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The Best Fresh Chive Butter

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This simple chive butter recipe is the perfect way to jazz up a springtime meal and preserve chives for the future.

finished chive butter in a jar with chive flowers around it

Few ingredients bring about the feeling of springtime like chives do. As perennials herbs, chives pop out of the ground earlier than most garden crops and can be harvested even when they are very small. Chives are also more than just a baked potato garnish; their delicate onion flavor adds a delicious touch to any savory dish. One of my favorite ways to use chives is put them into this simple chive butter that can be used in all kinds of meals.

How To Grow Your Own Chives

Chives are incredibly easy to grow. They need a sunny part of your garden where they can live for years to come and water a couple of times a week. 

Because chives are a perennial plant, they take longer to get established, but once they are you have chives for years with little-to-no work. You can purchase chive starts at a local nursery or direct sow them from seed; I recommend the latter. One packet of seeds will get you a plentiful patch of chives. Plant the seeds according to the packet, keep watered, and be patient.

 

How to Harvest Chives

 Allow the chives to grow to at least 6 inches tall before you harvest them. When you do harvest, cut them 2-3 inches above the soil and make sure to only take ⅓ – ½ of the stems. You don’t want to kill the plant by harvesting too much and this is easier to do when it is a young, less established plant. 

Chives can be harvested throughout the spring, summer, and fall until they die back in the winter. The second-year after planting, your chives will bloom with beautiful, purple flowers which can also be used in recipes!

Finished chive butter in a jar with chive flowers around it

How to Use Chive Butter

Chive butter is incredibly versatile and makes any savory dish that would normally have butter in it even tastier. Some ideas:

  • Jazz up garlic toast by replacing the regular butter or olive oil with chive butter
  • Make a simple, delicious pasta by tossing noodles with some garlic and chive butter
  • Cook eggs, meat, or vegetables in it
  • Use it as the fat in bread, biscuits, savory pie crusts, or rolls (I like to do this in the winter when I can’t put fresh chives in them)
Chives laying on a cutting board with a knife

Other Fun Additions to Chive Butter

If you want to make your butter even more exciting, there are plenty of tasty ingredients you can add to make the most delightful butter you can. I love to add more flavors when I want to have butter on hand for garlic bread. I already have all of the flavors I need in the jar and can spread it on some bread, bake, and enjoy! I love to add:

  • Red pepper flakes
  • Shredded parmesan cheese
  • Dried basil, parsley, thyme, or oregano
  • Lemon zest
chive butter being made in a bowl with a spoon

Can I Freeze Chive Butter?

Yes! Every year I make several batches of chive butter to freeze for the winter season. It’s the perfect way to preserve chives for the months when they aren’t available from the garden.

To freeze, simply spoon the softened butter into 4 oz mason jars or another small container, leaving ¼ inch headspace. When you’re ready to use it, pull it out of the freezer and thaw in the fridge for a day or so. You can also take a hot spoon and scoop some out of the frozen jar as needed.

finished chive butter in a jar with chive flowers around it

Chive Butter

Yield: 1 4-oz. jar
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

This simple chive butter recipe is the perfect way to jazz up a springtime meal and preserve chives for the future.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup chives, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whip together until the chives, garlic powder, salt and pepper are evenly distributed throughout the butter.
  2. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the butter into a 4-oz jar. 
  3. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for two weeks. Freeze for longer storage.
The Best Chive Butter title with two images of a small jar of chive butter and purple chive blossoms in the background

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