There is something deeply satisfying about making your own butter. Long before supermarkets lined their shelves with endless dairy options, families churned fresh cream into butter in farmhouse kitchens across Australia and around the world. Today, this simple skill is making a comeback as more people embrace slow living, traditional food preparation and a connection to where their food comes from.
Karen Hobson from The Eumundi Trading Co believes the best moments happen in the kitchen – a warm cup of herbal tea in hand, a beautiful wooden board with freshly baked sourdough on the bench, and homemade butter ready to spread.
The good news? Homemade butter is surprisingly easy to make.
Why Make Your Own Butter?
Homemade butter contains just one primary ingredient: fresh cream. By churning cream, the butterfat separates from the liquid (buttermilk), creating rich, creamy butter with a flavour that is difficult to match in store-bought varieties.
Benefits of homemade butter include:
- Rich, fresh flavour
- No preservatives or additives
- Flavoured butter with herbs, honey or sea salt
- A wonderful activity for children and families
- Buttermilk left over for baking scones, pancakes and cakes
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 600ml thickened or pure cream
- Sea salt (optional)
Equipment
- Stand mixer, food processor or large glass jar
- Fine sieve or cheesecloth
- Mixing bowl
- Cold water
Step-by-Step Homemade Butter Recipe
Step 1: Whip the Cream
Pour the cream into a mixer bowl or food processor.
Begin whipping. First, the cream becomes whipped cream. Continue mixing and eventually it will begin to separate into yellow butter solids and liquid buttermilk. This process typically takes 5–15 minutes depending on your equipment.
Step 2: Separate the Buttermilk
Place a sieve over a bowl and pour the mixture through.
The liquid collected is fresh buttermilk. Save it for baking. The solids remaining are your butter.
Step 3: Wash the Butter
Place the butter into a bowl of ice-cold water.
Gently knead and squeeze the butter to remove any remaining buttermilk. Repeat with fresh cold water until the water runs clear. This helps the butter stay fresher for longer.
Step 4: Add Salt (Optional)
Mix through a pinch of sea salt if desired.
You can also add:
- Fresh herbs
- Roasted garlic
- Honey
- Lemon zest
- Native Australian herbs
Step 5: Store and Enjoy
Shape your butter into a small block or place it directly into a traditional butter crock.
A butter crock helps keep butter soft, spreadable and ready to enjoy while adding timeless farmhouse charm to your kitchen.
The Farmhouse Way to Serve Homemade Butter
One of life's simple pleasures is serving homemade butter alongside warm sourdough bread.
Create a beautiful farmhouse spread using:
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A rustic wooden serving board
-
Fresh homemade butter
-
Seasonal jam or honey
-
A pot of peppermint or herbal tea
-
Natural linen tea towels for the table
These small rituals transform an ordinary morning into something memorable. Making butter is about more than food. It is about slowing down, reconnecting with traditional skills and creating meaningful moments in the kitchen.
At The Eumundi Trading Co, we're passionate about helping people create beautiful farmhouse-inspired homes filled with practical, timeless pieces. Whether it's a traditional butter crock, handcrafted wooden board, quality linen tea towel or a comforting cup of herbal tea, these simple items help turn everyday tasks into cherished rituals.
So next weekend, pour yourself a cup of tea, gather the family and try making your own butter. You might just discover your new favourite farmhouse tradition. Shop the Farmhouse Butter-Making Collection.
Complete your homemade butter experience with:
- Traditional Butter Crocks
- Wooden Serving and Cutting Boards
- French Linen Tea Towels
- Farmhouse Mugs
- Herbal Teas
- Farmhouse Kitchen Gifts
Because the best kitchens aren't just places to cook—they're places to gather, create and connect.
About Karen Hobson
Karen founded The Eumundi Trading Co after leaving Brisbane and relocating to Eumundi in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Seeking more space, a slower pace of life and the opportunity to build something meaningful together, they embraced a lifestyle centred around gardening, growing food, creating, learning and living more intentionally.
A passionate gardener for many years, Karen has long believed that some of life's greatest pleasures come from simple pursuits — growing herbs and vegetables, sharing food with family and friends, preserving seasonal produce, baking, creating beautiful spaces and finding joy in everyday rituals.
Through The Eumundi Trading Co and the Australian Farmhouse Living Journal, Karen shares practical inspiration on farmhouse living, cottage gardens, kitchen gardens, traditional homemaking skills, farmhouse kitchens, slow living and creating homes that feel lived in, loved and deeply personal.
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