Recipe for Spoon Butter
Wooden utensils are a beautiful, traditional tool in any rustic kitchen. But they must be taken care of in order to last a long time. Here is a recipe for spoon butter along with some tips to keep your wooden utensils in great shape.
I love having unique, rustic, handmade wooden utensils in our Alaska kitchen. Plastic just won’t do.
Over the years, I have grown my collection and I love every piece. From my wooden whisk, biscuit cutter, bread knife, spatulas, and countless spoons, they make cooking and serving meals to my family that much more special.
But they require extra care and I’m ok with that. I make sure to wash and handle them properly (here’s a post with my favorite tips) but after a while, they start to dry out and need some moisturizing.
Making my own spoon butter is an enjoyable and quick project. I also get to use some of our beeswax, which I love to incorporate into anything that I can because of all its amazing properties.
If you have a collection of lovely wooden utensils and don’t want them drying out over time, give this recipe for spoon butter a try!
Ingredients for Homemade Spoon Butter
You only need two simple, natural ingredients to make this recipe for spoon butter. You might already have them on hand if you enjoy making other natural products at home!
- 1 part Beeswax
- 3 parts Coconut Oil
I use pure beeswax from our honeybees. I always make sure that the wax is nice and clean before I use it in projects. Find instructions for cleaning beeswax here.
If you don’t have your own bees, check with a local beekeeping to see if they sell small amounts of wax.
Pure beeswax is also available in health food stores or online. Just be sure you’re purchasing from a reputable seller using sustainable practices and that you’re getting 100% pure beeswax.
If you don’t have any coconut oil on hand, I have heard that walnut oil works well too. Just avoid olive or vegetable oils as they can go rancid.
Tools You Will Need
You definitely already have the tools you will need in your kitchen! Because I melt the beeswax directly in the jar that I will store it in, I don’t worry about using special equipment for this recipe like I do with candle making or other projects involving beeswax.
You will need:
- Small Saucepan– You will only be using this to simmer water so you can use your regular saucepan.
- Tablespoon
- Glass Canning Jar– 4 or 8 ounce jars work best. I like to use a wide-mouth 8 ounce jar and double the recipe.
- Canning Jar Lifter– Or use oven mitts for lifting the hot jar.
How to Make Spoon Butter
Measure the coconut oil and beeswax into the canning jar.
Set the jar in the saucepan and fill the saucepan with water until it’s about halfway up the side of jar.
Heat the water over medium-low until it starts to gently simmer.
Continue to simmer until the coconut oil and beeswax are completely melted.
Turn off the burner and allow the water to cool for a few minutes.
Using an oven mitt or a canning jar lifter, very carefully remove the jar from the saucepan and set on the counter.
Allow it to cool until it’s completely solid, at least an hour.
When not in use, store with a lid on in a cool, dry place for several months.
When you run out, just make a new batch in the same jar!
How to Use Spoon Butter
Wooden utensils can easily dry out the more you use and wash them. Once they start to look ashy and dry, grab your spoon butter!
Using your hand or a tea towel, rub a small amount of spoon butter all over your wooden utensil, getting a little more as needed.
Allow to sit overnight or all day so the oil can soak in.
After 8 to 12 hours, use a tea towel to gently wipe any excess oil from the wood. It’s ready to be used again!
Tips for Spoon Butter
- Spoon butter makes a great gift! It costs so little to whip up a jar. Give someone a beautiful wooden utensil along with a little jar of spoon butter for a lovely gift!
- This recipe can easily double or even triple, just maintain the 3 to 1 ratio of oil to beeswax.
- For a complete guide to caring for wooden utensils, check out this post.
- Spoon butter can also be used on wooden knife or whisk handles, on little wooden butter knives, wooden salad scoopers, honey dippers and other wooden kitchen utensils.
- I love collecting beautiful, locally handmade wooden kitchen utensils and Alaska has an abundance of very skilled and creative artisans. The Great Alaska Bowl Company and The Roaming Root Cellar are two of my favorite local shops to find handmade wooden utensils along with Birch Springs and holiday bazaars. Shop around where you live and see what you can find!
This simple, natural recipe is quick to whip up and will leave your wooden utensils beautiful for years to come!
Spoon Butter
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Measuring spoon
- Small glass canning jar (4 or 8 oz)
- Canning jar lifter or oven mitt
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Beeswax
- 3 tbsp Coconut oil
Instructions
- Into the small jar measure the coconut oil and beeswax.
- Set the jar in the saucepan and fill with the saucepan with water, about halfway up the jar.
- On the stove, bring the water in the saucepan to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the coconut oil and beeswax in the jar have completely melted.
- Turn off the heat and carefully remove the saucepan from the burner. Allow to sit for a few minutes so the water can cool down.
- Wearing an oven mitt or using a canning jar grip, very carefully remove the jar from the saucepan and set on the counter.
- Allow to sit at room temperature until completely solid, at least one hour but maybe longer, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
- To use, wipe onto wooden kitchen utensils, allow to sit overnight, and wipe any excess off in the morning. Use as needed and store covered in a cool place.
