The short answer: to make cinnamon butter, whip 115 g (1 stick) of soft unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Serve it soft on warm rolls, toast or sweet potatoes.
Cinnamon butter is the sweet, fluffy spread steakhouses serve with warm bread rolls. At home it takes five minutes and five ingredients, and one stick covers a basket of 12 rolls. Below: the recipe, variations, a slow-infused version, and how long it keeps.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | 5 minutes |
| Makes | About 200 g, enough for a basket of 12 rolls |
| Texture | Whipped, light and spreadable |
| Keeps | Up to 2 weeks in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer |
Ingredients
- 115 g (1 stick, ½ cup) unsalted butter, soft
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- Optional: ½ tsp vanilla extract
The butter must be soft. Leave it out for about an hour, until a finger presses into it easily. Powdered sugar dissolves into the butter. Granulated sugar stays gritty.
How to make cinnamon butter
- Soften. Let the butter come to room temperature.
- Whip. Beat the butter with a hand mixer or a wooden spoon for 1 minute, until pale.
- Add. Add the honey, powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.
- Whip again. Beat for another 1 to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Taste. Add more cinnamon or honey if you like it sweeter or spicier.
- Serve. Spoon it into a small bowl and serve it soft, or roll it into a log and chill it.
Why whip it?
Whipping beats tiny air bubbles into the butter. It turns pale and soft, and it spreads on a warm roll without tearing the bread. The honey and sugar end up in every bite, not in streaks. Two minutes with a hand mixer is enough. By hand, use a wooden spoon and expect it to take about five minutes.
Make it ahead for a holiday meal
Cinnamon butter is a good job for the day before. Make it, spoon it into the serving bowl, cover it and keep it in the fridge. Take it out about 30 minutes before you sit down so it softens. For a crowd, double or triple the recipe. One stick of butter covers about 12 rolls. If you make it more than a few days ahead, freeze it as a log and thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Common mistakes
- Cold butter: it breaks into lumps and the honey will not mix in.
- Melted butter: it will not whip and turns greasy. Chill it until soft and solid, then start again.
- Granulated sugar: it stays gritty. Use powdered sugar, or brown sugar if you like the crunch.
- Old cinnamon: ground spices fade after a year or two in the jar. If it barely smells, it will barely taste.
Variations
- Brown sugar cinnamon butter: use 2 tbsp light brown sugar instead of the powdered sugar.
- Maple cinnamon butter: use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Spiced holiday butter: add a pinch each of nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
- Orange cinnamon butter: add the finely grated zest of half an orange.
- Brown butter version: make brown butter, chill it until soft and solid, then whip it as above. It tastes of toffee.
A slow-infused cinnamon butter
Ground cinnamon gives a quick, bold flavour. For a smoother cinnamon taste all through the butter, infuse whole cinnamon sticks instead. With the NOIDS Herb Lab, put 3 broken cinnamon sticks and 225 g butter in the Glass and stay under the MAX mark. Run the Oil function, which holds 100 °C (212 °F) for about 120 to 180 minutes and then cools by itself. Strain the butter through the Filter Set. Chill it until soft and solid, then whip in the honey, sugar and salt as above.
How to use cinnamon butter
- On warm dinner rolls, cornbread or biscuits.
- On toast, bagels or English muffins.
- Melted over baked sweet potatoes or roasted squash.
- On pancakes, waffles or French toast.
- Stirred into hot oatmeal.
- Spread on banana bread or pumpkin bread.
Cinnamon butter is a sweet compound butter, so you can roll it into a log, chill it and slice it the same way.
How to store cinnamon butter
- Fridge: in a closed container for up to 2 weeks. Let it soften for 30 minutes before serving.
- Freezer: roll it into a log, wrap it and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Portions: freeze tablespoon-sized dollops on a lined tray, then bag them. You thaw only what you need for one breakfast.
- Re-whip: chilled butter loses its fluff. Beat it again for a minute once it is soft.
Questions
What is cinnamon butter made of?
Soft butter, honey, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt, whipped together until light.
Does cinnamon butter need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Keep it in the fridge and take it out about 30 minutes before serving so it softens.
How long does cinnamon butter last?
Up to 2 weeks in the fridge in a closed container, or about 3 months in the freezer.
Can I make cinnamon butter without honey?
Yes. Use maple syrup, or leave out the liquid and use 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar instead. Never give honey to babies under 12 months.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes. Leave out the pinch of salt. The salt makes the cinnamon and honey taste sweeter.
