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5 minutes & 1 ingredient is all you really need to make an amazing whipped butter. Add some salt and lemon juice and your have an elegant version you'll be coming back to over and over again. Spread it on bread, dip artichokes in it, or melt on top of fish or meat - either way, this butter is a winner.
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You may be able to tell by the name of this blog that I love butter. And there's one type of butter I love more than any other kind - whipped butter.
This lemon butter with sea salt is a version I've been making for years - and it's just as delicious as a sauce for meat, fish or veggies as it is spread on a piece of bread.
Many versions will use milk or cream - but I prefer to do an all-butter whipped butter. It provides maximum taste, the best consistency - and melts the best on top of your steak.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick & easy to make - just 5 minutes and no chopping
- Just 1 ingredient required - seasoning is optional
- More elegant than regular butter - pipe it with an icing bag for extra flair
- Super spreadable - and perfect on top of a piece of bread
- Perfectly melting - and delicious melting over fish, meat and baked potatoes
- Lighter than regular butter thanks to the whipping and added acidity
- Great balanced taste with the acidity from the lemon balancing the heaviness of the butter - not to mention the crisp saltiness from the sea salt flakes...
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Butter is the only required ingredient for this recipe. I always use salted butter, if you're using unsalted I recommend adding at least a pinch of salt as well.
- Melted butter can be swapped for olive oil, coconut oil, milk, heavy cream or even water, but the texture and melting properties will change a bit
- Salt can be skipped, and any type can be used
- Fresh lemon juice can be skipped or switched for another seasoning - but if you're using lemon juice, it needs to be fresh pressed
How to make it
- Place melted butter and a few of the solid butter pieces in a food processor *, or in a bowl with high sides. Mix, starting on low speed and increasing as the butter starts to cream up.
- When the solid pieces have been entirely merged with the melted butter, add a few more. Keep doing this until you've added all of the butter.
- When the consistency is smooth and even, pour in the lemon juice
- Then add salt
- Mix to combine, then taste test and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve in one communal dish or in individual dishes for your guests, and top with sea salt flakes before serving.
Tips & tricks
- Use a food processor * or covered stand mixer if you can, to minimize splatter
- Avoid splatter if using a hand mixer or immersion blender * by using bowl with high sides and placing it in the sink
- Is it too thin? Add more solid butter.
- Is it too thick? Add a dash of milk or water.
- Taste test and season to your liking - add more or less salt, lemon or other seasonings as desired
- Store in room temperature for a few hours - to keep the consistency the same
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks - the butter will revert to the hard butter consistency, but if you bring it out 30 minutes before using it will soften again. And while it won't be as fluffy as it once was, the flavor will still be amazing.
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months - make a roll of butter and wrap it in parchment paper, then freeze this roll in a plastic bag
Recipe FAQ
Whipped butter is made by whipping solid butter with something liquid: melted butter, milk, cream, oil or water. This makes it fluffier, airier, and more spreadable than regular butter.
This version is made from 100% butter, so basically, yes - it is the same as regular butter. Just better and easier to spread.
Whipped butter is very versatile and is best used for spreading on top of bread, in a baked potato, melting on top of a steak, fish, chicken or grilled vegetables, topping pancakes and waffles with, or dipping artichoke leaves in.
If keeping it for more than a few hours, I recommend storing it in the fridge. It can be fine in room temperature, depending on how warm your home is, but it's better to just take the safe route.
No, you can not substitute whipped butter for butter in recipes. Since the butter is whipped it contains air, so the amounts will be off. This is especially true for baking.
Other ways to season it
There are many ways to season Whipped Butter and I encourage you to experiment with the basic Whipped Butter recipe and find your own favorite. Some versions I love are:
- Herbs: mix in finely chopped dill, basil, rosemary... any herb you enjoy. Pro tip: match the seasoning of your food for a real flavor bomb!
- Garlic: add 1 minced garlic clove, and finish with a squeeze of lemon or a touch of Worcestershire sauce
- Capers: chop them finely and skip the salt, but add a squeeze of lemon
- Browned butter: instead of the melted butter
- Honey or maple syrup: make a sweeter version with 1 tablespoon of either
- Sriracha: make a spicy version with 1 tablespoon of Sriracha sauce - or add more to make it even spicier
- Orange juice: for a sweet but still zesty version
- Sun-dried tomatoes: chop a few finely and add to the butter
Any other amazing seasonings you can think of? Let me know in the comments below and I'll include it on the list!
