Wisconsinite sure love their butter, consuming 3.3 pounds of it each year

While the exact details vary depending on the source, most agree that butter was created by accident. It involved a traveler, a sheepskin bag filled with goat, sheep, or yak milk tied to a horse, and lots of walking. Upon arrival at their destination, the traveler discovered that the milk had been transformed into a creamy, delicious surprise we now call butter.

Jumping ahead more than 8,000 years to 2024, butter at its core has not changed too much. On the present-day journey to become butter, milk leaves Wisconsin farms and travels to one of our 13 butter processing facilities in the state. There, it is churned until the butter separates from the buttermilk. Salted butter will have the salt added at this point, but otherwise no other ingredients are needed. When butter leaves a Wisconsin facility, containers are marked with the “Proudly Wisconsin” badge or the number “55”, letting you know you’re about to enjoy a delicious Wisconsin-made product.

Whether it’s running down a stack of pancakes, dripping off fresh sweet corn, melted into warm mashed potatoes, or mixed into baked goods, Wisconsinites sure do love their butter. In fact, each Wisconsinite consumed 3.3 pounds of butter in 2022, above the national average of 2.6 pounds per person.

During a recent dairy promotion campaign, and at some holiday gatherings, I brought my butter game up a level by infusing it with fruits, herbs, and – of course – cheese. Compound butter is a combination of butter and various ingredients that add flavor, most commonly garlic, herbs, and spices, to use over meats, vegetables, or even warm bread. The best part is, it’s easy to make right at home.

If you aren’t sure where to start, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin has several recipes to choose from, such as the Savory Cheese and Herb Butter that combines cheddar gruyere and minced herbs like rosemary or chives. There’s also a recipe for Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar Butter, a sweet and spicy mixture that includes Carr Valley’s Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, honey, and ground chipotle chili peppers. You can find more recipes at wisconsincheese.com or can create your own favorite flavor combinations.

Softened butter is needed when making a compound butter to get an even mixture. Butter will soften in 30-60 minutes from the fridge or six to seven hours from the freezer, so be sure to plan accordingly. After your butter has softened, simply blend or mix in your ingredients until well combined. In the unlikely event there are leftovers, compound butter can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for a few months.

No matter if you’re experimenting with something new or sticking with a tried-and-true recipe, using high-quality Wisconsin butter will elevate your dish to the next level while supporting our hardworking farmers.

Ashley Hagenow is Wisconsin's 76th Alice in Dairyland