Compound Butters: 16 Easy Flavored Butters That Make Holiday Rolls, Turkey and Steak Taste Restaurant-Made

Compound butters are the cheapest holiday upgrade you can make, and they take about ten minutes. Soften a block of butter, stir in herbs, garlic, honey, fruit or spice, roll it into a log, chill it and slice off a coin whenever you need one. Restaurants have done this for over a century, and home cooks are catching on fast: one chef’s short video on upgrading butter passed 1.7 million views, and other compound butter videos on YouTube sit between 300,000 and almost a million views each. These logs keep about a week in the fridge and months in the freezer, so you can make them now for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here are 16 easy flavored butters for warm rolls, turkey, steak, seafood, corn and breakfast, each with what you will need and simple steps..

Garlic Herb Butter, the Classic of All Compound Butters

If you only make one of these compound butters, make garlic herb, the classic. It goes on everything on the holiday table: rubbed under turkey skin, melted over mashed potatoes, spread on rolls or tossed with green beans. The trick is grating the garlic very finely so no one bites into a raw chunk, and using plenty of fresh parsley and chives so the butter turns pale green. Make a double log, keep one in the fridge for the week and freeze the other for Christmas morning eggs and toast..

You will need: 1 cup (2 sticks) softened salted butter, 2 grated garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, a pinch of black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. 2. Stir in garlic, herbs, zest and pepper. 3. Spoon onto parchment and roll into a log, twisting the ends. 4. Chill at least 2 hours, then slice into coins.

Cranberry Orange Butter for Warm Dinner Rolls

Of all the sweet compound butters, this rosy one tastes the most like the holidays in one bite. Finely chopped dried cranberries give it tart, chewy pops of color and fresh orange zest makes it smell like a bakery. A spoon of powdered sugar balances the tartness without turning it into frosting. Serve it in a little jar next to a basket of soft rolls, or bring a log of it as a hostess gift. If you need roll ideas, our Thanksgiving dinner rolls gallery has plenty of soft, buttery ones to pair it with.

You will need: 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Whip the butter for 2 minutes until fluffy. 2. Beat in powdered sugar, salt, zest and juice. 3. Fold in the cranberries. 4. Pack into small jars or roll into a log and chill.

Honey Cinnamon Butter Like the Steakhouse Rolls

Plenty of people go to steakhouse chains just for the warm bread and that sweet, fluffy cinnamon butter. The good news is it takes three ingredients to make at home. Whip the butter until it is almost white, then beat in honey, a little powdered sugar and cinnamon. It stays soft and spreadable straight from the fridge thanks to the honey. Spread it on rolls, sweet potatoes, cornbread or toast, and expect the bowl to come back to the kitchen empty.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of vanilla (optional).

How to make it: 1. Whip the butter with a mixer for 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Add honey, sugar and cinnamon and beat until fluffy. 3. Spoon into a bowl and swirl the top. 4. Drizzle with a little extra honey and dust with cinnamon to serve.

Maple Pecan Butter, the Sweetest of the Compound Butters

Toasting the pecans first is what makes this compound butter taste like pecan pie. Chop them small so the butter still slices cleanly, then sweeten it with real maple syrup and a pinch of salt. One coin melting on a hot buttermilk biscuit is a whole breakfast, and a few slices on top of roasted sweet potatoes make a side dish that steals the show. Like most sweet compound butters, it is also wonderful on waffles, banana bread and warm cornbread.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 1/2 cup toasted finely chopped pecans, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Toast pecans in a dry pan for 4 minutes and cool. 2. Beat butter with maple syrup and cinnamon. 3. Fold in the pecans and salt. 4. Roll into a log in parchment and chill until firm.

Pumpkin Spice Butter for Pancakes and Waffles

This orange tinted butter turns a plain stack of pancakes into a fall breakfast. A few spoons of canned pumpkin puree give it color and body, brown sugar adds a caramel note and pumpkin pie spice does the rest. Because it contains pumpkin, it is softer than most compound butters, so keep it in a jar rather than a log. Spread it on waffles, French toast, bagels or warm muffins, or melt a spoonful into hot oatmeal.

