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    Home » Garden To Table

    Chive Butter

    Published: May 23, 2020 · Modified: Oct 30, 2023 · 8 Comments

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    This spring, use fresh garden chives and blossoms to make chive butter! This herb compound butter is easy to make and can be frozen for later.
    This spring, use fresh garden chives and blossoms to make chive butter! This herb compound butter is easy to make and can be frozen for later.

    This spring, use fresh garden chives and blossoms to make chive butter! This herb compound butter is easy to make and can be frozen for later.

    chive herb butter on a platter with chive blossoms.

    Spring is in full swing, and (as usual) I am so excited to see my garden begin to come to life.

    One of the first things to show its face each spring is our little patch of chives. This year, I was ready for them.

    As soon as the chives began to flower, I started harvesting flowers to make a batch of chive blossom vinegar.

    More recently, as I was flipping through one of my favorite cookbooks, Six Seasons, I saw SO MANY compound butter ideas. I thought of the herbs in my garden, and I suddenly knew that I needed chive butter in my life.

    I decided that it was time to become the type of person who keeps fancy butter tucked away in their freezer at all times, whipping it out with only a moment's notice.

    This chive butter is an easy and delicious compound butter. It's perfect paired with freshly baked bread (of course), but is also delicious with eggs, potatoes, and meats (like fish!).

    What is a Compound Butter?

    Compound butter is butter that's been mixed with something else to make it even more delicious.

    In this case, we're mixing chives, chive blossoms, and garlic into the butter.

    Want to lean more into the garlic flavor? Try making this garlic scape butter!

    Purple Blossoms.
    Chive Blossoms

    Identifying Chives

    Did you plant chives in your garden or buy chives at the grocery store? Then you probably don't need help identifying the plant!

    If, however, you're planning to harvest wild chives, here's what to look for.

    Chives (A. schoenoprasum) are a type of wild onion. They tend to blossom earlier than other types of wild onions, flowering in the spring instead of the summer.

    Chives have tall, grass-like basal leaves. The leaves are long and hollow with a strong onion scent.

    Look for umbel-shaped flowers with pointed lavender petals.

    When in bloom, chives have no poisonous look-alikes. When not in bloom, any type of wild onion could be mistaken for the poisonous death camas (Zigadenus nuttallii), so I recommend only harvesting chives that are in bloom.

    Harvesting Chive Blossoms

    For this recipe you can use either open or closed blossoms. I like to snip the blossom off a few inches below the flower, because that way I can use the stem as a handle when cleaning.

    Keep in mind that once the chive goes to seed (grows a flower), the leaf (the green part) has most likely become tough and hard.

    You'll want to discard the hardened chive leaf, and use chives that are not flowering to dice up and add to the butter.

    Can I Use Chives from the Grocery Store?

    Yes, absolutely!

    You probably just won't have any blossoms to add to the butter, but that is totally fine.

    How to Make Chive Butter

    Start by softening some unsalted butter by leaving it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

    If you're using chive blossoms, you'll want to dip them in a bowl of water to clean off any dirt (or bugs).

    Next, put a little butter in a pan, and gently heat the diced green chives, some garlic powder, and salt.

    Don't let anything brown--you just want to warm them up and infuse the butter with the tasty chive flavors.

    Heat Chives + Garlic in Butter.
    Heat Chives + Garlic in Butter

    Set the melted butter aside and let it cool slightly.

    Next, use a spatula to fold the softened butter into the butter and chive mixture.

    Fold Softened Butter into Chives.
    Fold Softened Butter into Chives

    At this point, if your butter wasn't softened enough or if the pan was too hot, your butter might just completely melt.

    That's not what we want, but it is not the end of the world. If that happens, nothing is ruined.

    It simply means that you'll be waiting on your butter to chill for a little longer than if it hadn't melted.

    How to Serve Chive Butter (Almost) Right Away

    At this point, you have two options.

    Option one: You can pour or spoon the butter into a bowl, and set it in the fridge to harden for about an hour, and then serve straight from the bowl.

    If your butter completely melted, it might take a little longer than an hour to harden.

    Option two: Roll the butter into a log.

    I like to roll the butter into a log because it gives me more storage options. I am unlikely to go through this much butter before it would spoil in the refrigerator.

    If you choose the log option, chill the butter until it's hard enough to roll into a log. Next, wrap it in parchment paper or plastic-wrap, store it in a freezer bag, and stick it into the freezer.

    Shape the Butter into a Log.
    Shape the Butter into a Log
    Parchment Paper package.
    Wrap the Chive Butter in Parchment Paper

    You can simply slice off as much frozen butter as you like as you need it, and leave the log in the freezer.

    And then you too will be the type of person that keeps fancy butter on hand at all times.

