Homemade honey butter recipe and ideas

Welcome to the wonderful world of honey butter. This delicious combination of a couple of ingredients, so quick and simple to make, but is so versatile. It’s a staple in our kitchen – try making some to see why.

How do you make honey butter?

Take some unsalted butter and beat it until smooth. Add some raw honey plus a pinch of sea salt and beat again. You can do this with a paddle beater or whisk in your mixer or food processor but it’s just as easy with a fork. You can use salted butter if you like but putting the salt in separately means you can adjust to your taste.

This is just the beginning of all the different uses and variations of honey butter.

How to use honey butter?

Here are just some of the ways we’ve tried:

• The obvious use is to spread honey butter on bread. Try on a thickly cut slice from white or wholemeal loaf that’s just cooled, fresh from the oven. Or on crusty rounds from a French baguette, inside a soft, white roll or the knobbly end of a sourdough loaf.
• Spread some honey butter on fresh flat bread or pitta. Add some fresh fruit like strawberries or banana if you like. Roll up and drizzle extra honey on the outside.
• Toast a crumpet and, while it’s still hot, let a generous knob of honey butter melt through the little holes.
• On hot toast is another way to savour honey butter as it melts deliciously.
• Honey butter is made for pancakes. Dot over the surface of one fresh from the pan or layer in between a stack. Drizzle some extra raw honey over the top.
• You’ll never eat waffles without honey butter ever again once you’ve tried them together. Trust us!
• Muffins often need an extra something, especially if they are a day old. Break off little chunks and dab a little honey butter on before popping it in your mouth. Definitely moreish.
• Instead of sprinkling icing sugar on French toast, try spreading a little honey butter. More depth and creaminess.
• Fan of English afternoon tea? Try honey butter on a scone with clotted cream and an extra drizzle of raw honey if you like. Plain jam will never be the same!
• Make lqaimat extra indulgent with a melting coating of honey butter when they’re fresh from the pan.
• Baked sweet potatoes, still warm from the oven, are given an extra depth with some knobs of honey butter.
• Use as a dip for slices of apple or other fruit. A great way to encourage children to eat more of their five a day.
• Use it to crisp up the skin of chicken. Pat your chicken pieces dry and spread with honey butter. Once on a baking tray drizzle a little bit of oil over and season with salt, pepper and any spices you like (see our ideas for other honey butter flavour combinations below). Roast in the oven until cooked and juicy.
• Pop some plain corn and while steaming hot, when you turn it into a bowl, dap knobs of honey butter on top so the golden deliciousness melts around the kernels. A sprinkle of sea salt is essential and a drizzle of raw honey optional (compulsory in our house!).
• Grilled, steamed or boiled corn on the cob is begging for honey butter, freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs like coriander.

Honey butter added ingredients and flavour variations

Really good ingredients are extra important in a recipe this simple. Get the best butter you can and always use raw honey. Most of the honey that isn’t labelled raw has been treated so none of the natural goodness remains – it’s equivalent to using processed sugar syrup.

Read Seven differences between raw and regular honey that may surprise you and Frequently asked questions about raw honey

Sea salt gives a mineral flavour that’s lacking in table salt (that also has things added to make it pour better). The irregular texture gives little diamond bursts of saltiness too.

Here are some added ingredient ideas and how to use them:

• Woody herbs like thyme or rosemary, chopped fine and blended into honey butter are perfect for roasting chicken (as a glaze or stuffing under the skin).
• A dash of Worcestershire sauce and some freshly ground black pepper blended into honey butter is fantastic with cheese on cracker or bread.
• Make a moreish snack or dip by whipping goats cheese, finely chopped nuts (pistachios, cashews or walnuts are our favourites) in honey butter. Try with other soft or crumbly cheese too, like blue cheese such as Stilton or Gorgonzola.
• Finely grated citrus zest is an aromatic delight when added to light, airy honey butter. Pair lemon zest with a squeeze of juice, lime with a pinch of crushed chilli flakes, and orange zest with some chopped rosemary.
• Everyone likes the taste of chocolate, right? Cocoa nibs are a healthier way to get a chocolate hit with goodness-packed raw honey and a hint of salt. We’ll leave you to dream up uses – I’m sure you can think of lots.
• Turmeric is another health-laden ingredient that turns honey butter golden. We love it on rye crackers.
• Tahini is a perfect partner in honey butter for dips, muffins or pancakes.
• Sun-dried tomatoes blitzed or chopped, a handful of fresh basil snipped small combined with the subtle, salty sweetness of honey butter is unbeatable stirred into pasta hot from the pan
• Blend real vanilla extract into honey butter and slather on a scone, baguette or pancake (or eat straight from the spoon).
• Cinnamon – enough said!

Ready to make honey butter? Here’s the recipe.

Raw honey butter

Ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter
• 110g raw honey (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
• Other spices, herbs, flavours (as above)

Method

1. Take the butter out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature so soft but not melting.
2. Beat the butter in a food mixer with the paddle attachment or processor with a whisk for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. Alternatively mash until loose and light with a fork.
3. If necessary, use a scraper around the bowl.
4. Drizzle in the raw honey, salt and optional other ingredients. Beat or mash until combined.
5. Store in a small bowl or jar in the fridge – you make need to take out a bit before you use it to be able to spread easily. You can also pile onto a piece of greaseproof paper and form into a log, put into the fridge for a couple of hours and slice off rounds as you wish. This is also great for putting in the freezer.

We hope we’ve given you a whole heap of ideas for honey butter but there are more. We’d love to hear your ideas too. Let us know on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

And we’ve got more raw honey recipes here too.

Riath