There's something quietly magical about making butter at home. It takes about 15 minutes, requires almost no equipment, and the result — fresh, golden, farmhouse butter with a flavour you simply cannot buy in a supermarket — is completely worth it.

Whether you're making it for the first time or looking to refine your method, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

What You Need to Make Butter at Home

• 600ml thickened or pure cream (the higher the fat content, the better — look for 35%+ fat)
• A stand mixer, hand mixer, or a large jar with a tight-fitting lid
• A fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• Cold water for washing
• Salt to taste (optional but recommended)
• A Butter Bell crock for storing your finished butter

The Method: Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

Step 1 — Start with Room Temperature Cream

Allow your cream to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before you begin. Cold cream takes much longer to separate and can be harder on your mixer.

Step 2 — Whip the Cream

Pour the cream into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Begin on medium speed. The cream will first form soft peaks, then stiff peaks — just like regular whipped cream. Keep going.

Step 3 — Watch the Magic Happen

After the stiff peak stage, the cream will begin to look grainy, then yellow, then suddenly — it will separate into two things: golden butter solids clinging to the whisk, and white liquid sloshing around the bowl. That liquid is buttermilk. Don't throw it away — it's wonderful in pancakes, scones, and sourdough.

This process usually takes 8–15 minutes depending on your mixer speed and cream temperature.

Step 4 — Drain the Buttermilk

Pour off the buttermilk through a strainer or cheesecloth into a separate jug. Reserve it for baking.

Step 5 — Wash the Butter

This step is important for keeping your butter fresh longer. Pour a cup of very cold water over the butter in the bowl and knead it gently (with clean hands or a spatula) to work out any remaining buttermilk. Pour off the milky water and repeat 2–3 times until the water runs almost clear.

Step 6 — Salt and Shape

Add a generous pinch of good quality salt (we love a flaked sea salt) and work it through the butter. Taste and adjust. Shape into a log, press into a mould, or pack directly into your Butter Bell crock.

The Jar Method (No Mixer Needed)

No mixer? No problem. Simply pour 300ml of cream into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously for 15–25 minutes. It's a great activity to do with kids. You'll go through the same stages — whipped cream, then grainy, then butter — just more slowly. The result is equally delicious.

How to Make Cultured Butter

For an even richer, more complex flavour, try cultured butter. Simply stir 2 tablespoons of good quality plain yoghurt or crème fraîche into your cream before you begin, then leave it at room temperature for 12–18 hours to culture. Then follow the same steps above. The result is a butter with a gorgeous tangy depth — the kind you get at fancy restaurants.

Our Farmhouse Kitchen Starter Kit | Butter Making and the Farmhouse Kitchen Starter Kit - Sourdough & Butter Making include everything you need to get started with cultured butter and more.

Storing Your Homemade Butter

Homemade butter will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. But if you want to enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed — soft, spreadable, and ready the moment you reach for it — transfer it to a Butter Bell crock on your bench.

The Butter Bell's water seal keeps homemade butter fresh at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (change the water every 2 days with fresh homemade butter, as it contains more moisture than commercial butter).

New to Butter Bell crocks? Read our beginner's guide →

Your Farmhouse Kitchen, One Ritual at a Time

Making your own butter is one of those small acts of slowness that makes a house feel like a home. Pair it with a warm loaf of sourdough, a pot of jam, and a beautifully set farmhouse table — and you've created something really special.

Browse our full Butter Bell range and butter making kits to bring more of this into your everyday life.