14 Ingredients That Will Take Store-Bought Butter To The Next Level

We all know the power of butter. It's practically the same word as better for a reason. But what if we made our store-bought butter even better? Upgrading butter is easy. Let that butter soften at room temperature and then choose an ingredient to mix in. But what should you mix in? That's the hard part! Garlic butter? A classic crowd-pleaser. Cinnamon sugar butter? Sweet perfection. But let's go beyond the basics. Get ready to peek into your pantry, go down a new grocery store aisle, and maybe even raid the alcohol cabinet. Or just add water. (Yes, water. Stay with us here.)

Once you've mixed in your chosen ingredients, you have options. Keep it soft and spreadable for instant gratification, or make a compound butter to have on hand all week. Just roll your butter into a log using plastic wrap or parchment paper, twist the ends like candy, and chill it. When it's firm, slice off a perfect pat to elevate just about anything. 

Do you want to make blue cheese butter for that special steak, citrus butter for superior scones, or coffee butter for better bagels? Butterly brilliant options abound, so get ready to spread the joy — and the butter.

Give your butter a zesty makeover by adding a bit of paprika. Whether you prefer the mild and peppery flavor of sweet paprika or the spicy kick of hot paprika, this easy butter offers an easy upgrade for your savory dishes. Spread it on meat before grilling, melt it into rice, or perk up your corn on the cob. And if you enjoy the traditional sprinkle of paprika on deviled eggs, try a drizzle of melted paprika butter over fried eggs at breakfast.

To make paprika butter, combine 1 cup of softened butter (two sticks), 1 tablespoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of coarse salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper. Stir together until well blended, and you're ready to enjoy! Experiment with this basic paprika butter by adding other flavors — a bit of grated garlic and finely chopped rosemary make a great upgrade. Or really spice things up with a dash of hot sauce. Use paprika butter right away, or keep it on hand in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week — you'll find plenty of opportunities to savor this versatile condiment.

Sure, regular store-bought butter is fine for your warm dinner rolls and baked potatoes. But why settle for fine? With one ingredient, you can turn fine into fantastic. Just combine 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard with ½ cup (one stick) of softened butter. If you feel like adding more ingredients, mustard plays well with herby flavors, so you might toss in a tablespoon of chopped chives, parsley, or tarragon. And if you're in the mood to brighten things up, toss in a teaspoon of lemon zest.

Keep this mustard butter soft, and use it as a dip for pretzels or breadsticks. Slather it on bread before making your next grilled cheese. Alternatively, wrap it up in parchment or wax paper, roll it into a log, and chill it for a couple of hours. Once firm, you'll have a sliceable butter log ready for steaks, vegetables, pasta, and all your dishes begging for a tangy mustard twist.

With just a sprinkle of lemon or lime zest, plain store-bought butter turns into a zingy sensation. That tiny burst of citrus adds a refreshing twist to sweet and savory dishes. Swap regular butter with lime butter in your favorite buttercream frosting recipe. Easily zest up a whole chicken with lemon compound butter. For those savory creations, lemon or lime butter is also a perfect gateway to more complex compound butters — adding a bit of zest quickly brightens the flavor of garlic and herb spreads.

But don't let lemon and lime have all the fun. Citrusy orange butter also pairs beautifully with both sweet and savory dishes. Make it extra orangey with some juice and even a splash of orange liqueur. Here's how: Combine ½ cup of room-temperature unsalted butter with the zest of one large navel orange and ¼ cup of sugar in a food processor. Whip it up until it's fluffy. Slowly drizzle in ¼ cup orange juice and 1 ½ tablespoons of orange liqueur, mixing until the liquid vanishes into buttery bliss. This orange butter is a perfect companion for scones and melts over chicken into tangy goodness.

Can't decide from among orange, lemon, or lime? Use the zest of all three! That's what brings big flavor energy to Mashed's recipe for slow-baked salmon and citrus butter. But this trifecta zest isn't just for fish — it brightens veggies and takes baked goods like blueberry or cranberry muffins to the next level.

Seaweed is underrated in many Western kitchens. It's a nutritional powerhouse and a potent source of umami. Combine that umami burst with butter, and you've got a spread that'll turn a slice of sourdough into something worth crossing the ocean for. When making seaweed butter, dulse is a great catch. Known as "bacon of the sea" (yes, you read that right — dulse actually tastes like bacon when cooked!), this red seaweed grows along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. But don't worry about donning your diving gear — you can find dulse at natural food stores or online.

To make seaweed butter, you'll need 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter at room temperature and about 1/3 cup of dulse. Spread the dulse on a baking sheet and cook at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, until crisp. Let it cool for 10 minutes — a perfect time to cube up your butter into 1-inch pieces. Then, use your food processor and pulse the dulse into tiny pieces. Add the butter, and pulse together for about 30 seconds until well mixed. Use this spread right away, or let it chill in the fridge for later.