    Ways to Use Chive Butter

    Once you've got compound butter on hand, you're in for a treat!

    Spread it on freshly baked bread or swap it for the regular butter in these homemade croutons.

    Try adding it to scrambled eggs or an omelette (like this masala omelette).

    Add chive butter to mashed potatoes (like these goat cheese mashed potatoes) or to mashed cauliflower.

    And of course, I can't see butter without thinking of Julia Child's fish meunière (fish in butter sauce).

    However you serve your chive butter, it'll be a delicious reminder of springtime.

    chive herb butter on a platter with chive blossoms.
    chive herb butter on a platter with chive blossoms
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 7 votes

    Chive Butter

    This spring, use fresh garden chives and blossoms to make chive butter! This herb compound butter is easy to make and can be frozen for later.
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time5 minutes mins
    Butter Softening + Cooling Time2 hours hrs
    Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 102kcal
    Freezer Friendly?
    Yes
    Will It Keep?
    5 Days (Fridge), 6 Months (Freezer)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ pound unsalted butter, divided (2 sticks)
    • small handful chive blossoms (optional)
    • ¼ cup chives, diced
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or finely minced garlic)
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • Fully soften the butter by leaving it at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before proceeding.
      If using chive blossoms, dip the blossoms in a bowl of water to clean, and then set on a towel to dry.
      chive blossoms
    • Melt about 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat in a pan. Add the chives (but not the blossoms), garlic, and salt to the butter, and gently heat until the chives soften and the garlic is fragrant (about 2-3 minutes).
      As soon as the garlic is fragrant, turn off the heat. Do not allow the chives to brown. If swapping fresh garlic for garlic powder, do not allow the garlic to brown.
      Set aside and allow to cool until slightly hardened.
      Heat Chives + Garlic in Butter
    • Use a rubber spatula to fold the softened butter into the chive and butter mixture.
      Break the chive blossoms apart into small, individual flowers, and fold those into the butter.
      Tip: If your pan is too hot, you might accidentally melt all of the butter. If that happens, simply set it aside and let it cool and harden before trying to form it into a log.
      Fold Softened Butter into Chives
    • To serve the same day:
      Pour butter into a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Note that butter will harden again in the fridge, so if you want it to be spreadable, take out of the fridge a few minutes before serving.
      Refrigerate leftovers and use within 5 days.
      To store for later:
      Chill butter until it's cool enough to form, and then roll it into a log. Use parchment paper or a rubber spatula to help you form the log. Wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 6 months.
      When you're ready to use the butter, simply slice off the amount you want to use and put the rest back in the freezer.
      Shape the Butter into a Log

    Notes

    Avoid wrapping the butter in wax paper, which (in my experience) tends to stick to the butter (especially when softening the whole log).
    Nutrition information assumes 1 tablespoon of butter per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 102kcal (5%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 12g (18%) | Saturated Fat: 7g (44%) | Cholesterol: 30mg (10%) | Sodium: 74mg (3%) | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 381IU (8%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

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    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    5 from 7 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. Ross says

      July 07, 2022 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      Question really: the flowers are full of fleshy seeds. Do I still use those or have I waited too long to harvest the blossoms? Smells & looks amazing! Can’t wait to try in every recipe & share.

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone says

        July 08, 2022 at 10:11 am

        Hello! I think it would still be fine with the seeds, although the butter might have more texture than if you made it before they developed seeds. Maybe start with a small batch and see if you like it that way.
        We’ve also got a chive blossom vinegar that those flowers would be perfect for.
        Thanks for reaching out! Let us know how it goes.

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
        • Ross says

          July 10, 2022 at 10:46 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you for your feedback. The ‘seeds contained in the blossoms are fleshy, not hard yet so I’ll get it a try. When I chew 1 it’s like a fresh little onion so I think if I grind first then add to my butter, they will enhance the taste.

          Reply
          • Alisha Trenalone says

            July 11, 2022 at 1:22 pm

            Sounds like it has potential!

            -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

            Reply
    2. KW says

      June 20, 2023 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      easy and wonderful. using up the last of my chive butter from last season and I'm back to make more. just wanted to add that it is absolutely divine in scrambled eggs.

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone says

        June 20, 2023 at 12:59 pm

        Fantastic 😍
        Thanks so much for letting us know. The scrambled eggs sound delicious!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    3. Brian Hendricks says

      October 17, 2023 at 10:54 am

      Why not reuse the paper in which the butter was originally packaged?

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone says

        October 17, 2023 at 11:52 am

        You could do that if it fits (or for a portion of the butter). After folding in the herbs sometimes the finished butter ends up being larger than the original packaging was meant to hold.

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    bio

    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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