You will need: 1/2 cup softened butter, 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter until creamy. 2. Add pumpkin, sugar, spice, syrup and salt. 3. Beat until smooth and evenly orange. 4. Store in a jar in the fridge and use within 5 days.

Sage Brown Butter for Turkey, Fish and Squash

Brown butter is regular butter cooked until the milk solids turn golden and smell like toasted hazelnuts, which is why the French call it beurre noisette. Add crisp sage leaves and you have a holiday classic. Spoon it over roast turkey slices, butternut squash, gnocchi or a simple piece of white fish like this halibut. You can also chill brown butter until it firms up again, stir in chopped fried sage and roll it into a log that melts beautifully under turkey skin.

You will need: 1 cup butter, 12 fresh sage leaves, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter in a light colored pan over medium heat. 2. Swirl until it foams and turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. 3. Add sage leaves and fry 30 seconds, then add salt and lemon. 4. Use warm, or chill, stir and roll into a log.

German Kraeuterbutter, the Garlic Herb Butter for Grill Nights

In Germany, Kraeuterbutter, which simply means herb butter, sits on almost every grill and steak plate, often piped into pretty rosettes on a lettuce leaf. It is packed with more herbs than most American versions: parsley, chives, dill and a little garlic, plus a pinch of paprika for color. Pipe it with a star tip for a festive look on a holiday buffet, or roll it into a log. It is wonderful on grilled meats, baked potatoes and crusty baguette slices.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon each chopped chives and dill, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, a squeeze of lemon.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter until fluffy. 2. Mix in herbs, garlic, paprika and lemon. 3. Pipe rosettes onto parchment with a star tip, or roll into a log. 4. Chill until firm and serve with grilled meat or bread.

Steakhouse Blue Cheese Chive Butter

Of all the savory compound butters, this is the one that makes a home steak taste like a steakhouse order. Crumbled blue cheese melts into the hot meat, chives keep it fresh and a little black pepper ties it together. Slice a thick coin and lay it on a steak the second it comes off the heat so it slowly melts while the meat rests. It is just as good on burgers, baked potatoes and grilled mushrooms, and a little goes a very long way.

You will need: 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, a pinch of garlic powder.

How to make it: 1. Mash the butter and blue cheese with a fork. 2. Stir in chives, pepper and garlic powder. 3. Roll into a log and chill 2 hours. 4. Top hot steaks with a thick slice while they rest.

Compound Butters for Prime Rib and Bone-In Steaks

A big bone-in steak or a holiday prime rib deserves a big coin of herb butter on top. As the butter melts, the parsley, garlic and shallot run into the juices and make an instant pan sauce on the plate. Make the log a few days ahead, then slice thick rounds and set them on the meat right after slicing. A pinch of flaky salt on top of the butter adds crunch. Serve with crispy fries or roast potatoes for a bistro style dinner.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 minced shallot, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, black pepper, flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Cook the shallot in a little butter for 2 minutes and cool. 2. Beat butter with shallot, herbs, garlic and mustard. 3. Roll into a log and chill overnight. 4. Top sliced prime rib or steak with thick rounds and flaky salt.

Maitre d’Hotel Butter, the Oldest of the Compound Butters

Maitre d’hotel butter is the grandmother of every butter on this list. It is just butter, lemon juice, parsley and salt, and French restaurants have served it on grilled steaks and fish for generations. Its simplicity is the point: bright lemon cuts through rich meat while the parsley keeps every bite fresh. The compound butter entry on Wikipedia traces how these savory butters became restaurant staples. Keep a log ready for quick weeknight steaks.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, a pinch of white pepper.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter until smooth. 2. Add parsley, lemon juice, zest and pepper. 3. Roll into a tight log in plastic wrap. 4. Chill until firm and slice over grilled meat or fish.

