Butter boards are such a fun, entertaining way to serve guests for a gathering. Learn how to make a butter board, what to serve with a butter board, and all the best seasonal variations.
If you love a traditional charcuterie board, you’re going to love this concept too. It’s a fun, flexible way to create a delicious spread for friends and family!
Learn how to style your butter board along with delicious accompaniment ideas and so much more, in this complete guide.
Who doesn’t love a charcuterie board? They’ve taken the entertaining world by storm over the past couple years, and it’s such a fun way to serve delicious eats for a party.
Butter boards are similar in concept, but have burst onto the scene more recently. They are equally craveable, but a little more affordable and easier to put together on a whim.
Much like these cute jarcuterie appetizers, part of the fun is in the flexibility. We put together our butter boards with a few variations – one is for any time of the year, one is for fall, and one is for the holidays.
I hope this guide inspires you to create your own butter boards in the coming months. Take this concept and make it your own! Let’s learn how to make them together, with a few easy tips and tricks along the way.
What is a Butter Board?
First of all… what is it? Butter boards are simply a cutting board or platter, smeared with softened butter throughout the center. As you can see throughout this post, you can get creative with the shape of your butter, or keep it simple.
They are then topped with all the delicious toppings you can imagine – from savory to sweet, the options are endless. People are dipping and smearing everything from breads, to crackers, cookies, fruits and veggies in their butter boards.
The concept is simple and the flavors are on point. Who can argue with butter, right? Let’s dive in!
Why You’ll Love It
- Easy to Make – And easy to customize for the seasons, too!
- Sweet or Savory – A butter board can be more of a dessert, or an appetizer. We’ll show you how!
- Affordable – A butter board is more affordable than traditional charcuterie.
- Make it Ahead! Guests can dip, swirl, or spread to their heart’s content, while you work on your entree.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter – You can’t have a butter board without the butter, right? Salted or unsalted, because of course, you’ll add your own seasonings either way. Learn How to Make Homemade Butter, and How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- Toppings – We’ll walk you through three easy variations, plus a variety of additional toppings below.
Traditional Butter Board Toppings
- Parsley
- Shallots
- Lavender Buds – (ensure they are edible)
- Rose Petals (ensure you choose an edible brand)
- Honey
- Big Salt Flakes
- Serve this one with homemade Crostini
Fall Butter Board Toppings
- Pureed Pumpkin
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Brown Sugar
- Oregano (for stem)
- Candied Nuts – optional
- Serve this one with Vanilla Wafers
Holiday Butter Board Toppings
- Craisins – Dried cranberries or anything similar
- Rosemary – Fresh, chopped
- Orange Zest
- White Cheddar Cheese – (Or any favorite cheese.) Cut into a star for the tree topper with a cookie cutter!
- Nuts – For the “trunk” – or get creative with pretzel sticks, etc
How to Make a Butter Board
- Spread the softened butter on a wooden or marble cutting board.
- Use a butter knife to swirl the butter into the pretty-looking pattern of your choosing.
- To spread butter into the shape of a pumpkin, create two ovals side by side and blend together.
- To create the Christmas tree shape, break your butter into tablespoons – use just one for the tip of the triangle, and three at the base.
- To spread butter into the shape of a pumpkin, create two ovals side by side and blend together.
- Add your toppings.
- For the fall board, swirl the pumpkin and spices in an up and down motion to create the look of natural pumpkin ridges.
Flavored Butters
These work beautifully with any of our favorite flavored butters, too.
Tips
- Softened butter is very important for the perfect spread!
- Use an icing spreader or any type of wider, flat spreader to create smooth waves of butter on your board.
- Starting with a flavored butter would be so much fun – see my list of homemade flavored butters below.
- Let your imagination run wild with the toppings! There are so many fun ways to personalize these boards.
- Keep in mind, the oil from the butter can soak into marble or wood, changing the finish long-term.
More Butter Board Topping Inspiration
- Fresh Herbs – think chives, rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano and more! Dried herbs work as well.
- Fresh Flowers – edible flowers are available in the herb section of your grocer.
- Pureed Pumpkin
- Pie Filling
- Spices and Seasonings – Check out all my best homemade seasoning blends.
- Figs
- Chocolate shavings
- Seeds – pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame etc
- Thinly Sliced Radishes or Onions
- Berries- fresh or dried. Cranberries, Craisins, etc are great for these.
- Chopped Nuts – Pecans, walnuts, almonds, and more!
- Honey – Try hot honey for a fabulous addition.
- Jams and Jellies
- Roasted Garlic
- Citrus Zest
- Cheese – Because what could be better than butter and cheese combined?
Butter Board Serving Suggestions
- Easy Crostini
- Warm Crusty Bread – try my Homemade Artisan Bread
- Crackers
- Crispy Cookies like Vanilla Wafers, etc
How to Store
- Room Temperature – Butter can sit out at room temperature for up to two days.
- Refrigerator – You can wrap your leftover butter airtight and store in the refrigerator for up to a week!
More Appetizer Ideas
How to Make a Butter Board
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
Traditional Board Toppings
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons shallots sliced thin
- edible flowers We used dried rose petals and lavender buds
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon thick flakes of sea salt
Fall Board Toppings
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 stem fresh oregano pumpkin stem garnish
- ¼ cup nuts
Holiday Board Toppings
- ¼ cup Craisins
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons nuts tree trunk garnish
- 1 ounce white cheddar cheese (to create tree star with small star cookie cutter)
Serving Suggestion
- crostini
Instructions
- Spread softened butter onto board or platter.
- Use an icing spreader or butter knife to swirl the butter into the pretty pattern.– Pumpkin – Create two ovals side by side and blend together.– Christmas Tree – Break butter into tablespoons. Use one for the tip of the triangle, and three at the base.
- Add toppings and garnish.
- For the fall board, swirl the pumpkin and spices in an up and down motion to create the look of natural pumpkin ridges.
Julie’s Tips
- Bring butter to room temperature.
- Use an icing spreader or any type of wider, flat spreader to create smooth waves of butter on your board.
- Starting with a flavored butter would be so much fun – see my list of homemade flavored butters below.
- Let your imagination run wild with the toppings! There are so many fun ways to personalize these boards.
- Oil from the butter can soak into marble or wood boards, altering the finish.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
