12 Favorite Recipes for Compound Butters

This classic French preparation is simply softened butter mixed with herbs, alliums, and other flavorings that you can slather over almost anything, from meat to vegetables to fish and chicken, giving them a burst of bright, complex richness. To elevate scrambled eggs, try cooking them in a compound butter. Sweet versions can dress up pancakes, popovers, and biscuits. Here are just a few of our favorite combos.

Thai Chili Butter for Pan-Seared Steaks

This spicy compound butter is the perfect accompaniment to rich, tender steak.

Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley Butter

The sharp flavors in this compound butter provide a flavorful contrast to a succ…

Nori Butter

Pack your butter with savory umami by adding nori powder.

Cilantro-Chipotle Butter

Use this compound butter to infuse our Grilled Corn recipe with summer flavors.

Spicy Old Bay Butter

Use this compound butter to infuse our Grilled Corn recipe with summer flavors.

Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Paprika Butter

Compound butters are classic companions to steak.

Radish Butter

This easy appetizer is a riff on the venerable French nibble of radishes smeared…

Pumpkin Spice Butter

Serve alongside our Easy Pancakes.

Ginger-Molasses Butter

Serve alongside our Easy Pancakes.

Orange-Almond Butter

Serve alongside our Easy Pancakes.

Shallot-Herb Butter

A good compound butter recipe offers a simple way to dress up grilled meats.

Mustard-Garlic Butter with Thyme

This makes a great flavored butter for our Crisp-Skin High-Roast Butterflied Chi…