Move over, charcuterie — there’s a trendy new appetizer sensation taking over: the butter board.
If you’re wondering what the heck a butter board is, it’s just as it sounds — a cutting board (or other tray) smeared with butter and served with pieces of butter’s favorite sidekick: bread.
The idea behind the butter board is to let your guests swipe their bread in the butter. It’s the new chips and dip.
But to make a great butter board, one has to do a little more than plunk a stick of butter on a cutting board alongside a loaf of bread and set it on the table.
Butter boards have more of a gourmet vibe — the butter should be softened, then jazzed up with whatever seasonings and mix-ins you choose. They can be visually stunning when set on the table for a gathering or a holiday meal.
The trend took off quickly this fall with a number of TikTok and Instagram videos featuring people showing off their creations of carefully spread butter topped with an array of interesting flavors, from sweet to savory.
The first butter board was posted by a food influencer named Justine Doiron, who credited a cookbook author and chef in Oregon named Joshua McFadden.
Doiron said McFadden’s 2017 cookbook “Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables” inspired her butter board creation. From there, the idea quickly spread.
Buying good quality butter can be a bit pricey and there are more options available now than ever before. But before you go purchase some fancy European butter to use for your butter board, try making your own at home.
I had heard that you could make your own butter by pouring heavy whipping cream into a food processor and processing it for less than five minutes but I was skeptical — it couldn’t possibly be that easy.
But it is.
Once the cream is whipped beyond the whipped cream stage, it becomes more solid as the buttermilk is separated from the cream. The watery buttermilk is discarded and the remaining butter is rinsed in cold water, then it’s ready to go.
I used my homemade butter to craft a couple of butter boards. One of the boards I made was sweet: I added a pinch of brown sugar, some chopped black figs, chopped dried cranberries, a hint of cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt.
I topped it off with some toasted, chopped hazelnuts and some chopped, honey-roasted pistachios.
I served it with slices of fresh raisin bread, which turned out to be a fantastic combination. It would be a nice addition to a turkey dinner, or would work well with croissants at a brunch.
The other butter board I made featured chopped, fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. For seasonings I added some sea salt and a few grinds from a pepper mill.
The herb butter paired nicely with right-from-the-oven snowflake rolls and a chicken dinner.
With this latest trend, the possibilities are endless.
Homemade Butter
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
Add the cream to a food processor and process on high until butter forms and buttermilk has separated (about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes). Pour off the buttermilk and keep the remaining solids in the food processor.
Add 1/2 cup of ice water to the food processor and use a rubber spatula to mash and stir the butter. Pour the water off (it will be cloudy). Repeat adding ice water and rinsing the butter until the water is no longer cloudy. Process the butter for an additional 30 seconds, then transfer the butter to a lidded container. Stir in the salt, if using, before serving.
Cranberry and Fig Butter Board
- 1 cup of butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/4 cup black figs, chopped
- Bread of choice for serving
Add the butter to a cutting board or serving tray and use the back of a spoon to smear the butter around so it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon. Top the butter with chopped cranberries and figs and serve with bread of choice.
Herb Butter Board
- 1 cup of butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as rosemary, sage and thyme, chopped
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Several grinds of pepper
- Bread of choice for serving
Add the butter to a cutting board or serving tray and use the back of a spoon to smear the butter around the board so it’s about 1/4 inch thick.
Sprinkle the herbs all over the butter, then season it with salt and pepper.
Serve with bread or rolls of choice.