How to Make Honey Butter

Blending butter and honey together creates a smooth, fluffy spread that makes pancakes, cookies, and grilled sandwiches taste even better. Honey butter is easy to prepare using just butter and honey, or you can enhance the flavor by adding spices and crushed fruits.

Start with high-quality honey and butter. Since honey butter is made with very few ingredients, ensure that each ingredient is fresh and of excellent quality. You can find local honey at farmers' markets. Taste the honey before using it in the butter, as overly strong honey may overpower the flavor of the butter.

• Raw honey is the best substitute for pasteurized honey. It has a stronger, more rustic flavor and a coarser texture.
• Choose salted or unsalted butter. If using salted butter, you may not need to add any additional salt when preparing the butter.

Keep the butter at room temperature. Take the butter out of the fridge one hour before mixing the honey butter. This allows the butter to soften and become easier to work with.

• Do not use melted butter for honey butter. Make sure the butter is still firm but can be easily spread. If the butter is melted, it could break down, causing the final mixture to have a strange texture.
• To quickly bring butter to room temperature, place it near a warm sunny window. You can also place the butter on the stove while cooking another dish – perhaps a batch of cookies you plan to serve with the honey butter.

Use a blender to mix the ingredients. Once the butter is soft enough to use, place the butter, honey, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Blend the mixture on high speed until it becomes fluffy, airy, and light in color.

• You can blend the ingredients using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a handheld mixer. The stand mixer will make the honey butter fluffier. A handheld mixer will work too, but it will take a bit longer.

Chill the honey butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until you're ready to use it. Honey butter can be stored for up to 2 weeks.

Place honey butter in a small, appealing bowl. To make the butter more enticing, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top. Don't forget to include a butter spreader for easy serving.

Pair honey butter with your favorite bread or roll. It goes wonderfully with muffins and scones. It's also great on cornbread. Some even enjoy it straight from the spoon, without any bread at all.

Allow the butter to reach room temperature. Leave it on the kitchen counter for about an hour or longer, until it softens enough to spread easily.

Add honey, vanilla, and spices. Pour in ¼ cup of your favorite honey. Then add cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the mixture, followed by the vanilla extract.

Whisk the butter until smooth using an electric mixer. Use medium to high speed until the honey butter becomes fluffy and airy, with visible specks of cinnamon. If you're using a hand mixer, you’ll need to whisk for at least 10 minutes to achieve the right consistency.

Taste the honey butter. Is it as spicy as you desire? Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to suit your taste, and mix until everything is evenly incorporated. In addition to these spices, you might consider adding the following:

• Ground cloves
• Ground lavender
• Almond flavoring
• Pistachio flavoring

Chill the honey butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for about an hour or until ready to use. Spicy honey butter is perfect with spicy baked goods, like fruit cakes, hot cross buns, or fruit cakes.

Wash and remove the stems from the strawberries. Carefully select each berry, discarding any that are mushy or discolored.

Puree the strawberries. Place the strawberries into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to strain. Keep the strawberry juice and discard the pulp. This process will make the honey butter’s texture smoother. Using the pulp would result in a chunky butter.

Cook the mashed strawberries. Transfer the mashed strawberries to a saucepan, then add honey and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes or until it thickens.

Turn off the heat. Allow the mashed strawberries to cool naturally. Taste and add a pinch of salt if you’re using unsalted butter to make the honey butter.

Mix the mashed strawberries with the butter. Place them in a mixing bowl and whisk until you achieve a smooth consistency. You can use your hands or a mixer.

Let the mixture infuse for about 1 hour. This step ensures the strawberry flavor is evenly absorbed into the butter.

Transfer to a serving plate. If not using immediately, place the honey butter in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 3 tablespoons of honey to a microwave-safe bowl.

Place the bowl in the microwave. Heat for 10 to 20 seconds, just enough for the butter to melt and bubble for 1 to 2 seconds.

• Be sure not to set the microwave temperature too high, as the butter will melt and not solidify. The temperature should be enough to gently heat the butter.

Do not let the honey butter mixture cool down. Use a knife to start stirring and whisking quickly, allowing the honey and butter to blend together.

• If the mixture becomes too runny, add 1 tablespoon of honey and continue stirring each time you add more honey, until the consistency resembles caramel.
• Don’t rush into adding too much honey, as it may make the butter too sweet.

Keep stirring until it turns a golden orange color. The mixture should be thick and cohesive.

• You might want to add cinnamon to enhance the flavor, depending on your preference.

Use warm honey butter on toasted bread or spread it over butter cake. It’s also great for spreading on sweet cookies or pancakes. Enjoy it at any time—during tea time, breakfast with family, or with friends.

• You can make the honey butter thicker by refrigerating it.

• You can adjust the amount of honey and other ingredients in the honey butter to suit your personal taste.
• Small jars of honey butter make great Christmas gifts. Just place the honey butter in small jars, decorate them, and add ribbons with tags.
• Use ingredients at room temperature.
• Salted butter is a better choice than unsalted butter.
• Try to use pure honey.
• Mix the honey and butter until the mixture is slightly warm.
• Always aim to use less butter and more honey, as butter is very runny when melted.

• Do not soften butter using a microwave. This will damage the structure of honey butter.

• Mixing bowl
• Electric mixer with whisk attachment
• Small jar with lid
• Grinder or food processor
• High-quality sieve
• Saucepan
• Microwave (for use if necessary)