Four Beautiful Compound Butters You Can Make Right Now (Pantry & Garden Ingredients!)

I don’t know why I took this long to write about compound butters. If you think you have not had compound butter before, think of all the garlic toasts you’ve ever had. And now that I have been growing my own culinary garden, I find myself making them more often. I will show you four beautiful sweet and savory compound butter ideas that you can start just using pantry and garden ingredients. And then, I hope to see you tweak  these to make it your own.

Compound butter is a chefy term for flavored butter. The most basic and common is garlic frequently used in breads. It gets fancier as you add herbs and spices making the flavor more complex. Fancy does not have to be complicated in preparation. 

Butter 

If it’s not obvious enough, butter is your essential ingredient so it’s best if you can find the best quality butter. Salted or not is preferential. BUT, I recommend using unsalted for the miso because it is already packed with umami flavor. For the maple syrup butter, if you prefer the sweet and salty flavor, you can use salted butter. I personally prefer unsalted for the sweet butter. 

Make sure that you let the butter come to room temperature for easy mixing and resulting to a smoother consistency. A way to speed up the softening of butter is to heat up a bowl (microwave or pour hot water) and cover the butter like a cloche.

Garden Fresh,  Dried Herbs & Pantry Items

I prefer fresh herbs because of the vibrancy in look and taste. But the shelf time is quicker as opposed to dried herbs. The recipe indicates the use of fresh herbs. If using dried, reduce the quantity into half because the flavors are more concentrated. 

The Beauty of Flowers 

Flowers make these compound butters beautiful. Edible flowers are always plus points.

And if you plan to give this as hostess gifts, the florals stand out and it just makes it even more special. 

 Also, vital to note that you remove the stamen and styles before serving the flowers. In a gist, just use the petals. It’s important to check if you or your guests have allergic reactions to pollen, etc.

It is nearly the end of summer and I’m taking advantage of the last blooms. I recently discovered that our local store sells edible flowers.Check out your local grocery at the herbs and leafy veggie area. Look for organic edible flowers.

Wrap and Roll

I find the plastic cling wrap is very manageable. It easily rolls easy, the butter is snug tight. And air pockets are squeezed out. It is also less messy. Alternatively, you can use parchment or wax paper. 

I roll this into not any more than 2 inch in diameter.

I label each butter log if I am making multiple flavors. And then chill. 

Storage 

Compound butter can store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Dried herbs should be longer. And, two to six months if you freeze it. 

Serving

The most popular way to serve compound butter is to cut into coin serving portions. If you foresee that the butter will be out in a longer time, lay the serving platter under a bowl of ice cubes to prevent it from melting quickly. 

Also, some compound butters are better slightly softened depending on which food you are using it with. So adjust according to what you are serving.

The Four Flavors

Miso & Chives Butter

You can use white or red miso. I used red in this recipe. The saltiness vary so adjust. Start with a tablespoon first. Mix and add if you need to. Substitute spring onions with chives, or you can skip it altogether and you and up with just miso and butter which is perfect as is.

I love this to serve with corn on the cob, omelettes, mushrooms. I can even just boil noodles and top it with a coin or two of this. Better than instant noodles. 

 Zesty Butter

Do not conform yourself with the ingredients listed here. If you must, replace the lemons with limes, oranges or any citrus that you want. This mint leaves and the pineapple sage brings a fresh flavor perfectly paired with lamb or goat dishes.

Mediterranean inspired food goes well with this, too. For example grilled fish, beans, or even pasta (cold or warm). 

Herbed Butter

You can absolutely be creative with your herbed butted. Swap herbs using your favorite or available ones. I would add parsley but I’m out. My favorite element here is the red pepper. It not only gives the beautiful red speck but also that extra heat taste wise is unexpected. Perfect for steaks, pasta, fish. I can go on and on. Anything that you put butter on, you can use this 🙂

Sweet and Simple Butter

This may be your go-to breakfast butter for pancakes and waffles, even toasts. It uses just three simple ingredients, and you may already have it in your pantry: butter, maple syrup and cinnamon. My only regret here is not adding a hint of chili. 

A Few More Tips

Be creative and do not limit yourself with the ingredients listed. 

Oh, and if you plan to use fresh fruits, make sure to cook it down in a pan so the water evaporates and it becomes more concentrated. Remember water and oil do not mix well. Use an immersion blender to puree and mix the fruits and butter to have an even consistency. 

