Can You Make Butter In A Kitchenaid Mixer? It's Easy!

Can You Make Butter In A Kitchenaid Mixer
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Can You Make Butter In A Kitchenaid Mixer? It’s Easy!

Yes, you absolutely can make butter in a Kitchenaid mixer, and it’s surprisingly simple and rewarding! This guide will walk you through how to turn simple heavy whipping cream into fresh, delicious homemade butter right in your own kitchen using your stand mixer. It’s a fun DIY butter recipe that gives you control over your ingredients and results in a tasty buttermilk byproduct you can use too.

Making your own butter might sound like a lot of work. Maybe you picture old-time churns. But with a modern stand mixer like a Kitchenaid, making butter from cream is really quite easy. You likely have the main tool already! All you need is some good quality heavy whipping cream and a little patience.

Why Make Homemade Butter?

There are many great reasons to make your own butter at home.

Freshness: Nothing beats the taste of fresh, homemade butter. It has a richer, creamier flavor than many store-bought options.
Pure Ingredients: You know exactly what goes into your butter. Just cream, and maybe some salt. No added colors or preservatives.
It’s Fun: Turning liquid cream into solid butter feels like a little bit of kitchen magic. It’s a cool project for kids or just for yourself.
Buttermilk Bonus: You get real, tangy buttermilk as a free extra! This is not the same as cultured buttermilk from the store.
Cost Savings: Sometimes, especially when cream is on sale, making your own butter can save you money.

What You Need

Gathering your tools and ingredients is the first step to making your own stand mixer butter. You won’t need much!

A Kitchenaid stand mixer (or any sturdy stand mixer).
The Kitchenaid whisk attachment. This is the balloon-shaped wire whisk. It’s crucial for whipping the cream.
A large bowl for your mixer. The standard bowl works, but a bigger one helps prevent splatters.
A splash guard or a clean kitchen towel to cover the mixer bowl.
Heavy whipping cream. This is the star ingredient! You’ll need at least a pint (about 2 cups) to get a decent amount of butter, but a quart (about 4 cups) is even better.
Ice water. You’ll need a good amount of very cold water.
Fine sea salt or kosher salt (optional).
A fine-mesh sieve or colander.
A rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Containers for storing the finished butter.

Choosing the Right Cream

Not all cream is created equal when you want to make butter. Using the right kind of heavy whipping cream is key for the best results.

Look for ‘Heavy Cream’ or ‘Heavy Whipping Cream’. These have the highest fat content, usually 36% or more. This high fat is what turns into butter. ‘Whipping Cream’ (often 30-35% fat) might work, but it takes longer and yields less butter. Do not use light cream or half-and-half; they don’t have enough fat.
Pastured or Organic Cream. Many people find that cream from grass-fed or organic cows makes butter with better flavor and color.
Avoid Ultra-Pasteurized Cream. Ultra-pasteurization uses very high heat. This can affect the fat structure and make it harder to churn into butter. Look for cream that is simply ‘pasteurized’. Read the carton labels carefully.
Cream Temperature is Important. Your cream should be very cold. Cold cream whips up better and separates into butter more efficiently. Cream straight from the fridge is perfect.

How Butter Happens: The Simple Science

Seeing how butter happens is pretty cool. Cream is mostly water, but it has tiny balls of fat floating in it. These fat balls are surrounded by a thin skin.

When you whip or churn cream, you are breaking that skin. The fat balls bump into each other. As they bump, they start to stick together.

Think of it like shaking a box of marbles coated in glue. At first, they just rattle around. But if you shake long enough, they’ll start clumping up.

This is what happens with the fat in cream. The more you whip, the more the fat clumps.

First, it whips into airy whipped cream. Air gets trapped in the fat structure.
Then, you keep whipping. The fat clumps get bigger. The airy structure breaks down. It looks curdled.
Keep going! The fat clumps get so big they separate from the watery liquid. The solid clumps are butter. The liquid is buttermilk.

That’s the magic of churning cream! You’re just helping the fat stick together until it becomes solid butter.

Your Step-by-Step DIY Butter Recipe

Ready to make some homemade butter? Follow these steps using your Kitchenaid mixer.

h3 Step 1: Get Your Cream Ready

Make sure your heavy whipping cream is very cold. It should be straight from the refrigerator. Cold cream whips up faster and better.

If your kitchen is warm, you might want to chill your mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before you start. This helps keep everything cold.

h3 Step 2: Set Up Your Mixer

Place your chilled mixer bowl onto your Kitchenaid mixer. Attach the Kitchenaid whisk attachment.

