How to make butter at home – Pure butter without any additives, coloring agents or preservatives in it. Many north indian families make butter at home and it taste better than the butter you get outside.
I know making butter at home sounds cumbersome. But trust me it is not. Making butter at home is very simple and does not take much of your time. Thanks to electronic mixers or food processors:-)
I make butter from the malai or cream that we get from whole milk. This is how i make the butter or makhan (as we call it in India) at home. I learnt this from my mom and mom-in-law. Back home, butter is served with parathas like Paneer paratha, Gobi Paratha or Aloo Paratha. In fact it can be served with almost all kind of stuffed parathas. In punjab butter is liberally used while serving the famous combo of Makki di roti with Sarson ka saag.
Some people also make butter from curd, but I have always made both butter and ghee (clarified butter) from whole milk cream.
Simple Steps for making White Butter at home
1. To make butter at home you need 2 or 3 cups of cream. You can buy ready made full cream from the grocery store. Or else you can use cream from the milk that you use everyday. However, this fresh cream or malai from the milk has to be collected everyday for 10-15 days. You could also collect it for a month.
Remember to store this collected cream in the freezer. This cream is collected everyday and stored in a container in the freezer.
After you have collected 2 or 3 cups of cream, then you can easily convert it into butter. Defrost the cream. You can defrost it in microwave or keep it out till it comes to room temperature.
2. In a mixer jar, or in a food processor add the cream. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water. Turn on the mixer or food processor.
3. Initially, the cream will begun to smoothen and you will get smooth whipped cream. Continue the mixer, until you see buttermilk and the thick butter getting separated. You will see lumps of butter floating in the buttermilk or whey as I call it.
4. The beautiful homemade white butter is ready. With a spoon or spatula collect the white butter in an air-tight container and store the butter in the refrigerator.
5. You could also strain the butter from the buttermilk through a fine strainer. Some people use hands to completely squeeze out the buttermilk from the butter and then store it. I do not press or squeeze the butter with hands as I find that too untidy. Keep the butter in the refrigerator.
As a variation, you could also add salt or pepper powder to the butter and mix it well with the butter. I just prefer to store the butter unsalted in the refrigerator.
This white butter also called Makhan in India can be used on Breads, Rotis, Parathas, Sandwiches.
This Butter can also be used in making biscuits and cakes. If you are not on any calorie control diet, then you can also use the butter in dals, vegetables etc. You could also use this fresh butter to make ghee (clarified butter) at home.
I often use this freshly made butter to make Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Makhani, Rajma Masala, Paneer Makhani, Paneer makhanwala, Veg Makhanwala, Paneer tikka masala, Kadai Paneer, Tawa Paneer Masala and Pav Bhaji.
And yes….. i also apply the makhan on bread just to get the simple bliss of having bread butter with tea or coffee. My most simple and beautiful breakfast.
The only trouble after making butter at home are the greasy mixer or food processors jars and spoons and spatula. especially if you wash your own dishes and utensils. But nevertheless you get the joy of making fresh butter at home and cleaning the dishes look very small as compared to this joy…… 🙂
More How to Recipes:
1. How to make Paneer
2. How to make Curd or Dahi
3. Method to make Garam Masala
4. Method to make Pav Bhaji Masala
5. Method to make Sambar Powder Masala
homemade makhan or white butter recipe below
white butter recipe
INGREDIENTS FOR white butter recipe (1 CUP = 250 ML)
- 2 or 3 cups of fresh cream/malai (You can buy ready made full cream from the grocery store. Or else you can use cream from the milk that you use everyday)
- ½ to 1 cup of water
- salt or pepper powder (optional)
HOW TO MAKE white butter recipe
- If you are collecting fresh cream or malai at home from milk then store this collected cream in the freezer. This cream is collected everyday and stored in a container in the freezer.
- After you have collected 2 or 3 cups of cream, then you can easily convert it into butter. Defrost the cream. You can defrost it in microwave or keep it out till it comes to room temperature.
- In a mixer jar, or in a food processor add the cream. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water. Turn on the mixer or food processor.
- Initially, the cream will begun to smoothen and you will get smooth whipped cream. Continue the mixer, until you see buttermilk and the thick butter getting separated. You will see lumps of butter floating in the buttermilk or whey as I call it.
- Homemade white butter is ready. With a spoon or spatula collect the white butter in an air-tight container and store the butter in the refrigerator.
- You could also strain the butter from the buttermilk through a fine strainer. Some people use hands to completely squeeze out the buttermilk from the butter and then store it. I do not press or squeeze the butter with hands as I find that too untidy. Keep the butter in the refrigerator.
- As a variation, you could also add salt or pepper powder to the butter and mix it well with the butter. I just prefer to store the butter unsalted in the refrigerator.
So, I tried making butter from malai using whipping blade of my food processor. I don’t see the butter floating on buttermilk. Instead it’s very fine and mixes up and then getting it out is very very difficult and time consuming. I had a similar problem with hand blender too. What am I doing wrong?
did you add water. try to add some warm water. should work.
Hi… is the wet blade grinder useful for this task? Or will I have to buy a specific blade for making butter?
don’t use wet blade. use the whipping blade or flat blade that is used to churn curd or whip cream.
Hai ….from my experience….there is an easy way to remove water from home made. butter. Just keep it in refrigerator ( not freezer) for a few minutes . After it becomes a bit hard, tilt the bowl and water will flow out.
Thanks Jolly for the suggestion. I am sure it will help the readers.
Who is using full fat milk he can collect cream (Sai) from that milk and keep in refrigerator adding one spoon of curd in it so that taste and quality not disturbs. After 10 to 15 days depending upon quantity of cream you can blend it in food processor with plastic blade. You have to add some ice or cold water while churning so that Makhan solids become separated easily. After removing Makhan you can freeze it max 2-3 days After that you have to heat it in the Kadhai till the Color changes to slightly red. Then remove from the gas and add one leaf of pan or 2to3 loung in it.
thank for this detailed info. what is the purpose of heating makhan after 2 to 3 days. we generally don’t do it and use the makhan from the fridge.