Sweet and extra creamy homemade honey butter with a pinch of sea salt is unbelievable on just about anything. This quick and easy recipe will take your already-delicious rolls, biscuits, or whole wheat pancakes to a whole new level. One taste and you’ll be looking for more excuses to make it!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
This homemade honey butter topping will become a staple in your kitchen, especially if you enjoy cornbread, biscuits, rolls, pancakes, and crusty homemade bread.
One reader, Wendy, commented: “I made this to pair with your cornbread and I can’t stop eating either!! Such a simple recipe but the flavor is spot on… ★★★★★”
Another reader, Jessica, commented: “Once in a while I just have to comment because something is sooo good and this honey butter is one of those things!! … And so easy! Sooo delicious. Make this if you’re debating it! Don’t ever eat pancakes without it! ★★★★★”
Grab These 4 Ingredients
- Butter: Start with unsalted butter that’s been softened to room temperature. You can use American-style butter or European-style butter (which has a slightly higher butterfat percentage). Pictured here is Kerrygold brand.
- Honey: Any honey you have is great. Wildflower, clover, raw, Tupelo—they all work here.
- Confectioners’ sugar: My little secret ingredient for ultra-creamy honey butter. It doesn’t make the butter overly sweet.
- Flaky sea salt: If you need a recommendation, I use and love Maldon flaky sea salt.
How to Make Homemade Honey Butter (It’s Easy)
Beat the softened butter because you want it really soft and creamy from the start. If you don’t have a mixer, you can do this with a spoon and some arm muscle.
Beat in the rest of the ingredients until combined.
That’s all… you’re done. Feel free to drizzle extra honey and sprinkle extra salt on top when serving.
Honey butter is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures. When you spread this little indulgence onto a piece of toast, you are on your way to honey-kissed bliss, pure and simple.
Yes, you can freeze honey butter for up to 6 months. Here are 2 methods to freeze: (1) Store in a tightly sealed freezer-friendly container. OR (2) Refrigerate the freshly made honey butter until solid and then spoon it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze. After either method of freezing, thaw it in the refrigerator before using. If desired, after it has thawed, you can bring it to room temperature and beat with a mixer until it’s extra creamy.
If the butter you are using is pasteurized, the honey butter should be refrigerated after 2 days. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 months.
Absolutely. You may not need more than 1/4 teaspoon of flaky sea salt. (But feel free to add more to taste.)
You can take the extra step to brown the butter first, and then wait for it to solidify at room temperature (this takes a few hours). You want it at room temperature before beating until creamy. If you decide to use browned butter, start with 2 extra Tablespoons of butter to account for the moisture evaporation that occurs when browning it.
4 Honey Butter Variations
- Cinnamon Honey Butter: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to it. Or even some pumpkin pie spice!
- Hot Honey Butter: For a little kick of heat, use your favorite brand of hot honey, or simply use regular honey and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. I include a recipe with this crusty no-knead pizza bread!
- Maple Butter: Try using maple syrup instead of honey. This is exceptional on whole wheat pancakes.
- Whipped Honey Butter: The longer you beat it, the more air gets introduced. With a handheld mixer or with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the honey butter on high speed for at least 5 minutes, until it’s nice and fluffy.
Tasty Vehicles for Your Honey Butter
These are just a few suggestions—I’m sure you can think of many, many more ways to enjoy it!
For breakfast…
- Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Homemade Brioche French Toast
- Biscuits
- Healthy Banana Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
- Blueberry Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Pumpkin Spice Waffles
- Buttermilk Waffles
For snack or anytime…
- No-Knead Honey Oat Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Zucchini Bread & Zucchini Muffins
- No-Knead Cranberry Nut Bread
- Blueberry Scones, Chocolate Chip Scones, or Cranberry Orange Scones
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- Homemade Brioche
At the dinner table…
- Irish Soda Bread
- Oatmeal Molasses Dinner Rolls
- Cornbread & Cornbread Muffins
- Soft Dinner Rolls & Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
- Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Soft Pretzel Rolls
Homemade Honey Butter
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: just over 1 cup
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sweet and extra creamy homemade honey butter with a pinch of sea salt is unbelievable on just about anything. This quick and easy recipe will take your already-delicious rolls, biscuits, or whole wheat pancakes to a whole new level.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature*
- 1/3 cup (113g) honey
- 3 Tablespoons (23g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt*
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients, starting with only 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Beat on medium-high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. Taste. Add more salt (up to 1/4 teaspoon) if desired.
- Serve with a drizzle of honey and/or a sprinkle of sea salt. Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 months.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: You can freeze honey butter for up to 6 months. Here are 2 methods to freeze: (1) Place into a tightly-sealing freezer-friendly container and freeze. OR (2) Refrigerate the freshly made honey butter until solid and then spoon it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and freeze. After either method of freezing, thaw it in the refrigerator before using. If desired, after it has thawed, you can bring it to room temperature and beat with a mixer until it’s extra creamy.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Flaky Sea Salt
- Butter: You can use salted butter in this recipe instead of unsalted. Start with just 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt. Add more, as instructed, to taste.
- Cinnamon Honey Butter: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon when you add the honey. Or even some pumpkin pie spice!
- Hot Honey: For a little kick of heat, use your favorite brand of hot honey, or simply use regular honey and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Maple Butter: Use pure maple syrup instead of honey.