Cafe de Paris Butter, the Secret Steak Topping

Cafe de Paris butter was created at a restaurant in Geneva in the 1930s, and the exact recipe is still kept secret. Home versions use a long list of flavor makers: mustard, shallot, garlic, capers, herbs, curry powder, paprika and a little anchovy or Worcestershire. It sounds like a lot, but it all blends into a savory, golden butter that melts into a sauce on top of a steak. Like other compound butters, it freezes well, so make a big batch and freeze slices for the whole season.

You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 minced shallot, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon chopped capers, 1 tablespoon mixed herbs, 1/2 teaspoon each curry powder and paprika, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice.

How to make it: 1. Mix all the flavorings in a bowl. 2. Beat in the soft butter until evenly golden. 3. Roll into a log and chill overnight so the flavors blend. 4. Slice onto steak straight from the grill.

Compound Butters for Salmon: Lemon Dill Butter

Fish and lemon dill butter are a perfect match. Fresh dill, lemon zest and a little garlic turn plain salmon into a dinner that looks like it came from a restaurant kitchen. Lay a few coins on salmon fillets before they go into the oven, or slide one on top right after grilling. These compound butters also work on shrimp, cod, roasted potatoes and steamed green beans, so a log in the freezer covers a lot of quick holiday week meals.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 small grated garlic clove, black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter until creamy. 2. Mix in dill, zest, juice, garlic and pepper. 3. Roll into a log and chill. 4. Top salmon with slices and bake at 400F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Lemon Garlic Butter for Shrimp and Seafood

Garlic butter shrimp is one of the fastest party dishes there is, and a ready log of lemon garlic butter makes it even quicker. Drop a few slices into a hot pan, add the shrimp and cook for about three minutes until they turn pink and curl. The butter becomes an instant sauce to mop up with bread. Use the same butter for scallops, mussels, lobster tails or a simple bowl of pasta on a busy night.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 4 grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

How to make it: 1. Mix butter with garlic, zest, parsley and pepper flakes. 2. Roll into a log and chill. 3. Melt 3 slices in a hot pan, add 1 pound peeled shrimp. 4. Cook 3 minutes, squeeze over lemon and serve.

Chili Lime Butter for Corn on the Cob

This bright butter is inspired by Mexican street corn. Lime zest and juice make it tangy, chili powder and a little smoked paprika make it warm, and cilantro keeps it fresh. Brush it over hot corn on the cob, roasted corn kernels or grilled sweet potatoes and sprinkle with a little crumbled cheese. Because the lime juice can separate, beat it in slowly. These flavored compound butters are also great on popcorn and grilled chicken.

You will need: 1/2 cup softened butter, zest of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, salt.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter with zest and spices. 2. Drizzle in lime juice slowly while beating. 3. Stir in cilantro and salt. 4. Brush or spread on hot corn and serve right away.

Fresh Basil Butter for Bread and Pasta

Basil butter tastes like summer even in December. Pack a big handful of fresh basil leaves with a little garlic and parmesan, chop it all very finely and blend it into soft butter. Compound butters like this one are perfect for bread: spread it on warm crusty slices, toss it with hot pasta or melt it over roasted tomatoes and chicken. For a richer version, add a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Basil darkens over time, so make this one shortly before you need it or freeze it in slices.

You will need: 1/2 cup softened salted butter, 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

How to make it: 1. Finely chop basil and garlic or pulse in a small processor. 2. Blend into butter with parmesan and lemon. 3. Spoon into a small jar. 4. Chill 30 minutes and serve with bread.

How to Gift Compound Butters, Plus Parmesan Garlic Bread Butter

Keep a log of parmesan garlic butter in the freezer and garlic bread is always ten minutes away. Spread it thickly on a split loaf, bake until golden and finish under the broiler. To gift compound butters, pack them in small glass jars or wrap logs in parchment tied with twine, and add a label with the flavor and a use-by date. They keep about one week in the fridge and up to three months frozen, and should always stay chilled.

You will need: 1 cup softened salted butter, 4 grated garlic cloves, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 loaf Italian bread.

How to make it: 1. Mix butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley and seasoning. 2. Spread thickly on the halved loaf. 3. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes, then broil 1 minute. 4. Gift extra butter in small chilled jars with a label.