Whipped lemon butter in a cermic bowl with fresh lemons in the background

I just adore whipped lemon butter! It’s a compound butter that’s smooth and light, with a refreshing tang from the lemon that perfectly complements the buttery richness. Perfect for spreading on hot sourdough toast, pancakes, roasted vegetables, and mashed potatoes!

Close up of whipped lemon butter served with an antique silver knife

I first tasted lemon butter at a restaurant in Skanör, a small town in southern Sweden. It was nearly 20 years ago, but the butter lover in me has been dreaming of it since! This tastes as delicious as I remember!

Ingredients

–1stick / 0.5 Cup / 125 g Butter – At room temperature. I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt. If you use salted butter, you can omit or reduce the salt in this recipe.
–Lemon zest from 1 lemons
-1/2 – 1 teaspoon Coarse Sea salt – I prefer to use coarse salt or salt flakes the salt crystals dissolve on your tongue, leaving a pop of saltiness.

Equipment

Electric mixer or food processor. You can also whip the butter by hand using a whisk.
A small ramekin or jar with a lid
Parchment paper or plastic wrap – for longer storage in the freezer.

Instructions

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter until it has a light and fluffy texture – about 1-2 minutes.

an electric mixer whipping butter in a white ceramic bowl

2. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl add the lemon zest and salt, and whip very briefly to just combine.

lemon zest added to a bowl of whipped butter

A spatula scraping downt butter from the sides of the bowl

Top Tip

We don’t want the salt to melt in the butter when you mix it. The goal is that small salt crystals melt on your tongue. You can start by adding half a teaspoon of salt first and tasting the butter. If you, like me, love salt, you can add more!

3. Transfer your butter to a ramekin or butter dish or wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper.

Side view of whipped lemon butter in a turquoise ceramic bowl with two fresh lemons in the background

If, like me, you love real butter, then you should definitely check out this easy-to-make Wild Garlic Butter and this simple yet insanely flavorful Horseradish Butter. If you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, then this Bone Marrow Butter With Garlic, Rosemary, and Lemon is definitely worth the little extra time it takes to make!

Serving tips

Over head view of emon butter on a silver serving knife

This luxurious butter is best served at room temperature if serving as a spread. If serving a hot dish, like mashed potatoes, you can use the butter cold, straight from the fridge.

-Use lemon butter in any dish that pairs well with lemon, or spread it on hot toast, pancakes, or French toast.
-Fish dishes like baked cod, , and seafood in general taste great with a hint of lemon.
-Roasted vegetables are also divine, with a little of this butter melted through after roasting.

whipped salted lemon butter on sourdough toast — Lemon buttered toast tastes divine!

How to store lemon butter

Store in an airtight contain or tightly wrapped in parchment paper or plastic wrap. I store mine in a little ramekin with a lid.

Variations

I love the simplicity of the flavors in this butter but feel free to add fresh herbs like rosemary, some crushed garlic ( or garlic powder for ease), and season to taste with salt.