Name: Chive Blossom Butter
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup salted butter, softened (1 stick); 3 tbsp chive blossoms (plus more for rolling); 2 tbsp minced chives; A pinch of sea salt

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Turn those beautiful purple chive blossoms into something delicious for your dinner table! Chive blossom butter is easy to make and packed with flavor. Spread it on bread, baked potatoes, or vegetables to enjoy all of that onion-y flavor that chive season brings.

Chive blossom butter on a wooden cutting board.

Early summer is my very favorite time of year. The weather is ideal, the garden is just getting started, and garlic scapes and chive blossoms are in season!

Chive blossoms can come around up to twice a year, but their big bloom time is typically in late spring or early summer. These lovely purple blooms liven up the garden and can be a delicious edible garnish or flavor-adder to garden-to-table dishes.

I make a big batch of compound chive butter every year when the chives first emerge, but I decided to try a chive blossom butter this year. I am so glad I did!

Chive blossom butter has that wonderful chive flavor with delicate purple flowers in it, making for a compound butter that is as beautiful as it is delicious.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s easy. Compound butter is a great recipe when you need an easy win! It comes together in just a couple of minutes and the results are so exciting.
It’s lovely. Adding homegrown edible flowers to your dishes can only make them look better! These pretty purple chive flowers give the butter a beautiful garnish that dresses up any dining table and meal.
It’s flavorful. Why eat plain butter when you can eat butter infused with the flavors of fresh herbs? This chive blossom butter makes any savory dish a little bit tastier.

Coins of chive blossom butter cut on a wooden cutting board.

Chive Blossom Butter Recipe

This easy compound butter couldn’t be simpler to make! All you have to do is mix the ingredients and roll it into a compound butter roll. If you want to make the recipe even easier, you can scoop the butter right into a jar and skip the butter log altogether.

Ingredients

Salted butter: The better quality butter, the yummier your compound butter will be! I like to opt for grass-fed butter from Azure Standard. If you’re trying to limit your salt intake, feel free to use unsalted butter and add salt to taste.
Chive blossoms: These lovely purple blossoms are only available a couple of times a year, so make the most of them when they’re in season!
Fresh chives: Chive blossoms don’t have as strong of a flavor as the chive leaves, so I like to add a bit of minced chives for extra flavor.
Sea salt: Add a bit of sea salt to the butter to make it extra delicious. I like to use Maldon flakey salt or fleur de sel. You can omit this if you want less salty butter. It’s also a great idea to substitute herb salt if you want to add even more flavor!

Substitutions and Variations

Compound butter is quite forgiving, so feel free to experiment with it.

You can add other fresh herbs such as rosemary or parsley.
You can also add a bit of dried spices such as garlic powder or red pepper flakes.
For a pop of citrus, some lemon zest is a delicious addition (I use lemon zest in my garlic scape compound butter and love it!).
If you grow garlic chives, you can also make this butter with garlic chives instead of regular chives. They have lovely white blossoms and a different flavor, but the butter will be equally lovely and delicious.

Add anything you’d like to this butter and see if you enjoy it. Let me know if you discover any delicious combinations!

How to Make it

Before you begin, set your butter out to soften at room temperature for a few hours.

Holding a handful of chive blossoms in a garden.

Step 1. Harvest your chive blossoms and give them a rinse under cool water. Dry them with a clean tea towel or in a salad spinner.

Picking the petals off of a chive blossom.

Step 2. Prepare the chive blossoms by removing the petals from the flower base, and leaving behind the small green stems (you can toss those in your compost).

Adding minced chives to a bowl with butter.

Step 3. Add softened butter, chive blossoms, minced chive leaves, and salt to a small mixing bowl.

A white bowl with mixed chive blossom butter and a wooden spoon sticking out of it.

Step 4. Stir well until thoroughly combined.

A clump of butter sitting on a piece of parchment paper.

Step 5. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and spoon the butter into a long, thin mound. Roll the paper tightly, forming a log of butter, and twist the ends to secure. Put the butter in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm it up. When the butter holds its shape but is still soft, unroll the paper, press chive blossom petals into each side of the log, and roll it back up.

A roll of butter twisted into a piece of parchment paper.

Step 6. Then chill the butter in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or until solid. Remove from the parchment paper and cut into coins or serve with a cheese spreader.

Tips

Be sure to use chive blossoms that are newly opened up. As the chive blossoms die, the middle will become pinker and the petals will get dry and papery. Fresh, tender chive blossoms are best for eating.
If the butter is too soft to work with, pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. You will be able to roll it into the log shape more easily after that.
Rather than making the butter into a roll, you can serve it in a bowl with a spreader or freeze it in a small jar.

A bowl of chive blossom butter with a wooden spoon sticking out of it.

Chive Blossom Butter Uses

Chive blossom compound butter is a delicious substitute for regular butter in any savory dish. Get creative with it and enjoy elevating your meals with the oniony flavor of chives. Here are a few of my favorite uses for it:

Spread on rolls, fresh bread, or English muffins for a savory side to a meal. This butter is especially delicious on garlic bread!
Use it to make grilled cheese sandwiches or paninis to give them an extra pop of flavor.
Add to mashed potatoes to make chivey potatoes with a lovely purple garnish.
Use as the butter in savory scones or biscuits.

Storage

Chive blossom butter is good in the fridge for about a week. Be sure to store it in an airtight container as butter easily absorbs other flavors.

For longer-term storage, cut the butter roll into ½ – 1-inch slices and store it in the freezer for up to six months. I like to separate the butter slices with pieces of parchment paper, or wrap them in plastic wrap, and store them in a freezer bag.

What to Do with Chive Blossoms

There are so many things you can do with chive blossoms! This chive blossom compound butter is my favorite recipe to use those edible flowers, but it doesn’t end there. Chive flowers have a more delicate version of that beloved chive flavor, so anything you enjoy chives with will also be tasty with the flowers!

Make chive blossom vinegar to use in salad dressings and marinades.
Pull the petals off of the flower heads and add them to salads for a garnish that adds flavor.
Chive blossom finishing salt is a lovely and versatile ingredient to have on hand in the kitchen.
Use the full blossoms as a garnish on just about anything!
Add the petals to stir-fries, sandwiches, baked potatoes, and anything else to which you’d like chive flavor added.
Add to a flavored cream cheese like chive and onion cream cheese.
Mix the petals into dips like French onion dip or herb yogurt dip.

A log of chive blossom butter cut into coins on a cutting board with a butter spreader.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to harvest chive blossoms?

Harvest chive blossoms when they are fully open but still tender. The petals will start to turn lighter pink and get a papery texture; it is best to harvest before they reach that point. Harvest chive blossoms by plucking or cutting them off of the stem.

Are chive flowers edible?

Yes! The delicate purple petals of chive flowers are edible and have a light oniony chive flavor. You can use these blossoms in chive blossom vinegar, salads, chive blossom finishing salt, or this chive blossom compound butter.

When are chives in bloom?

This depends greatly on where you live, your microclimate, and even the weather year-to-year. That said, chives will bloom between early May and mid-June in most areas.

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