This Is Everything You Need to Know About Amish Butter (2024)

Those parchment-wrapped rolls of Amish butter may not be as old-school as you think. But that doesn't mean they aren't delicious.

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You may be too young to know what homemade butter tastes like. Amish butter beckons with a promise to recreate that experience. Shaped into slightly irregular rolls and wrapped in parchment, it conjures images of wholesome women hand-churning small batches of cream until it separates into buttermilk and solids.

You might want to check out this product if you feel like something’s lacking from the typical supermarket butter stick. But before you spend your money, you should know what it is—and what it isn’t.

How Amish Butter Is Made

Amish-style butter is churned cream with a higher dairy fat content than American butter. Instead of being shaped into four-ounce sticks, it typically comes in a one- or two-pound rolled log or wheel, shaped like goat cheese or wax-coated Gouda. You’ll find it in both salted and unsalted varieties.

It’s not necessarily made by women in traditional Amish clothing laboring over a wooden butter churn. Instead, it’s often produced in 1,000-pound electric churners. One major producer, Minerva Dairy, makes millions of pounds per year at a rate of 20,000 pounds per day. Still, by using a slow-churning process that minimizes air in the finished product and avoids breaking down butterfat, Amish butter can achieve a superior texture and flavor. Its rolled shape is based on the traditional Amish technique.

If you live near an Amish community, you may be able to purchase authentic, handmade Amish butter. Still, even if you’re shopping at a roadside stand, farmers market or health food store in Amish country, don’t assume that a product labeled as Amish butter—or emblazoned with a horse-drawn buggy on the label—is handmade by the Amish. It might be made with milk from Amish farmers, or come from Lancaster County dairies.

Amish Butter vs. Regular Butter: What’s the Difference?

Besides how it’s made, the biggest difference is the butterfat content. American-style butter has at least 80% butterfat, and European style has at least 82%. Amish style butter has 84% to 85% butterfat. (Learn more in our Complete Guide to Butter.)

It’s not unique in this distinction, however. Some specialty American butters not marketed as Amish also have this high percentage of butterfat; Vital Farms and Straus Family Creamery are two examples.

Amish butter also isn’t alone in its rolled shape. Kroger’s Private Selection house brand offers a salted roll butter. Iowa’s Kalona Creamery sells hand-rolled butter made in an old-fashioned butter churn. Then there’s Teksut Turkish rolled butter, French Lescure butter rolls, the Devon Cream Company’s double cream butter and Farmhouse Kitchens’ hand-rolled butter. In short, you have lots of choices.

Amish butter has a creamier mouthfeel than regular butter. The color can vary from pale yellow to deeper yellow depending on the cows’ diet: cows that eat grass and flowers produce milk with more beta carotene, leading to yellower butter. Whether an Amish butter is made from grass-fed or pasture-raised cows varies by producer. Amish butter is usually pasteurized, but check the label to be sure.

How to Use and Store Amish Butter

Amish butter, or any higher-fat butter, will have the biggest impact in a recipe whose flavor relies on butter. Think perfect pie crust, fresh herb butter or Swedish butter cookies. Use the Amish butter instead of the regular butter and enhance the flavors ofyour Amish Christmas dishes.

Like other butters, it’s a good idea to keep it refrigerated so it lasts longer. However, you can keep a week’s worth of butter on your counter in a butter dish without risking spoilage. With a butter crock, it may last at cool room temperature even longer.

For long-term storage, wrap Amish butter in its original packaging plus an extra layer of plastic. Store it in the freezer, where it may last for up to two years.

Where to Buy Amish Butter

Since it’s marketed as an artisanal product, Amish-style butter can be pricey compared to supermarket stick butter, but not always. It depends on the brand and the store. The high price of some Amish butters is why we think we should know what you’re getting before you spend a lot of money.

Nationwide, it’s easier to find commercialized Amish-style butter. If you can’t find it in your local supermarket, here are five Amish-style butters you can order online or find in national chain stores. Keep in mind that two-day shipping with cold packs can make your order awfully pricey. The prices listed below don’t include shipping, which varies by seller and location.