While slathering this seaweed butter on sourdough until you can't see the bread anymore is a perfectly respectable life choice, don't stop there. It's a great substitute for regular butter in any savory dish where you want more umami flavor — use it to sauté mushrooms, dollop it on grilled fish, or drop it into soups for added depth.

Miso is a secret ingredient worth stashing in your pantry. If it's bold enough to headline its own soup, imagine what miso can do with butter. It creates a savory, salty, and umami-rich condiment ready for melting over fish, steaks, veggies, and more.

Navigating the miso aisle is a flavorful adventure — from the gentle white miso to the bold red miso. Yellow miso is a happy medium that's just right for everything, especially butter.

All you need for this easy one-ingredient butter upgrade is ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened to the perfect smoosh-ability, and 4 tablespoons of your chosen miso paste. With a fork or electric mixer, cream the butter and miso paste together until smooth and fully combined. If you feel like it, add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Serve miso butter soft, or roll it into a log, chill it in the fridge, and slice off pieces as needed. It'll last a few days, and you'll have an umami-packed flavor booster ready for all your savory creativity.

Ginger butter is as easy as mixing a heaping teaspoon of minced ginger into ¼ cup of softened butter. Slather it on toast, bagels, or biscuits. Melt it over steamed veggies. Or drizzle it over popcorn to elevate your movie night snack.

But don't limit ginger butter to a topping — it really shines as a flavored fat to transform your savory and sweet creations. Use it as a base for stir-frying vegetables, tofu, or meat. Scramble your eggs in it for an aromatic start to your day. Let ginger butter bring out the flavors when you sauté garlic or mushrooms. You can even grease your pan with it for muffins, quick breads, or pancakes.

Ginger is all you need to avoid boring butter, but you can also infuse ginger butter with additional flavors. Add a small splash of soy sauce, or mix in some chopped basil or garlic to create ginger butter varieties you can't resist.

Your butter might be missing cheese. Adding cheese is such an easy way to elevate butter that you'll be wondering why store-bought butter is ever left as is. A basic starting point for cheese butter is ½ cup (one stick) of softened unsalted butter and ¼ cup of your favorite cheese. Combine until well blended, and voilà — you've got better butter. You might also add in a couple of teaspoons of herbs, along with salt and pepper to taste. You can keep it soft for easy spreading or roll it into logs, chill, and slice into rounds as needed.

Cheese lovers can have fun playing matchmaker. Does your butter want to meet shredded sharp cheddar, grated parmesan, or maybe blue cheese crumbles? Imagine the tasty possibilities — cheddar butter sliding over a steaming hot ear of corn. A slice of blue cheese butter melting over a grilled steak. Parmesan butter blending with warm pasta for a simple yet flavorful dish. Butter loves cheese — and you'll love cheese butter.

Bacon and butter? Yes, please! Adding bacon to butter can save even the blandest of biscuits. To make this savory hero, cook up 8 slices of bacon over medium heat until crisp (about 3 to 5 minutes per side). Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, but don't ditch all that bacon fat — reserve a tablespoon for later. Toss the crispy bacon, ½ cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter, the reserved bacon fat, and a pinch of pepper into a food processor. Give it a whirl until it's well mixed. That's all you need for brilliant bacon butter — but you can always make this bacon butter base even better. Toss in a few tablespoons of chopped chives or some pickled jalapeño peppers for a spicy kick.

In addition to slathering over biscuits, bacon butter makes a great flavor bomb for soups, adds an extra layer of meaty richness when melted over grilled steak, and loves to sneak into all the little spaces between kernels on an ear of corn. Enjoy the smoky, savory potential of bacon to raise store-bought butter to new heights.

Berry butter is like a brunch party starter. Spread it into the nooks and crannies of an English muffin, swirl it into your oatmeal, or dollop it onto a slice of pound cake. Take your pick of flavors and approaches — fresh strawberries, frozen blackberries, or raspberry preserves all work tastefully to turn your store-bought butter into a special treat.

To make berry butter with fresh or frozen berries, start with ½ cup (1 stick) of room-temperature butter. Toss the butter into the food processor with ½ cup of your berries of choice (if using frozen berries, let them thaw to room temperature before mixing them with the butter). Pulse until well mixed and the butter is fluffy. Add a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar if you're feeling sweet.

No fresh berries? No problem! Berry butter is a year-round treat with the help of preserves. Plus, using preserves makes the butter an extra vibrant color — it'll become the highlight of your brunch. Use an electric mixer to combine ½ cup (1 stick) of softened butter with ½ cup berry preserves. If using unsalted butter, consider a pinch of salt to balance the sweet. With berry butter on hand, your pancakes, French toast, and other breakfast staples will never be the same.

The buzz around butter is that it's made to be with honey. For a basic honey butter, just stir together ½ cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter, ¼ cup honey, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well mixed. This is a perfect butter for cornbread, berry muffins, and other baked goods. It also pairs well with savory foods like fried chicken or sweet potatoes.

