Homemade Herb Butter

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Bursting with savory, herbaceous flavors, this homemade herb butter is the perfect accompaniment to rolls, bread, and even your favorite chicken breast recipe. Once you experience the exquisite taste and simplicity of making it yourself, you’ll never go back to store-bought again.

sliced rounds of homemade compound butter

Prepare to elevate your dishes with the delightful freshness of Homemade Herb Butter—a culinary gem that enhances everything it touches. From golden rolls to crispy potatoes and vibrant vegetables, this creamy treat is meant to be savored in every delectable bite. I’m going to guide you through the creation of three distinct flavor combinations that will leave your taste buds longing for more.

What is Herb Butter?

If you’ve never had herb butter, you are missing out. Herb butter (also known as compound butter) is made by simply combining butter and other ingredients used to enhance the flavor of dishes.

Typically, it’s flavored with herbs and garlic, but you can use sweet things such as honey, cinnamon, and sugar, too. (Be sure to check out cinnamon maple butter for a sweet variety!)

Sliced baguette next to butter mixed with sun dried tomatoes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Homemade herb butter is a delightful addition to any culinary repertoire. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but it also adds a burst of flavor and elegance to your dishes. These recipes are sure to impress and elevate your meals. Here’s why you should consider making homemade herb butter:

  1. Versatile and Customizable: Homemade herb butter allows you to experiment with various herbs, spices, and flavors, giving you the freedom to create your own unique blends. From classic combinations like garlic and rosemary to more adventurous pairings like lemon and thyme, the possibilities are endless. Have fun and personalize the recipes to suit your taste preferences and culinary style.
  2. Enhances the Natural Flavors: Herb butter serves as a fantastic vehicle for infusing dishes with the essence of fresh herbs and aromatic spices. As the butter melts, it releases the flavors of the herbs, resulting in a rich and fragrant taste. Whether you’re spreading it on warm bread, melting it over grilled vegetables, or using it to baste roasted meats, the herb butter will take your dishes to the next level.
  3. Saves Time and Effort: One of the most significant advantages of homemade herb butter is its convenience. By preparing a batch in advance, you can easily add a burst of flavor to your meals without the hassle of chopping and seasoning every time. Having herb butter on hand allows you to elevate simple dishes with minimal effort, making it a time-saving kitchen staple.
  4. Impressive Presentation: The vibrant colors and enticing aroma of herb butter make it an excellent choice for enhancing the visual appeal of your dishes. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or simply enjoying a meal at home, a dollop of herb butter atop a perfectly cooked steak or a beautifully arranged platter of roasted vegetables adds a touch of elegance and sophistication.
Mashing butter and fresh herbs with a fork to create her butter
3 Homemade Herb Butters: Italian Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Cilantro Lime.

Ingredients

Making your own herb butter is seriously so simple that you might be shocked. You really just mix fresh herbs with real butter. At the bottom of this post, I’ll share 3 of my favorite herb butter recipes.

First, here is a list of the ingredients I used for all of them:

  • Unsalted butter
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Garlic
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • Fresh basil
  • Sundried tomatoes
  • Fresh thyme
  • Fresh chives
  • Salt and pepper to taste
3 herb butters next to a baguette

How to Make

As you might have guessed, making herb butter is easy. All you do is mix together the butter and herbs, shape the mixture, and let it harden back up. I’ve provided a full ingredient list and detailed instructions for all three herb butter varieties in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

You can use whatever combination of herbs you like best. But to get you started, I came up with three recipes that I think you will love: Italian Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Cilantro Lime. No matter your flavor of choice, you’ll follow the same simple steps to make your own homemade butter.

  1. First, in a bowl, mix all of the ingredients. You can do this with a hand mixer or by hand using a fork.
mixing together a bowl of sun-dried tomato butter
how to shape homemade butter into rolls
  1. Once everything is nicely combined, transfer the butter to a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a cylinder. Then, twist both ends of the plastic wrap and pop cylinder in the refrigerator to chill.

The butter is ready when it’s solid and cold.

a roll of homemade compound butter

That’s it! I told you it was easy.

trio of Homemade Herb Butters

When you’re ready to use the herb butter (especially when serving it on bread), pull it out of the refrigerator about half an hour or so ahead of time. Slice it immediately and set it out to warm up a bit. That way, it spreads nicely on the bread.

