We go through a lot of spreadable butter in our house because we love it. What we don’t love is the price. A large container from Land O’ Lakes, like the one pictured above, costs over $3.00 (usually closer to $4.00) for what amounts to about 3 sticks of butter and some oil. When butter is on sale you can get 4 sticks for $2. So I’ve been on a mission to make my own spreadable butter to save money.
Apparently the 3rd attempt is the charm as my most recent batch came out excellent – it spreads evenly and tastes great!
The first time I made it the oil taste was overwhelming. The second time I made it I used evaporated milk instead, as someone online had suggested, and not only did it look weird (although it tasted fine), it spoiled too quickly (within two weeks). It literally grew mold which was gross.
So here’s my guide on how to make spreadable butter the right way.
Note: The oil to butter ratio you want to use is 1/3 cup oil for every stick of butter.
1) Use a good canola oil. I always thought that all canola oils are made the same but on my first attempt I used Market Pantry canola oil and I was disappointed with the flavor. This time I used Wesson. BIG difference in taste. I love generic foods but in this case the name brand was better. It must be how it’s processed because I noticed the Wesson canola oil is much lighter in color than Market Pantry’s.
2) Use your favorite salted butter. In this case Target brand butter – Market Pantry – wins for me. It has a perfect creamy texture and the right amount of salt.
3) Remove your desired amount of butter from the refrigerator and let it soften.
4) Put the butter in a food processor and mix it up until smooth.
5) Add your oil slowly, while continuing to mix, making sure everything is mixed thoroughly.
6) Transfer to your desired container and store in the refrigerator.
The butter should keep good for three months which is more than enough time to eat it all, at least in this household!
Since I like to reuse containers, I found that 3 sticks of butter is the perfect amount to fill up the large Land O’ Lakes spreadable butter container. Just make sure to clean it out real good between batches.
