Making your own butter isn’t a necessity, of course, but it’s a trip: It only requires one ingredient, is shockingly easy, and garners bragging rights. When you have a lot of leftover heavy cream, turning it into butter is a great way to use it up. Butter is made by simply beating cream into whipped cream, then continuing to beat it past its literal breaking point. It will separate into two parts: liquid and a solid. Here are some tips on how to make butter:

How long does homemade butter last?
Homemade butter won’t last quite as long as store-bought. The more buttermilk you’re able to squeeze out of it, though, the longer it will last. In the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 3 weeks, but can be frozen for about 3 months. 

Can I bake with homemade butter?
Yes! Homemade butter can be used in baking and cooking. Taking the time to squeeze out as much buttermilk as possible will result in a butter just like the one you buy at stores, only fresher tasting. Making biscuits or pie crusts is a great way to show off and use your homemade butter. Just know that 2 cups heavy cream will yield slightly more than 1/2 cup butter when deciding how much butter you want to make. Imagine saying you made the biscuits and the butter!

Can I use the buttermilk?
Yes, that liquid that separates from the butter when making it homemade is in fact buttermilk. This buttermilk isn’t quite the same as the one you’d buy in grocery stores, however. That buttermilk is cultured and usually has some kind of acidic element added to it. That’s why the buttermilk is tangy and thick. The buttermilk you’ll have after making butter is thin and a little sweet. It’s still edible and great for adding to stews, braises, smoothies, or on its own, but don’t use it as a substitute in baking recipes. Your buttermilk will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Have you made your own butter? Let us know how you used it below!