How to Use

Now that you’ve made your delicious homemade herb butter, here are some creative ideas for incorporating it into your culinary adventures:

  • Bread and Rolls: Spread a generous amount of herb butter on freshly baked bread or rolls for a mouthwatering treat. The blend of flavors will complement the warm, crusty exterior and create a heavenly aroma.
  • Roasted Vegetables: Toss your favorite vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, or Brussels sprouts, in herb butter before roasting them. The butter will add a savory depth of flavor and help achieve a crispy, golden exterior.
  • Grilled Meats and Seafood: Melt a pat of herb butter over grilled steaks, chicken breasts, or fish fillets just before serving. The butter will melt and coat the meat, infusing it with a burst of herbaceous goodness.
  • Pasta Dishes: Stir a spoonful of herb butter into freshly cooked pasta for a quick and flavorful sauce. It will coat the noodles beautifully, making each bite a delightful explosion of taste.
  • Flavoring Sauces and Soups: Add a small knob of herb butter to enrich and enliven your favorite sauces and soups. It will melt seamlessly, imparting a nuanced herbal note to the dish.
  • Baked Potatoes: Slice open a baked potato and slather it with herb butter. The combination of creamy potato flesh and herb-infused butter is a match made in culinary heaven.
  • Grilled Corn on the Cob: Spread herb butter over hot, grilled corn on the cob for a delicious twist. The butter will melt and seep into the kernels, creating a delectable, herb-infused bite.
  • Herb-Crusted Chicken or Fish: Mix herb butter with breadcrumbs to create a flavorful crust for chicken breasts or fish fillets. Bake or pan-fry them for a tantalizingly crispy exterior.

Remember, these ideas are just the beginning. Feel free to get creative and experiment with your homemade herb butter in various dishes to discover new and exciting flavor combinations. Bon appétit!

Sliced Cilantro Lime butter
sliced rounds of diy butter with herbs

Storage and Shelf Life

Proper storage is essential to preserve the freshness and flavor of your homemade herb butter. Follow these guidelines to ensure your herb butter stays delicious for as long as possible:

1. Refrigeration: After preparing your herb butter, transfer it to an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. The cold temperature will help maintain its consistency and prevent any spoilage.

2. Freezing: If you’ve made a large batch of herb butter or want to extend its shelf life, freezing is an excellent option. Wrap the herb butter tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe container or sealable freezer bag. Properly stored, herb butter can last in the freezer for up to three months without losing its flavor.

3. Labeling: To avoid any confusion in the future, it’s a good practice to label your herb butter with the date it was made. This way, you’ll know when it’s time to use it or discard it.

4. Shelf Life: When stored in the refrigerator, homemade herb butter can last for approximately two to three weeks. However, the exact shelf life can vary depending on the freshness of the ingredients used. Always check for any signs of spoilage, such as an off smell, mold, or unusual texture, before using the herb butter.

5. Flavor Preservation: Over time, the flavors of the herbs and seasonings in the butter may start to mellow. To maintain the vibrant taste, it’s recommended to use the herb butter within the first week or two after preparation.

Homemade butter with herbs spread on a slice of bread

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions people often ask about homemade compound butter. If you don’t see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.

What is herb butter made of?

There are a ton of different ways to make herb butter. At its core, herb butter is basically fresh herbs and real butter mixed with some salt and pepper. It’s a savory and flavorful butter that tastes amazing on bread, rolls or spread on top of a hot steak.

Cilantro lime herb butter on sliced baguette

What gives you the best flavor of herb butter?

I’m a huge believer in using quality ingredients, especially in something like this compound butter. If we were simply baking with butter, I’d say you can definitely get away with the cheaper stuff. But as butter is the star of the show here, I’d encourage you to get the best quality butter you can afford.

Can you freeze herb butter?

Yes, herb butter is freezer-friendly. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe food storage bag or container. The butter will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Homemade Herb Butters

More Recipes You May Enjoy

Have you ever made herb butter (compound butter)? What are your favorite flavor combinations, and how do you like to use homemade herb butter? Let me know.

