Homemade Spreadable Butter

Today in the kitchen, we’re making homemade spreadable butter.

A while back, Grampy and I made the decision to stop using margarine in a tub from the store. We prefer the taste of butter, and we like that real butter contains fewer ingredients than margarine. Margarine is usually less expensive than butter, but this is one of those things that we’ve decided to splurge a bit on.

Things were going well after we made the switch, but I keep the butter in the fridge. Therefore, trying to spread it on a slice of toast was difficult. So for a while we bought the little tubs of spreadable butter from the store, and then one day it clicked: I could make my own and save a good amount of money.

There are so many things we can make ourselves to help save money. Making homemade spreadable butter is one more way to help the grocery budget. 

I hunted around on the internet and found several recipes. After some trial and error and adjusting, we found a method that works well for us.

You can make homemade spreadable butter, too!  Here’s what you’ll need:

Butter (We use salted. We found the unsalted to be too bland for putting on toast and things. We use unsalted for baking.) I use a 2-to-1 ratio of butter to oil. Two cups of butter to one cup of oil. For a smaller batch, use one cup butter to 1/2 cup oil. I find the bigger batch mixes easier.

Oil I just use the vegetable or canola oil that I use for everything else.

An electric mixer

Storage containers (I use half-pint canning jars)

First, set the butter out to soften. If it is too hard, it won’t mix well with the oil.

I use my KitchenAid stand mixer with the whisk attachment. I whip the butter, slowly increasing the speed. Occasionally I stop the mixer to scrape the sides of the bowl. It seems very clunky at first, but just keep mixing.

The next step is important! Add the oil s-l-o-w-l-y. Or it will splash on you and wreck your favorite shirt. Trust me on this. A little oil at a time, then a little more…..NOT all at once!

When the oil and butter are well-mixed, I just run the mixer on high for a couple of minutes to make it smooth and creamy.

Then, I put it in jars and store it in the fridge. I use my canning funnel to help make this process less messy. It is somewhat loose after you first make it, but once it chills in the fridge, it’s just right.

I hope you’ll give this idea a try. 

A little budgeting tip: Buy butter when it’s on sale around the holidays. It keeps for several months in the freezer.

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