This sweet and savory compound butter makes the perfect homemade Christmas gift. They are easy to make and look creative with our free printable label!
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Compound Butter for Christmas
Compound butter makes a great neighbor Christmas gift for the holidays. It’s easy to whip up and can be used so many ways. These flavored butter recipes are some of my favorites, as well as cinnamon honey butter and dreamy orange butter. So yummy!
I love the long seated tradition of entering the kitchen at this time of year to create all kinds of goodies to share with family and friends. I also LOVE receiving these gifts every year. You can always feel the love that goes into each and every recipe that is shared.
One thing I DON’T love is how frantic and hurried the season has become. Sometimes we just don’t have time to bake for days and days in order to put together these treasured gift plates.
Another issue I have have… Sometimes, we get sugar overload with all of these scrumptious goodies. For the last several years, I have tried to find some savory goodies along with the sweet to give as holiday neighbor gifts. This year, my favorite sweet & savory gift for the season is compound butter.
What is Compound Butter?
It is a butter combined with any of a number of tasty additions that can be used in various different ways in the kitchen. I am particularly fond of any type of berry butter, the ever popular honey butter and the luscious roasted garlic butter. Enhanced garlic herb compound butter with thyme, rosemary or chives is also great.
All of these can be used on breads, french toast, crêpes, pancakes, used in sauces and even used to enhance many types of meats, such as a finisher on steak. I decided this year, that I am going to give little gift baskets with some homemade compound butter along with some bread.
How to Make Compound Butter – 3 Ways
Berry Butter
Don’t you worry, sweet compound butters are a snap to make AND you can even use store bought bread if you aren’t the baking type. I am going to give you three quick flavored butter recipes along with the fabulous printable that you can use to label your jars and your gift container if you like.
Ingredients:
- 4 sticks of softened unsalted butter
- 1 jar of Smucker’s preserves (you can use any kind you like, for this one I used cranberry raspberry preserves)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon citric acid
Instructions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add your softened butter, the Orchard’s Finest preserves, honey & citric acid.
Once you have all your ingredients in your mixer, turn your mixer on high and whip the butter for several minutes. Once it has whipped well and is nice and fluffy, take your mixture and add it to your sterilized 4 ounce Ball jars. Fill to the top and place the lid on tight. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This recipe also can be stored in the freezer really well.
Why do I use citric acid? I like to add a bit of a tart kick to the butter without adding the liquid from lemon juice. The liquid can cause issues with the consistency and I have found that citric acid is a perfect solution. You can get the hit of tart flavor without the consistency issues. I found citric acid at my local market in the canning section. If you can’t find it, you can always order it online. I LOVE it and use it in all kinds of recipes.
Honey Butter
Ingredients:
- 4 sticks of softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup honey
Instructions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, place softened room temperature butter and honey. Whip on high for several minutes until light and fluffy. Once finished, carefully spoon into sterilized 4 ounce ball jars and replace the lid. Store in the fridge until ready to use. This butter also freezes well.
Roasted Garlic Butter
Check out our favorite recipe for roasted garlic butter over at WhipperBerry. The tutorial shows you how to roast your own garlic and everything!
Savory & Sweet Christmas Butter For Gifting
Now this is where it gets fun… I LOVE packaging! To me, the way you dress-up a gift is just as important as the gift. Now, I used my favorite 4 ounce Ball jars for the Christmas butter on purpose. We created a lovely FREE printable label for everyone to use that fits these jars perfectly.
Aren’t they fun?! Now… I have created a couple of different ways to use these free printable labels…check them out below.
For silhouette users: If you are a silhouette user, you can download the silhouette studio file, print them with your printer and cut out with your CAMEO or Portrait. I used the Printable Gold Foil for mine, but you could use anything that you want. Card stock, printable sticker paper or even printable kraft paper. Use whatever you feel comfortable with.
Non-silhouette users: Now, if you would like to print and cut your labels on your own…no worries, I have you covered too! Just print as many sheets as you would like on whatever paper you would like, cut out the labels and affix them to your jars and gift container.
Gift Container
I found my container at Target in their seasonal decor section. I would love to link to it, but I can’t seem to find it on their website. You’ll just have to look at your local store. You can also use any type of container that will fit your butter selection and the bread your choose. You could use an inexpensive gift bag and it would look fabulous!!