If you haven’t will you give it a try?  If you do, please leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. Want more from Inspired by Charm? 

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my processes. There’s even more inspiration on Facebook and Pinterest!

Homemade Herb Butter

This Homemade Herb Butter is a delicious way to add fresh flavor to almost any dish!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butter, compound butter, herbs
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 84kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Cilantro Lime Herb Butter

Sun-Dried Tomato Herb Butter

Italian Garlic Herb Butter

Instructions

  • In a bowl, using a hand mixer (or by hand with a fork) beat together the butter and ingredients for your chosen flavored butter.
  • Transfer the butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Then roll up to form a cylinder. Twist both end tight and refrigerate for at least one hour. The butter is ready to serve when cold and solid.
  • Butter will last in the refrigerator for about five days.

Video

Notes

One stick of butter will make one log of flavored butter. To make all three flavors listed in the recipe above, you’ll need three sticks of butter. 

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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32 Comments

  1. Michael I love your recipes and style I especially love Christmas time with you I feel as though I am right there with you I love the way you decorate and all of your holiday recipes can’t wait for Christmas and it’s only August I love the chilly weather and a warm fire a glass of wine or just a beer and some horsd’oeuvres and we can’t forget your delicious cookies I am really looking forward to the holidays and all your surprises

  2. Great post Michael! I like to add in minced nasturtium along with other herbs. The pops of color are fabulous and they impart a peppery flavor. Cheers!

  3. How about using caraway seeds (or in fact, any dried seeds) instead of fresh. Woujd it help to melt the butter and mix in the seeds?

  4. Your wonderful recipes are very difficult to read due to the multiple pop up ads clouding the readability. It is annoying and invasive. It doesn’t roll out a welcome wagon to return.

    1. Thank you so much for you feedback, Andi. All pop-ups should have a little “X”. You can just tap that button to close the add. It only takes a few seconds. Also, at the top of every post I’ve included a “jump to recipe” button so you can easily get to the recipes. I spend 50+ hours a week on this blog and offer all my content for free. Ads allow me to do this. I appreciate your understanding.

      xo Michael

  5. Hi — these sound great. I’m always looking for interesting hostess food gifts (in addition to wine), in addition to holiday gifts. I assume these would freeze well, so a card attached saying freeze for future use is okay?

    1. I haven’t tried freezing them, so I’m not sure how they would fair. I assume okay, but I’m not 100% positive.

      xo Michael

  6. Delicious, quick and easy with great results. I used the lime juice, garlic and lime zest option, so glad I did. It was excellent served over steamed asparagus. Thanks so much for sharing. BK

  7. Thanks for the recipes, Michael!! Brought me back to living in Germany!! They put herb butter on everything and now I’m excited to make some…Especially to top steak and veggies as soon as grilling season gets here!

  8. the one with lime looks especially intriguing. I recently made some with chives and horseradish from our garden. put it in a 4 ounce jelly jar. wonderful with steak and potatoes.

  9. Love your herb wreath and then your recipes for the compound butter. Love you blog, the recipes, and your style. It is also very nice of you to have a lighter sangria recipe…your blog has a lot of bang to it!

  10. My favorite butter to serve on steaks was butter, blue cheese and chives mixed together. Then I saw your sun dried tomato butter! Wow!! Thank you so much!

  11. Michael, You have the best recipes. Simple, elegant, and tasty, thank you!
    Sarah
    Have you ever tried brown butter? Scrumptious for sauteing and cooking.
    2 sticks butter room (preferably room temp)
    Melt 1 stick of butter in a saute pan or skillet, allow to brown until golden ,remove from heat and allow to cool
    thoroughly combine browned butter with the stick of softened butter
    Store in fridge or freezer
    adds a gourmet taste on top of cooked steak and does wonders when lightly added to seafood
    (((hugs)))

  12. I’m not sure if anyone else had this problem, but when I tried printing each of the compound butter recipes, only the Italian Herb butter printed for all 3 recipes. I was printing remotely, so i didn’t find out until I went to get my printed copies. Thanks

    1. Terri – you’re right! Thanks for letting me know. Many apologies. I’m looking into this ASAP and will report back here once it’s fixed.

      xo Michael