Cowboy Butter
This easy Cowboy Butter recipe is packed with fresh herbs and spices, the perfect topping or dipping sauce for roasted or grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, and veggies. It’s also fantastic with fresh bread!
The Best Cowboy Butter Recipe
This Cowboy Butter recipe has been on repeat – my family loves this flavorful compound butter, especially melted over a grilled steak. And it’s so easy to make, just like my heavenly cinnamon honey butter. You’ll want to put this on EVERYTHING! Yeehaw!!
Why You’ll Love Cowboy Butter
- So dang delicious. This is the #1 reason why this recipe has been such a hit at our house. It is absolutely crave-worthy!
- EASY. Yes, I just screamed that in all-caps. Just chop some garlic and fresh herbs, and throw in some spices, and you’re done!
- Versatile. This flavorful compound butter makes roasted and grilled meats sing. Use it as a topping or dipping sauce for steak, chicken, and turkey. It’s also fabulous with shrimp, scallops, salmon, and other fish and seafood. You’ll love what it does for veggies. And it’s heavenly stirred into pasta or rice, or slathered onto warm, fresh bread!
- Adaptable. Use more garlic. Add some horseradish. Use other herbs and spices. Sprinkle in some hot sauce. This recipe is endlessly customizable!
- Perfect for making ahead & freezing. When I make cowboy butter, I always double or triple the recipe and throw some in the freezer. This is a delicious convenience for a future meal!
What is Cowboy Butter?
Cowboy butter is simply a compound butter, which is a softened butter that is combined with sweet or savory herbs, spices, or other ingredients. It can be used as a topping, a dip, or a spread.
This cowboy butter recipe is rich and bold, and beautifully fresh. It’s packed with tangy mustard, fresh garlic and herbs, and spice from smoked paprika, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. It pairs incredibly well with so many things. This cowboy butter is kickin’!
Ingredients
A blend of simple ingredients makes this recipe shine. Here’s what you’ll need!
Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for exact ingredient amounts.
- Butter – Use your favorite brand of unsalted butter. Or use unsalted butter and omit the added salt.
- Dijon mustard – I love the flavor that Dijon adds. You could change it up and use a spicy mustard, or even a sweet mustard or plain yellow mustard.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic adds a ton of deliciousness. I often add more than the recipe calls for!
- Fresh herbs – I’m using fresh parsley, thyme, and chives from our herb garden. I often throw in some rosemary, too – especially if I’m making this for grilled steak or chicken.
- Spices – Smoked paprika adds a lovely smoky flavor, which is perfect with grilled meats. Cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper round out the seasonings.
How to Make Cowboy Butter
To Make a Soft Butter Spread
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Spoon over grilled meats or veggies, or spread onto warm bread.
To Make a Melted Butter Dip or Sauce
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve this cowboy butter sauce or dip with meats, vegetables, and crusty bread.
To Make a Compound Butter Log
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer to a layer of plastic wrap. Form the butter mixture into the shape of a log about 1½” in diameter, and roll it up in the plastic. Refrigerate until hardened. Then slice it and serve with grilled/roasted meats or veggies.
How to Serve Cowboy Butter
Cowboy butter was made for steak – but it shines with anything hot off the grill. Think grilled pork chops, chicken, turkey, shrimp, scallops, and salmon!
It also adds a ton of flavor to veggies, which always gets my family to eat more of them. Stir some cowboy butter into roasted, grilled, or sauteéd vegetables, and watch them disappear! (I especially like this with grilled asparagus or roasted asparagus.)
Plus, this flavorful butter is heavenly stirred into pasta or rice.
Slather it on warm, fresh bread – like Texas toast, cornbread muffins, and popovers.
Or melt it into baked potatoes >>> the crispiest, fluffiest, best baked potatoes on the planet.
I also highly recommend frying your eggs in it – FANTASTIC!!
Storage
I often make this ahead of time, and I like to double or triple the recipe – which means I need to store it properly. Even if you only make a single batch and have leftovers, here’s how to store cowboy butter:
IN THE FRIDGE: Place the flavored butter in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
IN THE FREEZER: Place the flavored butter in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Or roll it into a log with plastic wrap and then place the log into an airtight, freezer-safe container or baggie. Then store the butter in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Cowboy Recipes!
Cowboy Butter
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- To make a soft butter spread: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Spoon over grilled meats or veggies, or spread onto warm bread.
- To make a melted butter dip: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve as a dip or spoon it over your dish.
- To make a compound butter log: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer to a layer of plastic wrap. Form the butter mixture into the shape of a log about 1½" in diameter, and roll it up in the plastic. Refrigerate until hardened. Then slice it and serve with grilled meats or veggies.
