Ultimate Butter Board – 4 Flavors!
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I’ll never be able to turn down a good charcuterie board, but when a butter board enters the party I get really excited.
The concept of butter boards was created in 2017 by Chef Josh McFadden and later popularized by Justine of Justine Snacks in 2022. And here we are in 2024, still obsessed with them.
If you’re looking for a fresh and innovative way to impress family and friends, you’ll have to make this simple yet elegant butter board. It’s a fun shareable appetizer that will wow everyone!
What is a butter board?
- It’s simply a visually appealing way to serve softened butter! It’s inspired by the concept of charcuterie boards or cheese boards; only butter is the main ingredient.
- The softened butter is usually spread on plates, a large wooden cutting board, or a marble slab.
- Butter boards are typically flavored with herbs, spices, and zest and can be savory or sweet.
- It’s often served with bread, crackers, fresh vegetables, or anything to scoop up the yummy butter.
Why this recipe works
- Multiple butter flavors: I created 4 different compound butter for this board for variety and fun! It’s exciting to make and also allows guests to pick and choose their favorites.
- It’s just so pretty: it’s undeniably stunning. With all of the colorful toppings and flavors, it’s an artistic centerpiece for parties or gatherings.
- Perfect for parties: your guests and friends can dip or spread their favorite combinations of butter and toppings onto bread or crackers, making it a fun and engaging communal appetizer.
Ingredient Notes
(For the full list of ingredients and measurements, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Butter: the biggest thing is to make sure your butter is softened to room temperature and you choose a high-quality butter, since it is the main ingredient. Choose a higher butterfat content (around 82-86%) for a creamier texture and richer flavor. Brands like Kerrygold, Président, or Plugrá are great options.
- Salt: I love using a flaky sea salt to enhance the butter’s richness. Try Maldon or Fleur de sel for a gourmet touch.
- Garlic: Roasted garlic brings a savory depth of flavor.
- Herbs: Chives, rosemary, thyme, basil, or parsley add earthy, bright flavors.
- Spices: feel free to add what you like but spices like black pepper, chili flakes, or even smoked paprika can add a little heat or smokiness and can balance out the butter’s richness.
- Toppings: honey, zest, edible flowers, fried garlic, chopped nuts, cinnamon.
Step by Step Directions
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
Make each butter
Add softened butter and the fresh herbs/spices into a bowl, mash until smooth. Rinse and repeat with the flavors I’ve listed or feel free to create your favorites! 🤗
Spread onto board
Spread each flavor of butter onto serving board of choice.
Make it pretty!
Decorate with edible flowers, zest, fresh herbs, sprinkling of cinnamon or other spices, chopped nuts, flaky sea salt, etc. and serve with bread, crackers, or vegetables.
Success Tips
- Softened butter: using softened butter will make this process much easier! Allow the butter to sit at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes before you start.
- High-Quality Butter: since butter is the star of the show here, splurge on a high quality European butter. These butters typically have a higher fat content and are really creamy with a rich and delicious flavor.
- Presentation: I love to garnish with edible flowers, fresh herbs, flaky sea salt, or anything that gives the butter an aesthetic flavor boost.
Variations
- Make it seasonal: Try a Fall harvest board with roasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, pecans/walnuts, cinnamon and sugar butter, warm toasted bread, apples and pears, etc. Or something more tropical for warmer months with mango, pineapple, macadamia nuts, and light, fruity flavors.
- Flavors: there are so many routes and options; these are just 4 of my favorites. You can make truffle butter, bacon butter, citrus zest butter, smoked paprika butter, honey butter, vanilla bean butter, etc.
FAQ
What should I serve with a butter board?
Bread is common: Choose rustic, crusty breads like sourdough, French baguette, or ciabatta. Serve it warm or toasted for the best flavor and texture. For crackers, choose crisp, sturdy crackers like water crackers, seed crackers, or crostini are ideal for spreading. Or keep it light and serve thinly sliced radishes, cucumbers, or carrots for a refreshing option that pairs well with both savory and sweet butter.
What kind of board should I use?
Any flat, non-porous board will work well. Wooden, marble, or slate boards are popular choices because they’re stylish and functional. Marble is particularly great as it keeps the butter cool for longer.
How long can my butter board sit out?
Butter can sit out for about 2 hours at room temperature, depending on the environment. After that, storing leftover butter in the fridge is best to prevent spoilage.
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Ultimate Butter Board – 4 Flavors!
Ingredients
Basil Butter
- 8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened
- 1/2 heaping cup fresh basil, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
- salt, to taste
Cinnamon Sugar Butter
- 8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Garlic Herb Butter
- 8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened
- 1 head garlic, roasted*
- 2-4 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, thyme, dill, rosemary, chives)
- 1-2 tsp. lemon juice, fresh
- 1 tsp. lemon zest, or more if preffered
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Sun Dried Tomato Butter
- 8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened
- 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme
- salt and black pepper, to taste
For serving
- bread, crackers, veggies, etc.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Before you begin, be sure to take the butter out and let it come to room temperature on the counter for ~30 minutes.
- Make each butter. For the basil butter, combine all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened, 1/2 heaping cup fresh basil, chopped, 3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press, salt, to taste
- For the cinnamon sugar butter, combine all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, pinch of salt
- For the roasted garlic in the garlic herb butter: To make the roasted garlic, cut ¼ inch off from the top of the garlic. Drizzle olive oil all around it. Wrap in foil and bake at 400°F for ~45 minutes. For the butter, combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth, mashing the garlic pieces in the butter.1 head garlic, roasted*
- Optional but pretty: top the butter with fried garlic pieces. See recipe notes below for how to make them.
- For the garlic herb butter, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth, mashing the garlic pieces in the butter. Optional but pretty: top the butter with fried garlic pieces.8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened, 2-4 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, thyme, dill, rosemary, chives), 1-2 tsp. lemon juice, fresh, 1 tsp. lemon zest, or more if preffered, salt and black pepper, to taste
- For the sun dried tomato butter, combine all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.8 oz. unsalted European style butter, softened, 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped, 3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press, 1 tsp. fresh thyme, salt and black pepper, to taste
- Assemble: using a large board of choice, arrange each butter on a quadrant of the board.
- Then make it pretty! Decorate with edible flowers, more zest, fresh herbs, sprinkling of cinnamon or other spices, chopped nuts, flaky sea salt, etc. and serve with bread, crackers, or vegetables.bread, crackers, veggies, etc.
Video
Notes
- I used this recipe for making fried garlic. But I only sliced about 5-7 cloves, not 20 cloves.
- Storage: with fresh herbs, it will last about a week. The cinnamon and sugar butter will last much longer.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Megan from The Broke Girl Table.
