Butter Making

What is butter, really?

Butter is the fat in cream gathered together. When cream is agitated, the tiny fat globules stick to each other until they form clumps, and the liquid left behind is buttermilk. Pressing and washing remove more of that liquid. Butter keeps better when less buttermilk remains in it, because the buttermilk carries milk sugar and protein that spoil first.

Understanding this one idea explains almost every step that follows.

Homemade butter is also a good way to use cream that has built up on a family cow, since skimming cream leaves skim milk for drinking or for animals, if your veterinarian approves that use.

Where do you get the cream?

If you keep a family cow or dairy goats, cream rises in milk left to stand cold, or it can be separated by a hand or electric separator. Goat milk cream is slower to rise unless separated. Store-bought heavy cream also works well for learning.

Cream that is slightly aged and cool, not warm, usually churns best. Very fresh or very cold cream can take longer. Test small batches and note what works with your milk.

If your cream comes from raw milk, remember that churning does not make it safe. Ask your extension office what they advise for raw dairy in your state.

Cream stored for several days should be kept cold and tightly covered, and you should smell it before churning to be sure it has not turned.

How do you churn it?

A jar shaken by hand, a stand mixer, a food processor, a hand-crank churn or a traditional dasher churn all work. Cream first thickens into whipped cream, then looks grainy, then suddenly separates into yellow butter and thin liquid. Stop soon after the break so you do not smear the butter.

Pour off the buttermilk, which is excellent for baking or can be used as a drink. Keep it cold and use it within the usual freshness window for dairy.

Wash your churn parts promptly. Butterfat clings to plastic and wood, and leftover residue can turn rancid between batches and carry off flavors into the next one.

• Use a clean container and clean paddles
• Watch for the sudden break into grains
• Drain buttermilk right away
• Keep the butter cool while you work

Why wash and work the butter?

Rinse the butter with cold clean water, pressing it with a spatula or wooden paddle, and repeat until the rinse water runs clear. This removes residual buttermilk. Press out as much water as you can afterward.

Use potable water. If your water comes from a private well, make sure it has been tested recently, because rinse water goes straight into your food.

A wooden paddle should be scalded or sanitized before use, and dried fully afterward so it does not harbor bacteria.

Should you add salt?

Salt gives flavor and can slow spoilage a little, but it does not make butter shelf stable. Work it in evenly and taste. Unsalted butter is fine for baking and for freezing, but it spoils faster than salted butter if left out.

Treat both kinds as perishable dairy products, kept cold.

If you plan to freeze butter, wrap it in a layer that blocks air and put it inside a second container or bag for extra protection against freezer odors.

How do you store butter and how long does it last?

Wrap tightly or pack into clean containers to keep out air and other odors. Keep refrigerated for short use and freeze extra in portions you will use up. Label with the date.

Butter that smells rancid, sour or cheesy, or that shows mold, should be discarded. Ask your extension office for current storage guidance, because the length of time that butter stays good depends on how well it was washed and how cold it is kept.

Butter absorbs odors from other foods very easily, so keep it wrapped away from onions, fish and strong cheeses in the refrigerator or freezer.

What about selling or gifting butter?

Selling butter made from raw cream is regulated, and rules vary by state and sometimes by county. Contact your state department of agriculture or health department and ask what licenses, labels or facility standards apply to home-produced dairy.

Even when giving it away, label it and tell people it was made at home. If you use raw cream, say so clearly so recipients can decide whether it is right for them. Keep a notebook of each batch: how old the cream was, how long it took to come together, and how the butter tasted a week later. Those notes teach you more than any recipe, and they help your extension office answer questions if something goes wrong.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.