- Fluffy Whipped Honey Butter: The longer you beat the honey butter, the more air gets introduced. With a handheld mixer or with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the honey butter on high speed for at least 5 minutes (instead of just 1 minute), until it’s nice and fluffy.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I don’t even know where to leave this message or under which recipe. I have been following your recipes for years now. I don’t even mean to. I just find a recipe I love and use it over and over. I bake a lot and use a wide range of your recipes, especially your breads 😀 I love them and love your site. Thank you for all you do and the work you put into this.
Thank you so much!
Do you think ghee would work for this?
Hi Jennie, we don’t do much baking with ghee, but from what we understand, ghee doesn’t stay whipped for very long, so it may not be the best candidate here.
I made this with Greek yogurt and served it to spread on chocolate sourdough bread. Sensational! A perfect match.
I think I just ate a whole stick of butter by myself. With hot biscuits right out of the oven… *chef’s kiss*
Amazing!
Do you really need to put the powdered sugar in the recipe since honey is being used to sweetened the butter?
Hi Shari, the confectioners’ sugar helps to make the butter nice and creamy. You can omit if you’d like, but the butter will be a bit thinner.
I made this recipe to go with my homemade crescent rolls and it was a big hit. However, I have a question. When I refrigerated what was left, it solidified. It actually seems harder than a refrigerated stick of butter. Did I not whip it long enough, or is this normal?
Hi Sue, that is normal, honey will get quite hard when cold. Let it come to room temperature to use again!
Getting ready to make this & just have a question. We don’t refrigerate our butter; never goes bad. We don’t refrigerate our honey; never goes bad. I learned that growing up on the farm. So why must the honey butter be refrigerated? Does the sugar affect the butter?
Hi Belva! To err on the side of caution, we recommend storing butter in the fridge. Plus, the honey makes the butter thinner – honey butter holds a better texture if stored in the fridge. Hope you love it!
Delicious, I added 1 tsp cinnamon
Can I put the jars in a hot water bath to seal
Hi Sarah! We haven’t tested canning this honey butter. Let us know if you do!
This is so good – especially with your cornbread!
On another note, I’d love to see a recipe for cinnamon butter (similar to the Great Harvest Bread Company’s cinnamon butter) !
Wow! I was surprised to see this recipe. I am from Bulgaria and that’s what my grandmother used to make for me. I still make it for myself and for my kids. We only use honey and butter, though. And it is just so much different and way better when combined, instead of just butter on a toast topped with honey. One of my most favorite things on Earth!
Sally OMG absolutely delicious, I made it for my grand son and he LOVED it keep up the good recipes.
My goodness it tastes so delicious!!! Pair it with our Japanese milk buns <3
This is AMAZING!!!!!! Where I live there is a restaurant that has honey butter but lately it hasn’t been good. So we went to another restaurant and when i got home i was craving honey butter. I went online I saw your recipe. Never regret it! I will definitely use this again! Thank you!:)
I made Paul Hollywood’s tea cakes and wanted something extra good to spread on them. I added about a teaspoon of cinnamon. It’s delicious. Highly recommend. It would be good on so many things.
Hey Sally.. Just wondering.. Does this recipe double or triple week for larger quantity.. Family Of 8 coming this weekend.. Want enough 🙂
Definitely. Hope it’s a hit, Michelle!
I made these for my croissants for dinner and this is the best honey butter! Love it, thank you for this recipe! :3
You never steer me.wrong and this recipe came out perfect as always! Thanks for making my dinner rolls extra delicious.
I’m making sweet Hawaiian rolls and can’t wait to glaze this honey butter on top ! Yummy!
This turned out nicely! Made little biscuit sandwiches with honey butter and fried chicken and it was a delicious breakfast 🙂
This stuff is amazing!!!
This is absolutely delicious! We love it on biscuits and cornbread. It keeps a long time in the refrigerator, too.
Hi Sally!
I just made your honey butter and it looks delish! I added cinnamon like your suggestion, also with a pinch of nutmeg. My homemade bread also just came out of the oven, and I can’t wait to try them together!
I made this to pair with your cornbread and I can’t stop eating either!! Such a simple recipe but the flavor is spot on. Thank you for your great recipes!!
I’m planning on making the honey butter for the strawberry buttermilk pancakes. Should I add the cinnamon or do without it? Thanks!
Hi Alan, either way would be delicious with strawberry buttermilk pancakes. If you enjoy cinnamon, go for it!
Thanks Lexi! I made the honey butter with cinnamon… OMG! Delish!
Hi Sally, just want to let you know that your Homemade Honey Butter is.the.bomb! Everybody loved it! Thanks for all the yummy recipe. Happy New Year!
I am one of your biggest fans and pretty much bake everything that you post. I only comment once in a while though because I always forget. But once in a while I just have to comment because something is sooo good and this honey butter is one of those things!! On pancakes. Omg. Life changing. So simple yet soo good. And so easy! I only used 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. And the full 1/2 teaspoon of salt because I love sweet and salty. Sooo delicious. Make this if you’re debating it! Don’t ever eat pancakes without it!
Hey Sally! We’re moving offices at work, and I would love to surprise my co-workers with some goodies on our first day at the new location! If I pair these with your jalapeno cornbread muffins, would you add the cinnamon? Or use salted butter for a more pronounced salted flavor? I guess what I’m asking is are there any adjustments you’d make to either recipe so that they pair as perfectly as possible? 🙂 Thanks, Sally–you never steer me wrong!
What a nice surprise for the new office! To pair with the jalapeño cornbread muffins, I wouldn’t add cinnamon to this honey butter. I would simply make it how it is! Seriously. If you want to pair it with a blueberry muffin, for example, I would add cinnamon.