Pour the very cold heavy whipping cream into the bowl. Don’t fill the bowl more than about halfway, maybe two-thirds at most. It will expand a lot as it whips, and it can splatter.

Put a splash guard on the bowl if you have one. If not, a clean kitchen towel draped loosely over the top works well to catch splatters later.

h3 Step 3: Start Churning Cream

Turn your Kitchenaid mixer on. Start at a slow speed, like Speed 2. This helps prevent the cream from sloshing out of the bowl right away.

Keep an eye on the cream. As it starts to thicken, you can increase the mixer speed for butter.

Move up to a medium speed, like Speed 4 or 5. Do not go to the highest speed. Medium speed is perfect for churning cream and letting the fat separate without overworking the machine or causing too much splatter. Speed 4 or 5 is a good pace for making stand mixer butter.

h3 Step 4: Watch the Whipping Cream Stages

Now, you watch the magic happen. The cream will go through several clear stages as you whip it. This is where patience comes in!

It’s important to know what to look for so you don’t stop too soon.

Here’s what you will see:

h4 Stages of Whipping Cream to Butter

Stage Name	What It Looks Like	What is Happening	How Long (Approx)
Liquid Cream	Thin, pourable liquid cream.	Just started. Fat is mixed in liquid.	Start
Soft Peaks	Cream gets thicker. When you lift the whisk, soft, floppy peaks form and fall over.	Air is being whipped in. Cream is thickening.	1-3 minutes
Stiff Peaks	Cream is very thick and holds its shape. Stiff peaks stand up straight when you lift the whisk. This is perfect for topping desserts.	More air is trapped. Fat structure is strong.	2-5 minutes
Curdled / Grainy	Cream starts to look chunky or separated. It looks like scrambled eggs or cottage cheese.	The whipped structure is breaking down. Fat clumps are starting to form. Buttermilk is starting to separate.	5-8 minutes
Separating	Lumps of yellowy butter solids appear clearly separate from cloudy, watery liquid.	The fat clumps (butter) have mostly come together and are leaving the liquid (buttermilk) behind.	8-10+ minutes
Butter & Buttermilk	A solid mass of yellow butter has formed around the whisk. Liquid (buttermilk) splashes in the bowl.	The churning is done! The butter is ready to be washed.	Ready!

Note: Times are just estimates. It can vary based on cream temp, mixer speed, and amount of cream.

h3 Step 5: The Breakthrough – Butter Appears!

Keep mixing past the stiff peaks stage. It will look like you’ve messed up when it goes grainy and curdled. Don’t stop! This is exactly what you want to see.

The mixer will sound a little different too. It might splash more. This means the fat and liquid are really separating.

You will clearly see yellowish clumps forming and sticking together. A thin, cloudy liquid will be splashing around the bowl. This is the buttermilk.

Let the mixer run until the butter mass has mostly gathered around the whisk attachment. The liquid buttermilk byproduct will be quite separate in the bottom of the bowl. This stage usually takes just a minute or two after it looks curdled.

Once you see a clear separation with a good lump of butter and lots of liquid, stop the mixer.

h3 Step 6: Strain the Buttermilk

Carefully lift the whisk attachment out of the butter. Scrape the butter mass off the whisk and into the bowl.

Pour the contents of the mixer bowl into a fine-mesh sieve set over another bowl or a measuring cup. The liquid buttermilk will drain through into the bottom bowl. The solid butter will stay in the sieve.

This liquid is true buttermilk byproduct. Save it! We’ll talk about using it later.

h3 Step 7: Wash the Butter

This step is very important for making good, long-lasting homemade butter. You need to wash out as much of the buttermilk as possible from the butter solids. If you don’t, the leftover buttermilk can make your butter go bad faster and taste sour.

Put the butter solids from the sieve back into your clean mixer bowl (or another clean bowl).

Pour in a good amount of very cold or ice water over the butter. Use your hands or a spatula to press and work the butter under the water. The water will turn cloudy as it pulls out the buttermilk.

Drain the cloudy water away.

Repeat this washing process. Add fresh ice water, work the butter, and drain. Do this several times. The water will become less cloudy each time. Keep washing until the water runs mostly clear when you press the butter. This might take 3 to 6 washes, or even more depending on how much butter you made.

Making sure all the liquid is washed out is crucial for your DIY butter recipe to last.

h3 Step 8: Salt the Butter (Optional)

Once you have washed the butter thoroughly and drained off the last of the wash water, you can add salt if you like.

If you want unsalted butter, skip this step.

If you want salted butter, flatten the butter in the bowl a bit. Sprinkle fine salt evenly over the surface. A good starting point is about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per 1/2 cup of butter solids. You can add more or less to taste.

