To make cinnamon butter, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened unsalted butter for 2 minutes until pale, then whip in ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. It takes about 5 minutes of mixing once the butter is soft and makes about 1¼ cups of fluffy, spreadable cinnamon honey butter.
This is the same style as the whipped cinnamon honey butter Texas Roadhouse serves with its rolls, and just as good on toast, pancakes, muffins and warm cornbread. The one thing that decides the texture is the temperature of the butter, so that is where most of this page goes.
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- Full batch: 1 cup butter, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- Per stick of butter (half batch): 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, a small splash of vanilla
- Yield: about 1¼ cups
- Time: about 1 hour for the butter to soften, then 5 minutes of mixing
- Tools: hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle
- Keeps: 2 weeks in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer
Getting the Butter to the Right Softness
Leave the butter on the counter for about an hour. Press it with a finger: it should leave a clear dent without your finger sliding straight through, and the surface should look matte, not shiny or wet. In a cold kitchen, cut the sticks into cubes and they soften in half the time.
Butter that is too cold whips into small lumps that never smooth out. Butter that is too warm is the bigger problem. It cannot hold air, so instead of turning fluffy it goes greasy and slumps in the jar. Never soften it in the microwave for this. Even a few seconds too long melts the middle.
Use unsalted butter. Salted butter is fine in a pinch, but the salt fights with the honey, and with unsalted you can always add a pinch at the end.
Whipping in the Honey and Cinnamon
Beat the butter alone for about 2 minutes, until it turns a shade paler and looks fluffy. That air is what makes it spread on warm bread without tearing it.
Whisk the cinnamon into the powdered sugar in a small bowl first. Cinnamon is fine and dry, and dropped straight onto butter it clumps into dark specks. Add the sugar mix, the honey and the vanilla, start the mixer on low so the sugar does not cloud out of the bowl, then turn it up and beat for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Use runny honey at room temperature. Honey straight from a cold pantry is thick and streaks through the butter instead of blending. Scrape the bowl once halfway through, because a patch of plain butter at the bottom is easy to miss. Then taste. Add a little more honey for sweetness or a pinch more cinnamon for warmth.
Cinnamon Honey Butter vs Cinnamon Sugar Butter
People search for both, and they are close cousins. This recipe is a cinnamon honey butter: powdered sugar dissolves into the butter, honey adds a soft floral sweetness, and the result is smooth and whipped. That makes it the closest match to the restaurant style.
Cinnamon sugar butter is usually made with brown or granulated sugar instead. It tastes more like the inside of a cinnamon roll, with a light caramel note, but those crystals do not fully dissolve, so it stays slightly grainy. To make it from this recipe, swap the powdered sugar for about ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, keep or drop the honey, and taste before adding more. Melted on hot toast, the graininess does not matter at all.
Swapping the Butter, Honey or Cinnamon
Margarine works but tastes flat next to real butter. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based butter sticks, not a soft tub spread, so it whips and firms up in the fridge the same way.
Maple syrup can replace the honey. It makes a slightly softer butter with a different flavor, closer to my maple butter. Ceylon cinnamon is mild and sweet, while the cassia or Saigon cinnamon sold in most stores is stronger and spicier, so start with 1 teaspoon if yours is Saigon.
Runny, Grainy or Streaky Cinnamon Butter Fixes
- Runny or greasy: the butter was too warm. Chill the bowl for 10 to 15 minutes, then whip again.
- Small lumps of butter: it was too cold. Let the bowl sit for 15 minutes and beat again.
- Dark specks of cinnamon: the spice went in on its own. Beat a little longer, and next time mix it into the sugar first.
- Grainy: granulated or brown sugar was used. Powdered sugar gives the smooth version.
- Hard straight from the fridge: give it 10 to 15 minutes on the counter, or dip your knife in hot water and dry it before spreading.
Jars for the Fridge, Logs for the Freezer
Spoon the cinnamon butter into a small jar or ramekin with a lid and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. A jar can stay on the table for the length of a meal, then back into the fridge.
To freeze, spoon it onto parchment, roll it into a log, twist the ends and freeze it for up to 3 months. Slice off coins as you need them, which also looks neat on a holiday bread basket. Small silicone molds work the same way.
Small jars make a quick Christmas gift next to a loaf of bread. Tell whoever gets one this is fresh butter: it lives in the fridge and keeps for about 2 weeks.
What to Spread It On
Warm bread is the obvious place: dinner rolls, sour cream biscuits, honey cornbread or toasted cinnamon raisin bread with apple slices. On holiday mornings it goes on stacks of cinnamon roll pancakes or slices of pumpkin bread.
Beyond breakfast, a spoonful melted into mashed sweet potatoes or over baked pears is a nice shortcut. One old snack I grew up with: cinnamon butter sandwiched between graham crackers and chilled.
If you like a jar of something spreadable in the fridge, the same idea works with fruit: try pear butter or pumpkin butter.
Cinnamon Butter, Briefly Answered
Is this the Texas Roadhouse cinnamon butter?
A copycat in the same style: whipped butter with honey, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Serve it soft with warm rolls.
Can I make cinnamon butter without a mixer?
Yes. Stir it hard with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon. It will taste the same but be denser, not whipped.
Does cinnamon butter need to be refrigerated?
Yes, between uses. It can sit out for a meal, then keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Can I use salted butter?
You can. Leave out any extra salt and taste before adding more honey, since salt makes it taste less sweet.
Homemade Cinnamon Butter
This cinnamon butter recipe is a whipped cinnamon honey butter made with softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, honey, ground cinnamon, and a little vanilla. It takes 5 minutes of mixing once the butter is soft and makes about 1¼ cups of light, fluffy spread. The butter is beaten alone for 2 minutes first so it holds air, and the cinnamon is mixed into the powdered sugar so it blends without specks. Use homemade cinnamon butter on dinner rolls, toast, pancakes, waffles, cornbread, muffins, and pumpkin bread, the way the Texas Roadhouse style butter is served. For a cinnamon sugar butter, use brown sugar instead. Keep it 2 weeks in the fridge or 3 months frozen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- SOFTEN THE BUTTER: Leave the butter at room temperature for at least 1 hour until it’s soft enough to press with your finger but not melted.
- WHIP THE BUTTER: In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter for about 2 minutes until it becomes light in color and fluffy in texture.
- ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Add the powdered sugar, honey, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Beat for another 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and well combined.
- TASTE AND ADJUST: Taste the mixture. If you prefer more sweetness, add a bit more honey. For a stronger cinnamon flavor, mix in a pinch of extra cinnamon.
- TRANSFER AND STORE: Spoon the cinnamon butter into a small jar or ramekin. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Let soften slightly before serving if chilled.
Notes
The butter should be soft enough to dent with a finger but not shiny or greasy; if it turns runny while whipping, chill the bowl 10 to 15 minutes and whip again. Whisk the cinnamon into the powdered sugar before adding it, and use runny room temperature honey so it blends smoothly. For a whipped texture, use a mixer instead of stirring by hand. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and let it soften 10 to 15 minutes before serving. For longer storage, roll into a log in parchment or pack into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield
1Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 384Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 31mgSodium 94mgCarbohydrates 74gFiber 2gSugar 70gProtein 0g
