple pie crusts too!

Italian Herb Butter – Compound Butters