More Homemade Gifts
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Sweet and Savory Compound Butter Recipe
Ingredients
Berry Butter:
- 4 sticks softened unsalted butter
- 1 ounce jar of Smucker’s Orchard’s Finest preserves (you can use any kind you like, for this one I used cranberry raspberry preserves)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid
Honey Butter:
- 4 sticks softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup honey
Instructions
Berry Butter:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add 4 sticks softened, room temperature butter, one ounce jar Orchard’s Finest preserves, 1 Tablespoon honey and 1/4 teaspoon citric acid.
- Once you have all your ingredients in your mixer, turn your mixer on high and whip the butter for several minutes. Once it has whipped well and is nice and fluffy, take your mixture and add it to your sterilized 4 ounce Ball jars. Fill to the top and place the lid on tight. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This recipe also can be stored in the freezer really well.
Honey Butter:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, place 4 sticks softened room temperature butter and 1 cup honey. Whip on high for several minutes until light and fluffy. Once finished, carefully spoon into sterilized 4 ounce ball jars and replace the lid. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This butter also freezes well.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Originally written by Heather from WhipperBerry for I Heart Naptime.
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Condiments, DIY, Gifts
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I just made the berry butter. Filled to the top makes 6 jars of 4 oz ball jars. Still a great gift.
Hi, I really like reading about your butter recipes, just what I was looking for to make Christmas gifts. Could you please tell me if I could half the recipe so I could make more of the different butter recipes? Also do you need to use the citric acid?
Thank you and have a Merry Christmas.
Susan
Hi Susan! Yes, you can cut the recipes in half. The citric acid helps the butter keep it’s consistency. Without it, it might separate in the fridge but using it is up to you. :)
Love, Love, Love this idea!! Every year several of the neighbors exchange a little something. Thanks so much for this years idea!
Can’t wait to make these – but I have a rather stupid question!! What do you mean you used spread instead of butter?? What is spread?? Sorry, I’m pretty lame!!
Not lame at all, Donna!
By spread we mean a butter-type of spread that tastes like butter, but isn’t butter, usually sold in a plastic container in the refrigerated section. :)
I was curious how many 4 oz mason were filled off of one batch of butter?
About eight jars for each recipe. :)
What size is the jar of preserves? I want to make sure my butter-to-preserve ratio is right!
We used a standard size, about 8 ounces. :)
How many 4oz jars you can fill with each recipe ? I’m trying to plan out my quantities and need a little help without making a batch.
Each recipe should make at least eight 4 ounce jars of compounded butter – possibly more! :)
What’s the trick for putting the butter in the jars so that there are no empty nooks & crannys. Is there a way to make the top of the butter smooth similar to a freshly opened tub of magazine?
You won’t be able to get it that smooth (because that’s a liquid when it’s put into the tub) but a mini rubber scraper will likely be the best tool for what you’re wanting! :)
Try using a piping bag
How long can these stay frozen for? How long can they stay refrigerated for?
In the fridge, I would want to use them up within two weeks or so. In the freezer, six months. :)
Thank you so much for sharing!! This is such a wonderful idea! I’m definitely going to be making a few of these for Christmas Gifts. Love it!
I’m looking for something fun to send out in the mail as Christmas gifts… does the honey butter/berry butter have to stay refrigerated?
It does need to stay refrigerated. Unless you’d like to ship using dry ice and a cooler, I’d suggest something that could handle going through the post better. We have tons of ideas here. :)
Hi! Where did you get the gold sticker sheets to print the labels on?
We used the Printable Gold Foil for the Shilhouette. :)
Found the four oz jars at work! :) how many jars can I fill with these recipes?
Can you freeze the butter right in the jar? Obviously, I don’t deal with canning jars a whole lot.
Hey there!
Love your idea, sounds delicious! I’m currently assembling ideas for great diy-gifts for my next blogpost. I would love to integrate your butter with link and photo.
Ok for you?
If not, just send me an email..
Best wishes
Conny
What size is that Jar? I would like to use my homemade Jam for the berry butter.
Never mind found the product on amazon.com. It’s 1.5 cups. Might want to add it to the recipe because here in Canada we can only get in in a jar that is twice the size. It makes the recipe confusing just to say a jar of jam.
They are 4 oz! Here is a link to them on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ball-4-Ounce-Quilted-Crystal-Jelly/dp/B008586V5C/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1384715758&sr=1-1&keywords=4+oz+ball+jars
Fantastic idea! I cant wait to try them!! Maybe as some fun Christmas basket additions. How long are they good for in the refrigerator?
Can you just put in the fridge without using sterilized jars?