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    Home » Type » Appetizers

    Beautiful Holiday Butter Board Recipe - Easy to Customize for Any Season! {video}

    Published: Dec 14, 2022 · Modified: Jun 18, 2023 by Faith · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This holiday butter board recipe tops decadent swirls of butter with cranberry sauce, pecans, orange zest, and rosemary for a festive flavor profile that’s perfect for a holiday brunch or appetizer. The butter board sensation is a viral TikTok trend from user @justine_snacks that involves smearing creamy butter onto a cutting board and topping it with sauces, spices, fruit, nuts, herbs, etc. and serving it with bread to scoop it up.

    overhead view of butter board with sliced challah

    Have you noticed all the butter boards TikTok gave rise to? The first time I saw one, I was a little googly-eyed.

    I’ve been a fan of compound butter for years. It’s called “beurre composé” in French, and even though it has a fancy ring, it couldn’t be more straightforward. Compound butter is essentially the OG of flavored butter; it’s butter mixed with herbs, spices, or other ingredients.

    Compound butter generally kicks up the flavor of whatever you put it on. (Try cinnamon honey butter on freshly baked cornbread or rosemary garlic butter on a steak and you’ll see what I mean!) This is why I was so intrigued by the idea of a butter board.

    hand holding buttered slice of bread above festive butter board

    In This Article

    • What Is a Butter Board?
    • Who Started the Butter Board Trend?
    • The Best Easy Way to Make a Holiday Butter Board Recipe
    • Pro Tip: What Kind of Butter to Use
    • How to Store a Butter Board
    • Butter Board FAQs
    • More Holiday Appetizers to Try
    • Holiday Butter Board Recipe

    What Is a Butter Board?

    I think of butter boards as a marriage of compound butter and charcuterie boards.

    You start with silky smooth room temperature butter. You can whip it if you want. Spread it on a board, and then the fun begins!

    If you’re wondering what’s on a butter board, the answer to that is essentially anything you want! Jam, chutney, dried fruit, chopped fresh fruit or vegetables, roasted garlic, herbs, spices, honey, maple syrup, nuts, chocolate, etc. You name it, it’s fair game.

    Who Started the Butter Board Trend?

    TikTok user @justine_snacks (aka Justine Doiron) shared a butter board on TikTok on September 15, 2022 that started the trend. Justine credited Joshua McFadden, co-author of Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables along with Martha Holmberg, as the inspiration.

    sweet butter board with cranberry sauce and pecans

    The Best Easy Way to Make a Holiday Butter Board Recipe

    This sweet butter board is holiday-themed, but you can adjust it to suit your taste preferences. And swap it out for seasonal ingredients!

    For example, to make a summer butter board, use strawberry jam instead of cranberry sauce, chopped walnuts instead of pecans, fresh lemon zest instead of orange zest, and fresh thyme instead of rosemary.

    Ingredients

    ingredients for holiday butter board
    • Unsalted butter – use a really good quality butter here (I like Kerrygold), and make sure it’s at room temperature
    • Cranberry sauce – I usually have a batch of homemade cranberry sauce stashed in my fridge this time of year because I use it like jam (this is my favorite cranberry sauce recipe); store-bought cranberry sauce will also work
    • Chopped pecans – or you can use any type of nuts you like
    • Fresh orange zest – bumps up the flavor and aroma, and adds a little Christmas flair
    • Fresh rosemary – this lends piney aroma and flavor, and pairs well with cranberry sauce
    • Honey – drizzle it on for a touch of sweetness
    • Flaky sea salt – enhances the flavor of everything else, and adds a little bit of crunchy texture

    Pro Tip: What Kind of Butter to Use

    an edible mosaic stamp logo 1200 square

    Go with a good quality unsalted butter instead of salted to make a butter board because it gives you the option of a sweet or savory butter board. I like to add flaky sea salt for bursts of salty flavor and crunchy texture.

    Step by Step Instructions

    how to make a butter board
    1. For the creamiest texture and most intense flavor, add the butter to a large bowl and use a handheld electric mixer to beat until fluffy. Spread the butter onto a 12-inch wooden, marble, or slate board. You can dollop it on decoratively any way you like.
    2. Drizzle the cranberry sauce around on the butter.
    3. Sprinkle around the pecans, orange zest, and rosemary.
    4. Drizzle on the honey. Sprinkle on the flaky sea salt. Serve!

    How to Store a Butter Board

    Once the butter is spread on the board (before you add any toppings), you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.

    Get the board out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to serve it (so the butter can soften), and then add the toppings.

    After the toppings are added, serve the board (you can leave it at room temperature for up to 2 hours).

    Because of the communal nature of a butter board, I generally don’t save leftovers. Even if you serve it with a small knife to smear the butter, you never know if people accidentally dipped their fingers in it.

    front view of butter board on wooden cutting board

    Butter Board FAQs

    Can I Use Cold Butter to Make a Butter Board?

    No. Butter has to be at room temperature to make a butter board. Otherwise, the butter won’t spread well.

    But there’s a caveat: your butter should not be melted! Pull your butter out of the fridge and let your it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using, and it should be the perfect temperature.