What to use it for
Whipped butter is oh so versatile. Some of my favorite ways to use it include:
- As a dip for artichokes
- Instead of regular butter for corn on the cob and baked potatoes
- Steamed, grilled or roasted veggies - broccoli and asparagus love it!
- Fish - both white fish and fatty fishes like salmon
- Seafood in general - lobster, crab, scallops, shrimp...
- On top of a steak
- With bread instead of regular butter, and you won't need any other topping. This is 100% how I use the leftovers, every single time...
- On top of waffles and pancakes - especially with a sweeter seasoning
More quick & easy sauces
Looking for some more sauces to serve with your dinner? Then I think you will love these!
- Gyoza Sauce
- Vegan Black Olive Tapenade
- Whipped Feta Cheese with Basil
- 5-minute Blue Cheese Sauce
- Lime Aioli
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Whipped Butter with Lemon
Print RateIngredients
- ⅓ cup salted butter ⅓ melted, ⅔ solid and cut in pieces
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed, according to taste (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt according to taste (optional)
- sea salt flakes* to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the melted butter in your food processor bowl and add in a few pieces of the solid butter. Cover and start the food proessor, and add more solid butter as you go, when the previous ones have been merged with the melted butter, until you've added all of the butter.⅓ cup salted butter
- Season with lemon juice and salt, or the seasoning of your choice, according to taste.1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Serve topped with sea salt flakes, in one dish or in individual dishes.sea salt flakes*
Equipment needed for this recipe
Video
Notes
Alternative seasonings
- Herbs: mix in finely chopped dill, basil, rosemary... any herb you enjoy. Pro tip: match the seasoning of your food for a real flavor bomb!
- Garlic: add 1 minced garlic clove, and finish with a squeeze of lemon or a touch of Worcestershire sauce
- Capers: chop them finely and skip the salt, but add a squeeze of lemon
- Browned butter: instead of the melted butter
- Honey or maple syrup: make a sweeter version with 1 tablespoon of either
- Sriracha: make a spicy version with 1 tablespoon of Sriracha sauce - or add more to make it even spicier
- Orange juice: for a sweet but still zesty version
- Sun-dried tomatoes: chop a few finely and add to the butter
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Butter is the only required ingredient for this recipe. I always use salted butter, if you're using unsalted I recommend adding at least a pinch of salt as well.
- Melted butter can be swapped for olive oil, coconut oil, milk, heavy cream or even water, but the texture and melting properties will change a bit
- Salt can be skipped, and any type can be used
- Fresh lemon juice can be skipped or switched for another seasoning - but if you're using lemon juice, it needs to be fresh pressed
Tips & tricks
- Use a food processor or covered stand mixer if you can, to minimize splatter
- Avoid splatter if using a hand mixer or immersion blender by using bowl with high sides and placing it in the sink
- Is your whipped butter too thin? Add more solid butter.
- Is your whipped butter too thick? Add a dash of milk or water.
- Taste test and season to your liking - add more or less salt, lemon or other seasonings as desired
- Store in room temperature for a few hours - to keep the consistency the same
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks - the butter will revert to the hard butter consistency, but if you bring it out 30 minutes before using it will soften again. And while it won't be as fluffy as it once was, the flavor will still be amazing.
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months - make a roll of butter and wrap it in parchment paper, then freeze this roll in a plastic bag
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Roxana
I will definitely try this. When I cook artichokes, I brown some butter and add Panko bread crumbs. Then I dip the leaves and eat! Yum.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Oh that sounds delicious too! I've had them with melted butter but never took the time to actually brown it - and panko breadcrumbs are so yummy. Let's do a swap 😉
Morgan Eisenberg
Will I ever use another kind of butter again? Not likely.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Love that! No need for anything else 😉
Adriana
wow I love compound butter and this one looks incredibly tasty. I will use it on almost everything. Love the idea of using a food processor. Looks super easy to prepare.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thanks for our comment Adriana! So easy to make and the food processor ensures you don't get butter everywhere 😉
Irina
Wow! It sounds amazing! I should make it for the upcoming weekend. Thank you for the recipe!
Emmeline Kemperyd
You most definitely should! 😀 Thanks for commenting!
Pam Greer
I had no idea it was so easy to make such a flavorful butter! This is great on fish and I love a dollop on a simple grilled chicken breast too!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Right?! Mmm never tried it on chicken but now it's my next thing up! 😀
Sophie
This looks so good. I will love to make this some times soon.