How to Make Homemade Compound Butter

Follow these simple steps at home to learn how to make your very own
compound butter! Compound butter is an easy way to add rich, delicious flavor
to a meal, and it’s a condiment that’s much easier to make than most people
think—it only takes 10 minutes with the help of a food processor! Choose from
recipe variations like lemon herb, blue cheese, cilantro lime, sriracha, and more
to create your ideal flavor profile.

I love elevating dishes with dips, dressings, and sauces from scratch, and this easy-to-make compound butter is a particular favorite of mine.

Use it to saute or fry, add it to baking recipes, or simply add a pad on top of a juicy steak.

When you want to take your dish to the next level, Compound Butter is such an easy way to add rich, delicious flavor! 

Try lemon herb compound butter for bread machine brioche or Blackstone potatoes, whip up garlic compound butter for steak, and so much more.

With so many variations to taste, you can see which flavor sounds best or try them all.

Once you see how easy it is to make, you’ll want to put Compound Butter on everything! Let me show you how easy making compound butter is.

Ingredients for Making Compound Butter Recipes

• Butter - Start with unsalted and let it come to room temperature. Softened butter is the best way to ensure that the flavors get completely incorporated.
• Salt and pepper - Add to taste for each compound butter recipe. (I tend to use a teaspoon salt per recipe.)
• Lemon Herb - Parsley, chopped herbs, and lemon zest give you a bright and fragrant flavor. (This is really nice with turkey and pasta.)
• Blue Cheese - Minced shallot and chopped chives with blue cheese crumbles is a classic to serve with steak. You can add minced garlic cloves if you like.
• Garlic Herb - Fresh herbs, lemon zest, and plenty of garlic is a classic combination you can serve with just about anything. (Serve this on dinner rolls and watch them disappear!)
• Cilantro Lime - Pair lime juice and cilantro with cayenne pepper for a little kick.
• Horseradish - Combined with chopped chives and garlic, this is another excellent variation to serve with steak.
• Sriracha - This popular chili sauce with scallions is packed with fun flavor and a little heat. I especially like this with shrimp.

Tips for the Perfect Compound Butter

• Let the butter come to room temperature before combining with other ingredients in the food processor.
• Use fresh herbs whenever possible. They will infuse the butter with more flavor than dried herbs.
• Don’t skip the salt and pepper since they will enhance all the other flavors of your compound butter.
• I like to use a food processor, but you can mix in a bowl if you do not have one.

Serving Suggestions

• Oven Roasted Tri Tip is full of flavor, and topping it with herb butter takes flavors to the next level.
• Don't miss this Blackstone Steak - you won't believe how easy and delicious it is.
• If you want to make one of these compound butter recipes for steak, pair it with delicious Keto Flank Steak!
• Lemon or garlic herb butter would go beautifully with Instant Pot Frozen Whole Chicken.
• Spread a little butter on these Keto Biscuits for classic comfort food with a flavor-packed twist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is a very simple combination of butter, salt, and pepper, and your choice of herbs, spices, or other ingredients.

Each flavor will use slightly different ingredients to achieve the perfect taste.

How do you use compound butter?

Most commonly, you’ll see compound butter used with meats, fish, or vegetables.

But you could also add it to your baking, throw it in a pan anytime you are sautéing or frying your ingredients, and so much more.

Try using it as a substitute any time you’d use regular butter!

Does compound butter need to be refrigerated?

Yes. It is perfectly safe to keep compound butter at room temperature for a few hours, but you should store it in the refrigerator beyond that. Keep it tightly wrapped in parchment or plastic wrap.

Can you freeze compound butter?

Absolutely! This is my favorite way to store it. Simply place the compound butter in foil, then in a freezer-safe container or bag.

(You can wrap it in wax paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap before you wrap it in foil if you like.) 

You can freeze it for up to 6 months.

To serve, slice off the butter that you need. Allow the butter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften.

Which flavor should I use for steak, chicken and/or fish?

If you’re looking for the best compound butter for steak, why not try them all? Blue cheese and horseradish will have the strongest flavors, while lemon herb and garlic herb offer milder flavors. 

I would recommend garlic herb compound butter for filet mignon or another high-quality cut of beef.

Sriracha, cilantro lime, or any of the herb butter would be great with chicken or fish. It all depends on what flavor you’re in the mood for.

Tools Needed

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• Food processor
• Plastic wrap

Storage

Compound butter can be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. When I know I am going to grill steaks (or cook them in a cast iron skillet), I will make compound butter on the weekend so the meal comes together in a flash.

For longer storage, wrap in aluminum foil, place in a freezer safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 6 month

How to Make Compound Butter Recipes

Place the butter and seasonings in a food processor. Pulse until well combined.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Use the lower portion of the plastic wrap to form the butter into a log, then roll the butter up in the plastic wrap.

Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to seal.

Chill until firm.