    Do You Have to Whip Butter for a Butter Board?

    Technically, no. But I recommend it!

    Whipping just a couple minutes is fine. However, if you go a full 10 minutes, the butter will turn a lighter color as it aerates, resulting in the most intense flavor and velvety mouthfeel.

    What is the Serving Size for a Butter Board?

    This butter board recipe makes 8 servings and has 8 ounces of butter. Each serving is 1 ounce of butter, or about 2 tablespoons (not including toppings).

    close up top view of holiday butter board

    What Do You Eat With a Butter Board?

    You can serve anything with a butter board that tastes good with butter.

    When thinking of what to serve with it, think about the flavor profile of the butter board you’re composing.

    If you’re going with a sweet butter board, you can think of cakes and scones in addition to bread. And if you’re making a savory butter board, think about pita bread, garlic breadsticks, etc.

    Here are a few ideas of what to serve with a butter board:

    • Sliced bread, such as sourdough, challah, brioche, baguette, etc.
    • Mini croissants
    • Waffles, cut into quarters
    • Small scones or biscuits
    • Crispy cookies, such as gingersnaps with this holiday butter board

    Are Butter Boards Sanitary?

    This question is the source of much debate.

    I’m not a food safety expert, but here is what I personally do in terms of food safety for a butter board:

    • Avoid using old wooden boards or wooden boards that are cracked or hard to clean. I also like to use marble or slate cheese boards, and both can be cleaned thoroughly.
    • Don’t let the butter board sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
    • Instead of having people scoop the butter directly with pieces of bread, provide a knife for smearing.
    • Only save leftovers if you’re sure there was no double dipping (or accidental finger-dipping) going on. (If you save leftovers, depending on what you top your butter board with, you can store it wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days.)
    festive christmas butter board

    More Holiday Appetizers to Try

    • Baked Brie Recipe with Honeyed Grapes
    • Three Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
    • Caramelized Onion Tartlets
    • Cranberry White Cheddar Cheese Ball with Fresh Rosemary
    butter board with small knife for spreading butter

    Let's Connect

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    Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.

    To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

    Holiday Butter Board Recipe

    By: Faith Gorsky
    The butter board sensation is a viral TikTok trend that involves smearing creamy butter onto a cutting board and topping it with sauces, spices, fruit, nuts, herbs, etc. and serving it with bread to scoop it up. This holiday butter board recipe tops decadent swirls of butter with cranberry sauce, pecans, orange zest, and rosemary for a festive flavor profile that’s perfect for a holiday brunch or appetizer.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 260 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (see Notes)
    • ¼ cup cranberry sauce
    • 3 tablespoons pecans chopped
    • 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt

    Optional Serving Suggestions:

    • Sliced challah
    • Sliced brioche
    • Waffles pancakes, or French toast (cut into bite-sized pieces if desired)
    • Crispbread
    • Cookies such as gingersnaps or shortbread
    • Sliced apple or pear

    Instructions
     

    • Add the butter to a large bowl and use a handheld electric mixer to beat until fluffy.
    • Spread the butter onto a 12-inch wooden, marble, or slate board. You can dollop it on decoratively any way you like.
    • Drizzle the cranberry sauce around on the butter, and then sprinkle around the pecans, orange zest, and rosemary. Drizzle on the honey. Sprinkle on the flaky sea salt.
    • Serve with sliced bread, or anything you like.

    Video

    Faith's Tips

    • Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This butter board recipe makes 8 servings and has 8 ounces of butter. Each serving is 1 ounce of butter, or about 2 tablespoons (not including toppings).
    • Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional serving suggestions.
    • What Kind of Butter to Use: I like to use a European butter for this, such as Kerrygold. It's very important that the butter is at room temperature, not chilled and not melted.
    • Do You Have to Whip the Butter for a Butter Board? Technically, no. But I recommend it! Whipping just a couple minutes is fine. However, if you go a full 10 minutes, the butter will turn a lighter color as it aerates, resulting in the most intense flavor and velvety mouthfeel.
    • Make Ahead: Once the butter is spread on the board (before you add any toppings), you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Get the board out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to serve it (so the butter can soften), and then add the toppings. After the toppings are added, serve the board (you can leave it at room temperature for up to 2 hours).
    • Storage: Because of the communal nature of a butter board, I generally don’t save leftovers. Even if you serve it with a small knife to smear the butter, you never know if people accidentally dipped their fingers in it.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Holiday Butter Board Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 260 Calories from Fat 234
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 26g40%
    Saturated Fat 15g94%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 7g
    Cholesterol 61mg20%
    Sodium 149mg6%
    Potassium 28mg1%
    Carbohydrates 8g3%
    Fiber 0.5g2%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 717IU14%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 11mg1%
    Iron 0.2mg1%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword Butter Board Recipe, Easy Butter Board, Holiday Butter Board, How to Make a Butter Board
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
    holiday butter board recipe pin

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Betsy says

      December 14, 2022 at 7:11 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a unique idea - perfect for holiday brunch!!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Faith!

    I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind An Edible Mosaic. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had. Welcome to An Edible Mosaic!

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