Copycat recipe
Honey Cinnamon Butter
This is the easiest recipe on the site and the one with the highest return on effort. It is butter, honey, icing sugar and cinnamon, whipped until light.
The only thing that can go wrong is temperature. Butter straight from the fridge will not emulsify and you get sweet lumps in butter; butter that has gone greasy and soft will not hold air and you get a runny paste. You want it soft enough to dent under a finger but still cool.
The icing sugar rather than granulated is what keeps it smooth — granulated sugar will not dissolve in fat and leaves a grit you can feel.
Ingredients
- 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 55g honey
- 55g icing / powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of fine salt (skip if using salted butter)
Method
Soften the butter properly
Leave it out for 45–60 minutes until it dents easily under light pressure but still holds its shape. If you are short on time, cut it into 1cm cubes and spread them out — that takes about 15 minutes. Do not microwave it; melted butter will not whip.
Whip it alone first
Beat the butter on medium-high for 2 minutes until it is visibly paler and has increased in volume. This step is what makes the finished butter light rather than dense, and skipping it is the most common shortcut people take.
Add the rest
Add the honey, sifted icing sugar, cinnamon and salt. Beat on low until combined so the sugar does not leave the bowl, then increase to medium-high for a further 2 minutes until fluffy and uniform in colour.
Serve or store
Serve at room temperature. It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks, but take it out 30 minutes before serving — straight from the fridge it is unspreadable and tears the roll.
Notes & troubleshooting
- Sift the icing sugar even if the packet says it is lump-free. A single lump will not break down once it is in fat.
- Cinnamon quality is the one place a better ingredient shows. Ground cinnamon loses its aroma within months of opening.
- For a smoother result, warm the honey slightly before adding — cold honey seizes into strands rather than dispersing.
- It freezes well. Roll it in baking paper into a log, freeze, and slice off discs as needed.
- Good on cornbread, sweet potato and pancakes, not just rolls.
Questions
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, and it works well against the sweetness. Just omit the added pinch of salt.
Why is mine runny?
The butter was too warm when you started. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then re-whip — it usually recovers.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?
You can, and it tastes good, but it is a noticeably different result. Maple is thinner, so the finished butter is softer.
How long does it keep?
Two weeks refrigerated in an airtight container, or three months frozen.
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