Don't feel limited to the basic honey butter recipe — there's a whole hive of possibilities. Along with the butter, honey, and salt, stir in a heaping teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to create a dreamy spread for warm rolls. Or make a cozy chai honey butter to flavor your morning oatmeal — just add a pinch of pepper with ¼ teaspoon each of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger to the basic honey butter recipe. Or take that basic honey butter recipe, and toss in ½ teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and dark chili powder to create a cornbread topping with an extra kick. Whatever you do with your honey butter, chances are your taste buds will be buzzing with delight.

Transform ordinary butter into a maple-infused treat that'll have you looking for excuses to spread it on everything. Top off banana bread, take your morning toast to the next level, or use maple butter as your secret spread on a fried chicken sandwich.

To make maple butter, let ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter soften at room temperature. For a more intense maple flavor, use ½ cup dark or robust maple syrup, and simmer it into greatness. Over medium heat, bring the syrup to a gentle simmer, then reduce to medium-low, and let it bubble away for 10 to 12 minutes. Watch closely — the bubbles will start to slow down as the syrup thickens and reduces by about a quarter. Cool the concentrated syrup completely, about 30 minutes of agonizing anticipation.

Grab your electric hand mixer, and beat the softened butter for about a minute, until smooth and creamy. Add the cooled maple syrup, along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Beat everything for another 1 to 2 minutes, until fluffy. Enjoy maple butter right away or refrigerate, covered, for up to a week. If it's been chilling, let the maple butter come back to room temperature, and give it a quick rewhip to fluff it up before serving this irresistible spread.

You may have heard about adding a pat of butter to your hot coffee to create a smooth and rich drink. But let's flip the script. What if we put coffee in butter? It's a fun and easy way to add an extra flavor boost to your morning. Coffee butter perks up a plain bagel, swirls right in with cinnamon toast, and adds pizzazz to pancakes.

Making coffee butter is easy enough to do even before you've had your first cup of coffee (probably). Just mix 1 teaspoon of espresso powder with ½ teaspoon of very hot water in a bowl. Add ¼ cup (half a stick) of softened butter and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Beat it all together until well mixed. If you have the energy, play around with the recipe — add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cocoa powder.

Once you've mixed the ingredients, roll it into a log using parchment paper or plastic wrap. Twist the ends closed, pop it in the fridge, and let it chill. Now you've got a ready-to-slice log of coffee-infused spreadable joy, primed to be part of a morning ritual worth waking up for.

Store-bought butter can become the life of the party by adding just one ingredient — vodka. Use 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened unsalted butter, and blend it in a food processor with 3 ounces of vodka (roughly two standard shots). Serve this up on crostini with salty toppings like tapenade or sauerkraut. You can also use vodka butter as a base for other butter compounds — be creative, and let those inhibitions go. Add herbs, garlic, or horseradish, and dollop it on potatoes, or blend in citrus zest and cracked pepper for a bright finish that makes seafood sing. The best part? Unlike other vodka-fueled experiments, playing with vodka butter flavors leads to fun, not regrets — no fuzzy memories or headaches here!

Not a fan of hard liquor? How about beer butter instead? No, we're not talking about Harry Potter's Butterbeer. We're talking about a different sort of magic — cooking beer to intensify its flavor and mixing it into butter. To create this potion, warm 1/3 cup of beer in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer until you're left with ½ tablespoon of beer. Cool the concentrated brew, then blend it with ½ cup (1 stick) of softened butter, 1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives, and ½ tablespoon of spicy brown mustard. This beer butter loves to hang out with fried foods, especially those beer-battered favorites — serve it soft for dipping onion rings or as a condiment with fried fish. Cheers to better butter!

With just one ingredient, you can transform plain store-bought butter into a luxurious sauce. All it takes is water! We're talking about beurre monté (French for "mounted butter"), a culinary trick that creates a thick and creamy emulsion that might make your regular melted butter feel a touch inadequate.

The emulsification process behind beurre monté might be confusing, but the process of making it is not. Start with 3 tablespoons of water and ½ cup (1 stick) of cold butter, cut into cubes. Simmer the water gently — avoid a raging boil. Whisk in the butter, one cube at a time, until it melts into a creamy dream. That's it. Feel free to adjust the butter and water ratio if you're up for a bigger batch. Just don't make too much extra. Though it can hang out on your stovetop on the lowest heat for up to 4 hours, it's truly at its best served soon after preparation. You can refrigerate leftover sauce, but it will no longer be beurre monté (when reheated, you'll get regular melted butter).

Beurre monté makes a restaurant-quality finishing sauce with a glossy sheen and velvety richness. Drizzle it over steak and roasted vegetables. Serve it alongside artichokes or shrimp for dipping. Unlike regular melted butter, which tends to slip-slide away, beurre monté is thick and clingy. It's also a perfect poaching liquid. Delicate fish fillets, tender asparagus, and baby potatoes thrive in the steady, even heat of this buttery bliss.