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Strawberry basil whipped butter gives your daily spread a bright spin. It's smooth and fluffy since it mixes real strawberries and fresh basil with soft, airy butter and just a touch of honey for a hint of sweetness. I love slathering this rich, still light butter onto biscuits or fresh sourdough toast whenever I want a quick breakfast or snack.
I whipped this up the first time to use up a basket of summer strawberries from the market. It was an instant hit for brunches with my buddies and now, honestly, I miss it in winter too. The smell brings me right back.
Ingredients
- Chopped fresh basil: brings a gentle peppery kick—pick perky, bright basil leaves for bold flavor
- Kosher or sea salt: boosts all the flavors and cuts the sweetness, so grab some fine, clean sea salt if you have it
- Honey: your go-to for a bit more sweetness, especially if your berries are a tad sour—grab some local, floral honey
- Unsalted butter brought to room temp: makes the whipped part rich and airy—splurge on top-shelf European butter for best results
- Mushed fresh strawberries: these are everything—pick berries that smell great and are nice and ripe for color and tang
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add Basil and Finish Up
- Next, fold in your chopped basil gently. Taste it and see if you want a bit of honey. Mix softly and either scoop it out now or stash in the fridge.
- Mix in the Strawberries
- Spoon your strawberry mash and any juices straight into the fluffy butter. Blend everything for about a minute or two until it’s mixed in and turns a very light pink.
- Mash Your Strawberries
- In a tiny bowl, crunch up those strawberries with a fork until you get almost two tablespoons of fruity puree with some chunks left in.
- Whip the Butter and Salt
- Grab a medium bowl, toss in the unsalted butter and salt. Whip using a hand mixer or whisk for two to three minutes until it gets pale and super fluffy. This is what makes it light.
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You Must Know
The best bit is definitely how basil brings out the strawberry magic. After a family hike, we first piled this butter on warm cornbread—everyone kept coming back for more (straight off the spoon).
Storage Tips
Keep your whipped strawberry basil butter in a glass jar with a tight lid or roll it up in parchment, twisting the ends to seal. Take it out and let it sit on the counter for ten to fifteen minutes so it softens and spreads like a dream. If you want to freeze it, wrap it up well and use within a month.
Ingredient Substitutes
No fresh strawberries? Thawed frozen ones are fine—just dab them dry first to ditch any extra liquid. Swap in another herb, like fresh mint, if you want a new spin. If all you’ve got is salted butter, use it and just back off on the extra salt.
Ways to Serve
This whipped butter is awesome on hot scones or pile it on thick-cut toast. Spoon it onto pancakes, muffins, cornbread, or even try it on grilled chicken or salmon for a sweet and savory combo. Always gets attention at brunch—with the bread basket, it disappears fast.
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Cultural Note
Mixing fruit and herbs into butters comes from both old-school French cooking and classic American farmhouse tricks. It’s all about using fresh, in-season stuff to make everyday spreads feel special and maybe even fancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How can I make it light and fluffy?
Grab a whisk or hand mixer and beat the softened butter until it gets really puffy. That's what makes it super easy to spread.
- → Can I toss in frozen strawberries?
Sure, just defrost them fully and pour off any extra juice before you mash them up. Fresh ones give a brighter taste and color, though.
- → How long will it keep?
You can chill it in the fridge for about two weeks. Take it out before using so it softens up and is easy to spread.
- → Is honey a must-have?
Honey’s your call! Add it if you want an extra bit of sweetness or if your berries aren’t sweet enough.
- → Where should I slather this stuff?
It’s so good on scones, pancakes, cornbread, bagels, toast, or biscuits. Basically, anything that needs flavor.
- → Can I double or triple the amount?
Go for it! Just increase everything by the same amount so the flavor and texture stay the same.