Sweet and extra creamy homemade honey butter with a pinch of sea salt is unbelievable on just about anything. This quick and easy recipe will take your already-delicious rolls, biscuits, or whole wheat pancakes to a whole new level. One taste and you’ll be looking for more excuses to make it!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
This homemade honey butter topping will become a staple in your kitchen, especially if you enjoy cornbread, biscuits, rolls, pancakes, and crusty homemade bread.
One reader, Wendy, commented: “I made this to pair with your cornbread and I canโt stop eating either!! Such a simple recipe but the flavor is spot on… โ โ โ โ โ ”
Another reader, Jessica, commented: “Once in a while I just have to comment because something is sooo good and this honey butter is one of those things!! … And so easy! Sooo delicious. Make this if youโre debating it! Donโt ever eat pancakes without it! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Grab These 4 Ingredients
- Butter: Start with unsalted butter that’s been softened to room temperature. You can use American-style butter or European-style butter (which has a slightly higher butterfat percentage). Pictured here is Kerrygold brand.
- Honey: Any honey you have is great. Wildflower, clover, raw, Tupeloโthey all work here.
- Confectioners’ sugar: My little secret ingredient for ultra-creamy honey butter. It doesn’t make the butter overly sweet.
- Flaky sea salt: If you need a recommendation, I use and love Maldon flaky sea salt.
How to Make Homemade Honey Butter (It’s Easy)
Beat the softened butter because you want it really soft and creamy from the start. If you don’t have a mixer, you can do this with a spoon and some arm muscle.
Beat in the rest of the ingredients until combined.
That’s all… you’re done. Feel free to drizzle extra honey and sprinkle extra salt on top when serving.
Honey butter is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures. When you spread this little indulgence onto a piece of toast, you are on your way to honey-kissed bliss, pure and simple.
Yes, you can freeze honey butter for up to 6 months. Here are 2 methods to freeze: (1) Store in a tightly sealed freezer-friendly container. OR (2) Refrigerate the freshly made honey butter until solid and then spoon it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze. After either method of freezing, thaw it in the refrigerator before using. If desired, after it has thawed, you can bring it to room temperature and beat with a mixer until it’s extra creamy.
If the butter you are using is pasteurized, the honey butter should be refrigerated after 2 days. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2โ3 months.
Absolutely. You may not need more than 1/4 teaspoon of flaky sea salt. (But feel free to add more to taste.)
You can take the extra step to brown the butter first, and then wait for it to solidify at room temperature (this takes a few hours). You want it at room temperature before beating until creamy. If you decide to use browned butter, start with 2 extra Tablespoons of butter to account for the moisture evaporation that occurs when browning it.
4 Honey Butter Variations
- Cinnamon Honey Butter: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to it. Or even some pumpkin pie spice!
- Hot Honey Butter: For a little kick of heat, use your favorite brand of hot honey, or simply use regular honey and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. I include a recipe with this crusty no-knead pizza bread!
- Maple Butter: Try using maple syrup instead of honey. This is exceptional on whole wheat pancakes.
- Whipped Honey Butter: The longer you beat it, the more air gets introduced. With a handheld mixer or with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the honey butter on high speed for at least 5 minutes, until it’s nice and fluffy.
Tasty Vehicles for Your Honey Butter
These are just a few suggestionsโI’m sure you can think of many, many more ways to enjoy it!
For breakfast…
- Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Biscuits
- Healthy Banana Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
- Blueberry Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Pumpkin Spice Waffles
- Buttermilk Waffles
For snack or anytime…
- No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Zucchini Bread & Zucchini Muffins
- No-Knead Cranberry Nut Bread
- Blueberry Scones, Chocolate Chip Scones, or Cranberry Orange Scones
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- Homemade Brioche
At the dinner table…
- Irish Soda Bread
- Oatmeal Molasses Dinner Rolls
- Cornbread & Cornbread Muffins
- Soft Dinner Rolls & Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
- Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Soft Pretzel Rolls
Homemade Honey Butter
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: just over 1 cup
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sweet and extra creamy homemade honey butter with a pinch of sea salt is unbelievable on just about anything. This quick and easy recipe will take your already-delicious rolls, biscuits, or whole wheat pancakes to a whole new level.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature*
- 1/3 cup (113g) honey
- 3 Tablespoons (23g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4โ1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt*
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients, starting with only 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Beat on medium-high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. Taste. Add more salt (up to 1/4 teaspoon) if desired.