Use your spatula or hands to fold and knead the salt into the butter evenly. Make sure the salt is mixed throughout.

h3 Step 9: Shape and Store

Now your homemade butter is ready! You can shape it however you like.

Butter Dish: Press it into a butter dish for use right away.
Log or Block: Shape it into a log or block. You can roll it in parchment paper or plastic wrap.
Containers: Pack it into small containers with lids.

Store your butter properly to keep it fresh.

Interpreting the Whipping Cream Stages More Deeply

Let’s look at the whipping cream stages again, but with more detail on what is actually happening inside the cream as your mixer runs at a medium mixer speed for butter.

Liquid Cream: At the start, the fat globules are spread out in the water. They are moving freely.
Soft Peaks: The whisk is whipping air into the cream. The fat globules are starting to bump into each other. They are slightly disrupting their skins, and the air bubbles are getting trapped in a loose network formed by the fat. The cream is light and airy but doesn’t hold shape.
Stiff Peaks: More air is in. The fat globules have bumped and linked up enough to make a stronger network. This network traps the air very well, making the cream stiff. This is the perfect stage for whipped cream on pie! But for butter, you must go further.
Curdled / Grainy: You have whipped too long for plain whipped cream, but just right for butter! The constant beating at the chosen mixer speed for butter has broken down the air structure. It has also damaged the fat globule skins much more. The fat is starting to clump together noticeably. The liquid (buttermilk) is starting to push out from the tightening fat clumps.
Separating: This is the peak of churning cream. The fat globules have stuck together to form larger and larger masses. These masses are squeezing out the liquid that was around them. You see solid yellow butter and cloudy white buttermilk clearly separated. The mixer might start to splash as the butter mass is less liquid and moves around the bowl differently.
Butter & Buttermilk: The process is finished. The butter fat has become a solid lump (or several lumps), and the remaining liquid is the buttermilk.

Knowing these stages helps you see the progress and know when to stop. Don’t be scared when it looks broken; that means you are on the right track to making butter from cream!

Using the Buttermilk Byproduct

Don’t throw away that cloudy liquid you strained off! That is real, old-fashioned buttermilk byproduct. It’s different from the thick cultured buttermilk you buy in stores, but it is fantastic for cooking and baking.

Real buttermilk is the liquid left over after churning butter. Cultured buttermilk has bacteria added to milk to make it thick and tangy.

This buttermilk byproduct is thinner, but it has a wonderful tangy flavor. It’s great to use in recipes like:

Pancakes
Biscuits
Scones
Muffins
Fried chicken batter
Buttermilk dressings

You can store the buttermilk byproduct in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about a week.

Tips for Success with Stand Mixer Butter

Making stand mixer butter is easy, but a few tips can make it even smoother.

Keep Everything Cold: This is the most important tip. Cold cream, a cold bowl, and cold water for washing help the fat separate correctly. Warm cream will take longer, might not separate as well, and can lead to softer, greasier butter.
Cover the Bowl: Use a splash guard or a towel. The buttermilk separation stage can be messy with splashing!
Don’t Overfill: Pouring too much cream means more mess when it starts to separate. Stick to halfway or two-thirds full.
Be Patient but Watch: It takes a few minutes to get past the whipped cream stage. But once it starts looking grainy, it can turn into butter very quickly. Stay near the mixer and watch closely so you can stop as soon as the butter and buttermilk separate.
Wash Thoroughly: Taking the time to wash the butter well with ice water is key to getting rid of the buttermilk. This makes your DIY butter recipe last longer and taste better.
Use Your Hands: While a spatula works for mixing salt, using your clean hands to press the butter in the ice water helps squeeze out the last bits of buttermilk trapped inside the butter mass. Just make sure your hands are very clean and cold.
Start with a Good Amount: Churning a smaller amount of cream (like just 1 cup) is possible, but it can be harder to get it to separate well. Starting with at least a pint (2 cups) or preferably a quart (4 cups) gives the whisk enough material to work with effectively.

Keeping Your DIY Butter Fresh

Once you’ve made your lovely homemade butter, you need to store it right.

Refrigerator: Freshly made, washed, and salted butter can usually be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 weeks. Unsalted butter has a shorter fridge life, maybe 1-2 weeks, because salt helps preserve it. Keep it away from strong-smelling foods, as butter can absorb odors.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze your butter. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then put it in a freezer bag or container. Frozen butter can last for several months, maybe 6-9 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before using.

Proper washing is the biggest factor in how long your DIY butter recipe will keep. If buttermilk is left in, it will go rancid faster.

