Mason Jar Butter

You can add salt, honey, or herbs to your butter to create a variety of flavored butters, such as this honey-lavender variation. (Photo by Angie Mosier)

Mason Jar Butter

Makes 3 ounces, or almost 1 stick

• 1 cup full-fat heavy cream 
• 1 teaspoon full-fat sour cream 
• 1 (16-ounce) regular Mason jar 
• Cold water 

Pour the cream and sour cream into the jar, filling it halfway. Screw the lid on and shake the jar for 6–8 minutes. After the first 4 minutes, you’ll have whipped cream. Keep shaking until a lump has formed inside, and shake an additional 30–60 seconds after that.  

Remove the solids from the jar. The remaining liquid is buttermilk, which you can save for other recipes or discard.   

Place the solids into a small bowl. Pour cold water over the butter and use your hands to squish it into a ball. Discard the water and repeat, rinsing two more times. At this point, you have butter. You can add in things such as salt, honey, and herbs to create flavored butters, or serve as is. 

Save that Mason jar and add to your drinking glass collection—it’s the Southern thing to do. 

Honey-Lavender Butter  

Makes about 1/2 cup

• 1 recipe Mason Jar Butter, or 1 stick unsalted high-quality grass-fed butter
• 2 stems fresh lavender (see Note)
• 2 tablespoons local honey
• 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

Let butter come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, on the counter before starting this recipe. Do not rush or skip this step. You want the butter to be at the perfect temperature to ensure you can properly mix together all of the ingredients.

Remove fresh lavender leaves from the stem and finely mince on a cutting board.

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium for 2–3 minutes until ingredients are fully incorporated. Give it a taste, adjust as needed, and place butter into a sealable container. The butter will keep for 7 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.

Note: Fresh lavender can be located in the gardening section of a home department store or at your local farmers market.

All recipes reprinted with permission from “Welcome to Buttermilk Kitchen” by Suzanne Vizethann. Published by Gibbs Smith.