  • Minerva Dairy Amish Roll Butter: Produced in Minerva, Ohio, this company has been making Amish butter since 1894. It comes in rolls or sticks, and in addition to traditional salted and unsalted varieties, you can get garlic herb, maple syrup, pumpkin spice or smoked flavors. Buy just one or two pounds from private sellers on Amazon, or get it in bulk from WebRestaurantStore.com or GoldBelly.com. Cost: $10 to $28 per two-pound roll.
  • Amish Country Roll Butter: Since 1946, this brand has made butter from a traditional family recipe using both whey cream and sweet cream. Find it in major chain grocery stores such as Publix, Tom Thumb, Albertsons, and SuperValu. Cost: $10.69 for a two-pound roll.
  • Heritage Ridge Creamery: This creamery in Middlebury, Indiana, was started by an Amish man in 1979 and is now owned by a farmers cooperative. Their products are locally made by family farmers. Cost: $14.00 for a two-pound roll.
  • Pinconning Cheese Co.: Based in Pinconning—the cheese capital of Michigan—and established in 1948, this store sells Amish butter at $5.49 for a one-pound roll, or $10.49 for a two-pound roll.
  • Wilson’s Cheese Shop: Also in Pinconning, their Amish butter wrapper looks similar to Pinconning Cheese Co.’s. This family-run business was established in 1939. Cost: $6.49 for a one-pound roll; $11.99 for a two-pound roll.

Next, try out this delicious recipe for cowboy butter.

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This Is Everything You Need to Know About Amish Butter (2024)

FAQs

What is special about Amish butter? ›

Amish-style butter is churned cream with a higher dairy fat content than American butter. Instead of being shaped into four-ounce sticks, it typically comes in a one- or two-pound rolled log or wheel, shaped like goat cheese or wax-coated Gouda. You'll find it in both salted and unsalted varieties.

Is Amish butter better than regular butter? ›

When the two butters were measured up against each other in their pure, un-accessorized form, the Amish one was the clear winner. It tasted complex, rich, slightly tangy, and incredibly creamy. It was flavorful, a bit salty, and would easily enhance baked goods.

How long does Amish butter last in the refrigerator? ›

Amish butter can be kept, wrapped in its original packaging, for about one month in the fridge. To freeze Amish butter, place it in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. You can keep Amish butter frozen for up to one year.

Is Amish butter real butter? ›

Amish Country Butter

It is hand rolled, by real people, into wax paper. Butter making is an Amish tradition that goes back many generations, much like cheesemaking. You can rest assured that this creamy and delicious butter is REAL BUTTER, made from all natural ingredients. (740) 545-6002.

What is the most delicious butter in the world? ›

1. Rodolphe Le Meunier. One of many on this list that have been thought of as the best butter in the world, Rodolphe Le Meunier is one of the most highly regarded brands out there and is adored by the one-and-only Nancy Silverton (via Saveur).

Can you leave Amish butter out? ›

Should You Leave Butter on the Counter? According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it's left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days.

What butter do top chefs use? ›

Many professional chefs and bakers will recommend using unsalted butter no matter what you're making, so that you have better control over seasoning and since the salt content varies among salted butters.

Which is the healthiest butter to buy? ›

If you're looking for the healthiest butter brands, these are six healthy butter brands we recommend.
  • Smart Balance Original Buttery Spread.
  • Earth Balance Pressed Avocado Oil Spread.
  • Carrington Farms Organic Ghee.
  • I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Original Spray.
  • Benecol Buttery Spread (includes plant stanols)
Jun 14, 2022

What is the healthiest butter substitute? ›

Best Health-Conscious Butter Alternatives
  • Ghee. Ghee is butter that goes through a clarification process to eliminate all the water which, we should note, creates a higher smoke point while cooking. ...
  • Greek Yogurt. ...
  • Pumpkin Puree. ...
  • Earth Balance Pressed Avocado Oil. ...
  • Pureed Coconut. ...
  • Olive Oil. ...
  • Avocado. ...
  • Mashed Bananas.
Jun 21, 2020

Can you freeze Amish butter? ›

Amish butter can be kept, wrapped in its original packaging, for about one month in the fridge. To freeze Amish butter, place it in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. You can keep Amish butter frozen for up to one year.

Is Amish butter made from grass fed cows? ›

The cows are often pasture-raised, which means that they graze on grass and live outside the confines of barns (their diet is usually supplemented with grains, which means that it is unlikely butter will be labeled as 100% grass-fed). The flavor and shape of Amish butter distinguishes it from regular U.S. butter.

How long can you freeze Amish butter? ›

How long can you freeze butter? Properly stored butter can be frozen for up to four months if frozen prior to the USE BY date on the package. Butter may begin to lose its fresh butter taste and pick up flavors and odors from the freezer if stored for longer than four months.

What are the ingredients in Amish butter? ›

A robust flavor, great for using in any application, this all natural, and no preservatives butter has only two ingredients; pasteurized cream and salt. This butter holds great in the refrigerator and even better in the freezer.

