How to Use Antique Butter Molds

Antique butter molds bring back a time when most food was produced and prepared at home. The beautiful and often elaborate molds could hold anything from a 2 pound block of butter to an individual butter pat.

A hundred years ago, making one's own butter was more common than buying it from the store. Families often had a milking cow or goat that provided all of the family's dairy products. Butter was often formed in a wooden mold after preparation to make it presentable at table. Antique butter molds often had designs carved into the press to make the butter decorative. Butter mold designs often included acorns, wheat sheaves, chickens, or hearts.

Many of these now-antique butter molds are found in vintage stores and online auction sites. Collectors often purchase antique butter molds for display purposes. However, if you make your own butter, you can still use these beautiful molds to give your butter an authentic look.

If you have an antique butter mold that you would like to use for your homemade butter, the first step is to inspect it carefully. Ensure that it is structurally in good condition with no cracks in the wood and with all nails firmly in place. If it is darkly stained on the inside, it may have had a mould growing at one point in time and therefore, should not be used for butter making.

If your antique butter mold is in good shape, it can be likely used to make butter. The first step is to sanitize the mold. Allow the butter mold to soak in a solution of 1 gallon of warm water and 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach for a half hour. Using more bleach or leaving the mold in the solution for a longer period may result in a bleach odor that is difficult to remove. Rinse the mold thoroughly and allow to air dry in a dust-free location.

When you are ready to mold your butter, soak the mold in ice water for 15 minutes. This will help the mold release the butter later. Fill the mold with soft butter, pressing gently with a spatula. The butter should be pressed to fill all holes and gaps. Ensure that the butter is in full contact with the design on the press. Flatten and smooth the bottom of the butter with the spatula to make it even with the bottom of the mold and flat. Place the mold and butter in the refrigerator to harden slightly.

When ready to unmold, place the mold upside down on a clean flat plate. Hold the mold steady with one hand and push on the press handle with the other, simultaneously lifting the mold from the butter. The butter can be used immediately or wrapped in parchment paper and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Wash the butter mold immediately with hot soapy water, rinse, and allow to air dry for the next batch.