Homemade Butter & Buttermilk
Homemade Butter & Buttermilk
Two ingredients, a little patience, and cream that turns into something better than store-bought. Make this first — you'll need the buttermilk it makes for the biscuits below.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, to taste)
- Ice water, for rinsing
Instructions
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (A hand mixer, food processor, or a jar with a tight-fitting lid shaken by hand all work too.)
- Whip on medium-high speed. The cream will move through soft peaks, then stiff peaks, then start to look grainy and curdled — keep going, this is normal.
- Continue whipping until the mixture suddenly separates into small clumps of pale yellow butter floating in a thin, milky liquid. This usually takes 8 to 12 minutes with a mixer.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl to separate the butter from the liquid. That liquid is real buttermilk — pour it into a jar, cover, and refrigerate. You'll use it in the biscuits below.
- Press the butter with the back of a spoon (or knead it with clean hands) to squeeze out any remaining buttermilk, then rinse it under cold water, pressing and kneading, until the water runs clear. This step keeps the butter fresh longer.
- Stir in salt to taste, if using.
- Pack the butter into a small dish or shape it into a log with parchment paper. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks, or freeze for longer.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Buttermilk Biscuits
Homemade isn't just food — it's love you can taste. These are the biscuits that started it all: three ingredients away from a full table and a grateful heart.
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/4 cup (4 TBSP) cold salted butter
- 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Lightly grease a cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line it with a silicone baking mat. You can also bake these biscuits in a cast-iron skillet.
- Add 2 cups (226 g) self-rising flour to a large mixing bowl. If using unsalted butter, add an additional 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the flour and whisk to combine.
- Add 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons / 57 g) salted butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can also use two table knives, pulling them through the mixture in opposite directions.
- Pour in 3/4 cup (180 mL) milk and gently stir with a fork until a soft dough forms and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until smooth. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.
- Using a floured 2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits. Place them on the prepared baking sheet with the sides touching.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.
- Remove the biscuits from the baking sheet immediately and serve warm.
More from the kitchen
Recipes coming soon
New recipes are added regularly — check back, or join the list to be the first to know.