What is the most expensive butter on earth? ›

The French Queen of Butters. Regarded as the world's most exclusive and expensive butter that shares the same appellation status as that of champagne. Comes in Demi Sel (Salted) 250g and 5kg variants as well as Doux (Unsalted) 250g.

What is the most popular butter in the US? ›

Land Lakes

What butter is best for high cholesterol? ›

You can help reduce your risk of high cholesterol by substituting foods for regular butter that are lower in saturated fat or have been shown to have less impact on heart disease risk, such as: grass-fed butter. Earth Balance spread, a vegan, soy-free, non-hydrogenated option. avocados.

How long can butter sit in a butter dish? ›

You can store butter in a butter dish or butter crock, which will help protect the spread from odors and bacteria, for up to two weeks.

What kind of butter does not need to be refrigerated? ›

Unsalted, whipped or raw, unpasteurized butter is best kept in the fridge to minimize the chances of bacterial growth ( 4 ). Salted butter does not need to be stored in the fridge since the risk of bacterial growth is so low.

Should butter be refrigerated or not? ›

This rule is simple. If you prefer unsalted butter, refrigerate it. Same goes for whipped butter. If it creeps above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in your kitchen, all butter should go into the fridge to avoid going bad — even into the freezer if you want to store it for a few months.

What butter does Mcdonald's use? ›

Just like how you butter toast at home, we use real butter on our English muffins, biscuits and bagels used for some of our breakfast menu items, making mornings extra special.

What butter does chef Ramsay use? ›

There, chefs baste the meat with Devonshire Butter, like you would a turkey on Thanksgiving day. You don't have to babysit the meat on the grill like that to take the technique to the next level, though.

Is Land O Lakes a good butter? ›

Best Butter for Everyday: Land O Lakes Salted Butter

Sticks of this butter look creamy and pale—lighter in color than most brands but absolutely creamy with just a whisper of salt. Because of the lower salt content in this butter, it's a great choice for baking.

What butter is unhealthy? ›

Scientists around the world simultaneously showed that saturated fat—the kind in butter and lard—increases both “bad” LDL cholesterol and “good” HDL cholesterol, making it similar to carbohydrates overall but not as beneficial to health as polyunsaturated fats from nuts and vegetables.

How much butter should you eat a day? ›

Therefore, it's best to stick to 1–2 tablespoons (14–28 grams) per day, combined with other healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, avocados, and fatty fish. Enjoying butter in moderation may be linked to a lower risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart problems.

What is the best butter for diabetics? ›

Unsalted butter or grass-fed (organic) butter is good for diabetic patients. Unsalted butter has no sodium, which is good for diabetic patients as well. Ideally, olive oil, nut butter, or clarified butter can be used by diabetes patients. These alternatives prevent blood sugar spikes and reduce cholesterol levels.

What butter has the lowest cholesterol? ›

Light butter has half the calories, saturated fat and cholesterol of butter.

What spread tastes the most like butter? ›

The best butter substitute brands to buy.
  • Country Crock Plant Butter with Olive Oil.
  • Miyoko's Vegan Butter.
  • WayFare Salted Whipped Butter.
  • Benecol Buttery Spread.
  • Smart Balance Original Buttery Spread.
  • Blue Bonnet Light Soft Spread.
  • I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray.
  • Brummel & Brown Original Spread.

What spreads are best for cholesterol? ›

Try: swapping butter to vegetable oil spreads like sunflower, olive or rapeseed oil spreads.

Does butter expire? ›

Refrigerated butter should last up to a month past the printed date if it's unopened. If the butter has been opened, it can last up to two weeks past that printed date. If you're storing the butter longer term, unopened butter stored in the freezer can last anywhere from nine months to a year past the date.

Does freezing butter ruin it for baking? ›

Does Freezing Butter Ruin It? Nope. Butter freezes without losing flavor or texture. In fact, since butter can go bad after a few months in the fridge, it may make sense to store it in the freezer if you don't normally go through it quickly.

How long does homemade butter last? ›

Homemade butter's shelf life depends on how thoroughly you extract the buttermilk. If a substantial amount of buttermilk remains, it will sour within a week, otherwise homemade butter can keep for up to 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

Does grass-fed butter raise your cholesterol? ›

Butter of any sort is a significant source of cholesterol. People with high cholesterol levels may find that consuming grass-fed butter makes their cholesterol worse, not better. Avoid consuming large amounts of any form of butter if you're at risk of heart disease.

Is grass-fed butter good for the liver? ›

Add healthy fats.