I cannot wait to see your tweaked creations. 

Try these butters with your favorite bread or make your own Ligurian Focaccia. You can also change the flavor of this Easy Peel and Eat Shrimp with any of the savory butter.

Friendly Reminders 

Recipes are meant to be guides. My recipes will take you almost there… if not THERE.

Cook with your senses – taste, smell, look and feel.

And finally, cook often to develop your common cooking sense.

Let us connect!

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and also working my way on more YouTube videos.

Use #BeWithMia when you replicate the recipe so I can find you. I love to hear from you. 

MAY FAITH, FOOD AND LOVE FILL YOUR LIFE.

HAPPY COOKING!

MIA

Compound Butter Using Pantry Ingredients (& Edible Flowers!)

Mia Estolano-Levert

Compound butter is simply flavored butter. And if you haven't made one yet, here are the 4 flavors that you can begin with using pantry ingredients. Plus points if you have edible flowers.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Chill Time 2 hrs

Course Condiment

Cuisine French

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• spatula
• zester
• beater or Immersion blender (optional)
• knife and board

Ingredients

  

Miso Butter

• 1 stick 4 oz butter, softened unsalted
• 3 tbsp miso paste
• 2 tbsp chopped chives

Herbed Butter

• 1 stick 4 oz butter, softened
• 1 clove garlic, grated or 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsps combo of rosemary, thyme & or chives, chopped may use singular herb, decide preferentially, or 1 tbps dried herbs
• Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt to taste skip if using salted butter

Zesty Butter

• 1 stick 4 oz butter, softened
• 1 zest of 1 whole lemon
• 2 tbsp combo of mint & or pineapple sage, chopped may use singular herb, decide preferentially, or 1 tbsp of dried herbs
• salt to taste skip if using salted butter
• pepper to taste

Sweet and Simple

• 1 stick 4 oz butter softened unsalted
• 2 tbsps maple syrup or honey
• 2 tsps cinnamon powder

Edible Flowers (optional)

Instructions

 

Miso Butter

• Mix miso with room temperature butter. You may need a fork to loosen the miso paste.
  
• Add chives and mix. Taste. Adjust
• Sprinkle chives (or ginger blooms)onto the plastic wrap.
• Spoon butter onto the plastic wrap. Roll and tuck the edges.
• Label if making multiple flavors.
• Chill until butter hardens.
• Unwrap, slice then serve.
• I love this on omelettes, scrambled eggs, corn on the cob. Also great on fish and steak.

Herbed Butter

• Mix all the ingredients until well combined
  
• Taste and adjust.
• Lay preferred edible flowers on the plastic wrap. Sprinkle pepper flakes on the plastic wrap.
• Spoon butter onto the plastic wrap. Roll tightly and tuck the edges.
• Label if making multiple flavors.
• Chill until butter hardens.
• Unwrap, slice into coins then serve.
• Perfect for steaks, pork, chicken roasts.

Zesty Butter

• Mix until all ingredients are well combined
  
• Taste and adjust.
• Lay preferred edible flowers on the plastic wrap. Zest lemon and pepper on the wrap.
• Spoon butter onto the plastic wrap. Roll tightly and tuck the edges.
• Label if making multiple flavors.
• Chill until butter hardens.
• Unwrap, slice into coins then serve.
• Best for lambs, steaks, fish and chicken roasts.

Sweet and Simple

• Mix the ingredients using a beater or an immersion blender.
  
• Taste and adjust.
• Spoon butter onto the plastic wrap. Roll tightly and tuck the edges.
• Label if making multiple flavors
• Chill until butter hardens.
• Unwrap, slice into coins then serve.
• Best on toasts, breads, pancakes, and waffles.

Notes

There recipes above are just guides. Adjust to the level of sweetness, spiciness and saltiness of the butter. If 4 flavors is too much for you, I would start with one salty and one sweet. 

Butter. You may use salted or unsalted butter except for miso paste because it already has a strong salt content. Augment or skip the salt if using salted butter. 

Butter must be at room temperature to easily mix ingredients. 

Mixing. If you find mixing liquid to butter, like maple syrup, you can use an egg beater or an immersion blender for a smoother consistency.

Rolling. You can use plastic wrap or wax paper. I find that using the plastic wrap easier to shape and less messy.

Storage. Two weeks in the fridge. Two months in the freezer.