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Six bowls of sweet and savory compound butter with bread, citrus, herbs, and raspberries

Maple Compound Butter

Creamy maple butter for toast, pancakes, and cornbread. See the recipe notes for five more sweet and savory variations, each using 4 ounces of butter.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ounces butter 113 g, softened but not melted
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Method
 

  1. Place the softened butter in a bowl and beat with a spoon or hand mixer until smooth.
  2. Add the maple syrup a little at a time, beating after each addition until evenly incorporated.
  3. Taste and adjust the sweetness if desired. Serve soft, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Five alternative flavors: For each, use 4 ounces (113 g) softened butter and replace the maple syrup with the flavorings below. These make separate batches; do not add every flavor to one bowl.
  • Lemon thyme: 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme.
  • Garlic rosemary: 1 small garlic clove, finely minced, and 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary.
  • Raspberry: 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry preserves.
  • Cinnamon honey: 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
  • Orange vanilla: 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Beat the butter first, add flavorings gradually, and taste. Unsalted butter gives you control; add a small pinch of salt if desired. Yield varies slightly with the add-ins. Soften only enough to mix; do not melt.
Keep covered in the refrigerator at 40°F or below and use within 4 days. Freeze small portions for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator. This is a refrigerated butter spread, not a shelf-stable preserve. Prep time excludes softening and chilling.