Incorporate anti-inflammatory, liver-healing foods like low-sugar fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean animal protein like chicken and fish and good, healthy fats like olive oil, macadamia nut oil, avocados, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and fish oil.

What butter has the highest butterfat content? ›

Butter usually fits into one of three different categories:
  • Commodity butter has about 80% butterfat.
  • European butter has beetween 82-83% butterfat.
  • Minerva Dairy butter has the highest fat content with 85% butterfat.
May 1, 2021

What's the best way to store butter long term? ›

Typically, butter will last in the refrigerator for up to two weeks but will keep at room temperature for up to two days if stored in an airtight container away from direct sunlight. In the freezer, butter will last for up to nine months.

Can you freeze eggs? ›

Yes, you can freeze eggs. Eggs can be frozen for up to a year, although it is recommended to use them within 4 months for freshness. Many people find themselves being left with spare egg whites or yolks after a recipe requiring just one or the other, or even throwing out unused eggs when the box hits its expiry date.

How many gallons of milk does it take to make butter? ›

Did you know that it takes 12 pounds (or about 1.5 gallons) of whole milk to make a gallon of ice cream? Now, how much would you pay for a gallon of ice cream? It takes just over 21 pounds (or about 2.5 gallons) to make a pound of butter.

Is Amish butter dairy free? ›

Ingredients : Our 84% Butterfat Amish Roll Butter is made from milk from pasture-raised cow on family-farms. The color of our butter varies with the season and is all natural, GMO Free and rBST free.

Is Land Lakes butter real butter? ›

Since the concept of squeeze spread isn't new, we found a way to make LAND O LAKES® Soft Squeeze butter spread stand out: It contains real butter. And that plays well with our target consumer segment.

Is Country Crock butter real butter? ›

Country Crock® is a spread made with oils from plants, whereas butter is made with milk or cream from cows. Country Crock® has less saturated fat per serving than dairy butter, but still has a delicious buttery taste.

What kind of butter is best for cooking eggs? ›

Regular butter works, too; use an unsalted variety, so you can season your own eggs.

Do you refrigerate Amish butter? ›

Use the Amish butter instead of the regular butter and enhance the flavors of your Amish Christmas dishes. Like other butters, it's a good idea to keep it refrigerated so it lasts longer. However, you can keep a week's worth of butter on your counter in a butter dish without risking spoilage.

Why is Amish butter so good? ›

Flavor and texture make Amish butter stand out

Taste of Home says the main reason for this is its higher butterfat content when compared to other styles. Typically Amish butter is made with at least 84% butterfat, placing it above American-style butter at 80% and European- and Irish-style butters at 82%.

What does Amish butter taste like? ›

When the two butters were measured up against each other in their pure, un-accessorized form, the Amish one was the clear winner. It tasted complex, rich, slightly tangy, and incredibly creamy. It was flavorful, a bit salty, and would easily enhance baked goods.

Where does the best butter in the world come from? ›

The American fascination with Irish butter may only have been spurred a few decades ago, but love for the Emerald Isle's deep, velvety butter is nothing new.

How long is Amish butter good for? ›

Amish butter can be kept, wrapped in its original packaging, for about one month in the fridge. To freeze Amish butter, place it in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. You can keep Amish butter frozen for up to one year.

What is the number one butter? ›

Top 50 Scanned: Butter beta
Popularity
#1Butter, with Canola Oil Land Lakes100 Calories
#2Butter, Salted Land O Lakes100 Calories
#3Butter, Pure Irish Kerrygold100 Calories
#4Butter, Spray, Original I Can't Believe It's Not Butter0 Calories
46 more rows

What is the most expensive butter in the world? ›

The French Queen of Butters. Regarded as the world's most exclusive and expensive butter that shares the same appellation status as that of champagne. Comes in Demi Sel (Salted) 250g and 5kg variants as well as Doux (Unsalted) 250g.

Who brought butter to America? ›

Butter making was introduced into America in 1607 by the Jamestown colonists, who brought the first dairy cows. The first step in producing butter is to separate the cream from the milk. This was done by placing the milk in pans to let the cream rise to the top.

What is the healthiest butter to eat? ›

“Grass-fed butter has the nutritional edge in that it offers more heart-healthy nutrients than regular butter in a less-processed product than margarine,” Malkani says. You can typically find grass-fed butter at the grocery store or natural foods market.

What kind of butter is best for high cholesterol? ›

You can help reduce your risk of high cholesterol by substituting foods for regular butter that are lower in saturated fat or have been shown to have less impact on heart disease risk, such as: grass-fed butter. Earth Balance spread, a vegan, soy-free, non-hydrogenated option. avocados.

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