If You Like Smooth, Spreadable Butter, Then You Need This

There are two ways to store butter: on the counter and in the fridge. We know it’s totally safe to leave butter on the counter, which is my preferred method of storage. That way, it’s soft and creamy when I spread it on toast in the morning. But did you know there are more options than a regular ol’ butter dish? Enter, the butter crock.

The butter crock, also known as a butter bell or butter keeper, is a two-piece contraption that keeps butter fresh on the counter for up to 30 days. The butter goes in the “bell,” which you place in the water-filled crock. This device keeps butter smooth and spreadable for whenever you need it.

How Do You Use a Butter Crock?

To begin, soften a stick of butter on the counter. Use these tips to soften butter quickly. It needs to be soft in order to mold it into the bell. Once that’s done, add water to the crock. Not much, just enough to line up with the butter so it’s airtight. Then, place the bell, upside down, inside the crock, where it will be waiting until dinnertime when you need to smear some on homemade, hot-from-the-oven rolls.

Unfortunately, there are a few downsides to the butter crock. First, it’s more high maintenance than a butter dish because you have to change the water every few days. It’s super easy, but one extra step you have to take. Second, a really hot summer day might cause the butter to melt or simply fall into the water. So, it’s best to keep it in the fridge on a scorching day.

How Much Does a Butter Crock Cost?

Butter crocks range from simple to ultra-fancy, but the typical price range is just $15 to $26. The Original Butter Bell Crock runs for about $25. You can find a simpler Norpro for under $10. Or, you can go all out and buy a $50 Le Creuset butter keeper. Whatever your budget, there’s a butter crock for you!

Not sure which brand of butter to use? We tested eight butters to see which one reigned supreme. Our favorite might surprise you.

Have These Biscuits Handy

1 / 25

Easy Cheesy Biscuits

I'm a big fan of homemade biscuits but not the rolling and cutting that goes with them. The drop biscuit method solves everything. —Christina Addison, Blanchester, Ohio

Get Recipe

Parmesan Sweet Cream Biscuits

Sweet cream biscuits were the first kind I mastered. Since the ingredients are so simple, I can scale the recipe up or down. In fact, I've actually memorized it! —Helen Nelander, Boulder Creek, California

Get Recipe

Ham & Green Onion Biscuits

I started with my grandmother’s biscuits and added a bit of my personality. When I make them with my kids, it feels like she’s with us. —Amy Chase, Vanderhoof, British Columbia

Get Recipe

Sour Cream-Leek Biscuits

These biscuits are a wonderful pairing for soups. I've made them with all-purpose white flour as well as whole wheat, and both work equally well. —Bonnie Appleton, Canterbury, Connecticut

Get Recipe

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

The recipe for these four-ingredient biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina

Get Recipe

Cinnamon Fruit Biscuits

Because these sweet treats are so easy, I'm almost embarrassed when people ask me for the recipe. They're a snap to make with refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, sugar, cinnamon and your favorite fruit preserves. —Ione Burham, Washington, Iowa

Get Recipe

Flaky Cheddar-Chive Biscuits

These wonderful, buttery biscuits complement any dinner. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Grandma's Biscuits

Homemade biscuits add a warm and comforting touch to any meal. My grandmother makes these tender biscuits to go with her seafood chowder. —Melissa Obernesser, Utica, New York

Get Recipe

Caraway Cheese Biscuits

My grandchildren are always happy when I pull a pan of my cheese biscuits from the oven. The golden-brown goodies are perfect for dipping into chili or stew. — Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario

Get Recipe

Easy Parmesan Biscuits

This recipe is simple but a delicious addition to any meal. The children love to dip the ready-made biscuits in butter and coat it with the cheese. Warm from the oven, one biscuit per person usually isn’t enough. —Linda Becker, Olympia, Washington

Get Recipe

Zucchini & Cheese Drop Biscuits

These colorful little drop biscuits are very easy to put together and yet are packed full of flavor. I serve them warm out of the oven. —Keith Mesch, Mt. Healthy, Ohio

Get Recipe

Hurry-Up Biscuits

When I was young, my mom would make these biscuits with fresh cream she got from a local farmer. I don't go to those lengths, but the family recipe is still a real treat. —Beverly Sprague, Baltimore, Maryland

Get Recipe

Fluffy Herb Drop Biscuits

I grow many herbs, so I can just go out to the garden and pick them. These biscuits contain my favorite ones. —Melissa McCabe, Long Beach, California

Get Recipe

Flaky Whole Wheat Biscuits

Whole wheat flour gives these biscuits a nutty, homey flavor. Ever since I started making these, white flour biscuits just don't taste as good! Pair them with soup or slather them with whipped cream and sweetened berries for a dessert treat. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Get Recipe

Cheese & Garlic Biscuits

My biscuits won the Best Quick Bread division at my county fair. One of the judges liked it so much, she asked for the recipe! These buttery, savory biscuits go with just about anything. —Tall Pines Farm, Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio

Get Recipe

Mom's Buttermilk Biscuits

These fluffy biscuits are so tasty slathered with butter or used to mop up every last drop of gravy off your plate. I can still see Mom pulling these tender gems out of the oven. —Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming

Get Recipe

Apricot Cream Biscuits

Melt-in-your-mouth good when warm, these shortcut biscuits with a hint of orange prove that the right mix really can offer homemade taste. —Betty Saint Turner, Attalla, Alabama

Get Recipe

Makeover Cheddar Biscuits

Here's our crack at the never-ending biscuits from Red Lobster. Made from scratch with lighter ingredients, they're just as cheesy and buttery as the original. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Get Recipe

Ham and Swiss Biscuits

"These can be made ahead and frozen. To heat them up, place on an ungreased baking sheet in a 375° oven for 6 to 10 minutes or until heated through. They go great with the soup and salad.” —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Get Recipe

Cheddar Corn Biscuits

Skip standard bake-and-serve dinner rolls this year and try my fast-to-fix biscuits studded with cheddar and corn. It's almost impossible to resist eating one right from the oven! —Susan Braun, Swift Current, Saskatchewan

Get Recipe

Jam Biscuits

My teenage granddaughter, Holly, and I have enjoyed cooking together since she was 4 years old. We like to make these golden biscuits for holiday gatherings. Fill the centers with homemade jam, orange marmalade or cheese. —Mary Lindsay, Dunrango, Colorado

Get Recipe

Glazed Cranberry Biscuits

My family likes biscuits for breakfast. One Sunday, I decided to make those golden goodies extra special by adding white chips, dried cranberries and a simple orange glaze. —Lori Daniels, Beverly, West Virginia

Get Recipe

Ginger Buttermilk Biscuits

After we had cinnamon-topped biscuits at a restaurant, I came up with my own version at home. I keep crystallized ginger on hand so I can whip up a batch at a moment’s notice!—Rebecca Littlejohn, Vista, Califiornia

Get Recipe

Lemon Blueberry Biscuits

Lemon and blueberries make such a fresh and flavorful combination in all kinds of baked goods, especially these biscuits. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Get Recipe

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

My family gobbles up these biscuits, which are low in fat, cholesterol and sugar. I almost always make these now instead of my old shortening-based recipe. —Wendy Masters, Grand Valley, Ontario

Get Recipe

The post If You Like Smooth, Spreadable Butter, Then You Need This appeared first on Taste of Home.

Emily Racette Parulski