Butter & Dairy
Homemade White Butter Recipe in 15 Minutes (Pakistani Style)
Make fresh white butter at home from doodh balai or cream: step-by-step Pakistani recipe, tips, yield and storage.
Updated October 7, 2026 · 174 words read
Nothing beats makhan churned at home. This homemade butter recipe needs just cream, cold water and 15 minutes.
What you need
Malai collected from 1–2 kg boiled milk (or 200ml fresh dairy cream), a hand mixer or mathani, ice-cold water, and a clean muslin cloth.
Step-by-step method
One, bring malai to room temperature for 20 minutes. Two, churn on medium speed — cream whips, then suddenly separates into butter lumps and buttermilk (lassi). Three, pour off the lassi (drink it — it's delicious). Four, wash the butter in 2–3 changes of ice water, squeezing gently, until water runs clear. Five, shape, salt lightly if you like, and refrigerate.
Tips for perfect makhan
Room-temperature malai churns fastest. If it won't separate, add a spoon of cold water. Buffalo-milk malai gives classic white butter — see white vs yellow butter.
Turn extra butter into ghee
More butter than you can eat? Slow-simmer it into desi ghee for months of shelf life. Or skip the work and order ready pure desi ghee. Storage rules: butter storage tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much butter from 1 kg milk?
About 40–60 grams of butter from the malai of 1 kg full-cream buffalo milk, depending on fat content.
Can I use packet cream for butter?
Yes — 200ml of fresh dairy cream (not UHT sweets cream) churns into roughly 80–100g butter.
How long does homemade butter last?
4–5 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen. Wash it well — leftover buttermilk spoils it faster.
