Easy Homemade Lemon Butter

By
Elizabeth Yetter
Elizabeth Yetter
Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/3/22
Easy Homemade Lemon Butter

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
102 Calories
12g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 102
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 91mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 6mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Flavored butters are an easy way to add a little snap to your favorite breads and food dishes. This easy to make lemon butter is one of the best, and it really gets the mouth juices flowing.

The zingy taste of lemon tastes great on white breads and rolls, English muffins, and many of our favorite fruit muffins. It is a fantastic way to butter main dishes, particularly grilled or baked fish and chicken. It's also fun to melt over steamed vegetables.

Lemon butter is an interesting butter that you have to try before you can completely understand it. A single taste will spark new and fun ideas for using it, so go ahead and try it.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Homemade Lemon Butter ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter in a small bowl until it is fluffy.

    creamed butter in a bowl, hand mixer

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Grate a teaspoon of lemon rind and squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice into the butter. 

    lemon rind and lemon juice with the creamed butter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Whip until well blended.

    whipped butter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Keep the butter covered in a crock dish or a plastic container. Refrigerate when not in use.

    Easy Homemade Lemon Butter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • Always begin with soft butter. It will blend with the other ingredients much easier and saves time while mixing. Set your butter out at least 30 minutes before whipping it.
  • To create restaurant-worthy whipped butter, add 2 tablespoons of milk or water.
  • Begin at a low speed on your mixer and work your way up to faster speeds as the butter gets creamier. The more you whip it, the fluffier it will become.
  • Many professional chefs will roll a compound butter into cylinders and chill or freeze them until it's time to serve a dish. It's an easy way to store the butter as well as cut off a small slice at a time.

Variations

  • Orange Butter: Another citrus butter, this one features the tangy taste of fresh orange, and it's a tasty spread for muffins and pancakes.
  • Garlic Butter: Garlic butter is probably the most popular compound butter, and it is extremely versatile. Consider it an essential for any well-stocked kitchen.
  • Hotel Butter: This lemon herb butter is what you often see served on fancy restaurant steaks, which is why it's called "hotel butter."
  • Corn-Worthy Butters: Corn on the cob is the ultimate compound butter-worthy food. From spicy butters to butters with herbal blends, there are plenty of ways that you can butter up your grilled corn.
  • Shallot Butter: Similar in use to garlic butter, a simple shallot butter is a fantastic addition to breads and meats and one that you'll find very useful.