Adding Flavor to Your Homemade Butter

Making plain salted or unsalted butter is great, but you can also make delicious flavored butters! This is a fun way to use your homemade butter.

Once your butter is washed and before shaping, you can mix in other ingredients. Make sure they are finely chopped or soft so they mix in well.

Ideas for flavored butter:

Herb Butter: Mix in finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley, chives, dill, rosemary, or thyme.
Garlic Butter: Add minced fresh garlic or garlic powder. Great for bread or steak.
Honey Butter: Mix in honey or maple syrup. Perfect for biscuits, pancakes, or toast.
Cinnamon Sugar Butter: Combine cinnamon and sugar. Wonderful on toast or muffins.
Citrus Zest Butter: Mix in grated lemon, lime, or orange zest. Good for seafood or vegetables.
Compound Butters: Get creative! Mix in roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked paprika, or anything else you like.

Mix the flavorings in evenly with a spatula or your hands before shaping the butter.

Comparing Homemade vs. Store-Bought Butter

Making butter at home is a different experience than just buying it.

Flavor: Many people find homemade butter has a fresher, creamier, and more intense flavor than everyday store brands. The flavor can also vary slightly depending on the cream you use (like grass-fed vs. conventional).
Texture: Homemade butter might be slightly softer or harder depending on how well it was washed and pressed. Store-bought butter is very consistent in texture.
Cost: The cost can vary. If you find heavy cream on sale, making butter can be cheaper than buying good quality butter. If cream is expensive, it might cost a bit more. Remember you get buttermilk too!
Buttermilk: You get actual buttermilk from the churning cream process at home. Most store-bought butter doesn’t come with this byproduct.
Effort: Buying butter is fast. Making butter takes some time and effort, mostly for the washing step. But many find the process enjoyable.

Overall, stand mixer butter offers a level of freshness and customization you can’t get from the store shelf.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

h3 Can I use light cream or half-and-half?

No, light cream and half-and-half do not have enough fat content to turn into butter. You must use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (36% fat or higher).

h3 How much butter will I get from a quart of cream?

A general rule is that you get about 1/2 pound (8 ounces or 1 cup) of butter from 1 quart (4 cups or 32 fl oz) of heavy whipping cream. You also get about 2-3 cups of buttermilk. The exact amount can vary based on the cream’s fat content and how well you wash the butter.

h3 Why did my cream stop thickening after stiff peaks?

If your cream looks curdled or separated, it hasn’t stopped thickening; it’s actually breaking down to form butter! Don’t stop. Keep mixing. You are in the grainy/curdled stage, just before it separates into butter and buttermilk.

h3 How long does it take to make butter in a Kitchenaid?

Once you start whipping the cold cream, it usually takes between 5 and 15 minutes to go through all the whipping cream stages and separate into butter and buttermilk. The washing step takes another 5-10 minutes. So, from start to finished butter, plan for about 15-25 minutes total.

h3 Can I use a hand mixer?

Yes, you can use a hand mixer, but it takes longer, requires more effort, and is usually much messier due to splatter, especially during the separation stage. A stand mixer like a Kitchenaid with the whisk attachment is much easier for making butter from cream.

h3 My butter is soft and greasy. What did I do wrong?

This can happen if your cream wasn’t cold enough, if your kitchen was too warm, or if you didn’t wash the butter enough. Warm conditions can make the fat too soft. Not washing out the buttermilk properly leaves extra liquid in the butter, affecting its texture and making it greasy. Make sure you wash it thoroughly with ice water until the water is clear.

h3 Can I use warm water to wash the butter?

No, always use very cold or ice water. Cold water helps the butter fat stay firm and makes it easier for the buttermilk to release from the solid fat. Warm water will melt the fat and make it hard to wash properly.

h3 What can I do with the leftover buttermilk?

The buttermilk byproduct is great for baking! Use it in recipes that call for buttermilk, like pancakes, biscuits, muffins, or cornbread. It adds moisture and a nice tang.

Conclusion

Making butter in your Kitchenaid mixer is not just possible; it’s a simple, fun, and rewarding kitchen project. With just one ingredient – heavy whipping cream – and your mixer with the Kitchenaid whisk attachment, you can go through the easy whipping cream stages, churning cream until it separates into fresh homemade butter and valuable buttermilk byproduct.

Following this simple DIY butter recipe using the right mixer speed for butter lets you enjoy the taste and texture of truly fresh butter made right at home. Give it a try! You might be surprised at how easy it is and how delicious the results are. Enjoy your stand mixer butter!