- Serve with a drizzle of honey and/or a sprinkle of sea salt. Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2โ3 months.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: You can freeze honey butter for up to 6 months. Here are 2 methods to freeze: (1) Place into a tightly-sealing freezer-friendly container and freeze. OR (2) Refrigerate the freshly made honey butter until solid and then spoon it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze. After either method of freezing, thaw it in the refrigerator before using. If desired, after it has thawed, you can bring it to room temperature and beat with a mixer until it’s extra creamy.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Flaky Sea Salt
- Butter: You can use salted butter in this recipe instead of unsalted. Start with just 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt. Add more, as instructed, to taste.
- Cinnamon Honey Butter: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon when you add the honey. Or even some pumpkin pie spice!
- Hot Honey: For a little kick of heat, use your favorite brand of hot honey, or simply use regular honey and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Maple Butter: Use pure maple syrup instead of honey.
- Fluffy Whipped Honey Butter: The longer you beat the honey butter, the more air gets introduced. With a handheld mixer or with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the honey butter on high speed for at least 5 minutes (instead of just 1 minute), until it’s nice and fluffy.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I’m curious as to why you added confectioners sugar. I know you always have a practical reason . Texture or stability maybe
?
Hi Carol, our little secret ingredient for ultra-creamy honey butter! It doesnโt make the butter overly sweet.
This isn’t homemade butter. You just added honey and sugar to a stick of butter
One could make their own butter certainly, just more work and another learning curve. Adding this honey recipe to existing butter may be considered an inclusion or a compound butter I believe.
Homemade, meaning a home made version of honey butter, like what is found in Texas Riadhouse restaurants. Not homemade like we are going to have to trot out and use churns to make the butter
This is so delicious! I always have a container of this in my fridge. I love it on homemade popovers and one thing y’all didn’t mention, it’s wonderful with fried chicken. I just put a couple of spoonfuls on my plate and dip my fried chicken in it! Food of the Gods!
Good balance. I tried this substituting Jalapeno Hot Agave In The Raw for the honey.
It goes so nicely on things like Southern spoon bread.
Sooo good! Made Navajo tacos for dinner, but some of my kids like the plain scones with honey butter and I didnโt have any from the store. Made this and I canโt stop eating it with the scones. Iโve probably have half a stick of butter all by myself. definitely recommend!
If you are making hot honey butter, would you still include the confectioners sugar?
We haven’t tested this with hot honey, but we would still add the sugar, yes.
Can you use other kinds of salt as a substitute? Table salt? Fresh ground? It doesnโt have to be flakey sea salt does it?
You can use any kind of salt you like. Add to taste.
Can I water bath or pressure can this to make it shelf stable?
We haven’t tested that Morgan! Sorry we can’t help more.
Itโs absolutely impossible to see this recipe because of the pop up ads. Totally ruining the experience and recipe.
You should be able to use the “Print” option to save it as a PDF. Or, you could disable pop-up ads on your browser. Definitely not impossible to see the recipe if you know how to manage your own internet experience.
Sally, could one use salted butter instead of adding the salt later?
Hi Phyllis! See recipe Notes: You can use salted butter in this recipe instead of unsalted. Start with just 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt. Add more, as instructed, to taste. Enjoy!
I love the recipe, in the past I have made this and put in refrigerator and it seems to separate. Any thoughts
Hi Luanne! It can be re-mixed until creamy if it separates. Let it come to room temperature before you mix it.
Could you use homemade butter for this recipe?
Hi Sally, we can’t see why not!