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Butternaise is a simple yet genius blend of creamy butter and rich mayonnaise, mixed with a few basic seasonings to create the ultimate spread for grilled sandwiches. When used in place of plain butter, Butternaise delivers an irresistibly crispy, golden-brown crust and bold, savory flavor, especially on classic grilled cheese sandwiches.
This easy homemade Butternaise recipe is inspired by Tillamook’s viral Butternaise Spread, which famously sold out in less than two minutes. Skip the store-bought version and make this crave-worthy sandwich spread at home with just a handful of pantry staples.
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But what is it?
You’ve probably been seeing the debate for a while now, “which is better for grilled cheese sandwiches, butter or mayo?” Well, Tillamook teamed up with KEWPIE and Spiceology to create a limited edition spread that would solve the debate once and for all. They combined the two and added a little spice.
The spread combines the best of both worlds for the perfect crispy sandwich.
Unfortunately, it’s limited edition and it sold out lickety split. But, fortunately, it’s super easy to make at home. Just mix equal parts softened butter and mayo in a bowl, and add in the seasonings. Then spread that bad boy on the outside of your grilled sammie and you’re in crispy heaven.
How to make
This simple spread is just 3 ingredients. Let’s take a quick look at them:
Butter: A nice creamy unsalted butter like Tillamook Extra Creamy Unsalted Butter is best here. If you like a salty sandwich, you can use a salted butter. But with the cheese and the bread, I don’t feel like the salted butter adds anything. Yes, you can use any kind of butter that’s in your fridge, but that extra creamy butter means extra flavor.
Mayo: KEWPIE is a famous Japanese brand of umami rich mayonnaise that’s made with egg yolks, rice vinegar, and a blend of other ingredients. Kewpie is recommended for extra flavor, but again, you can go with your favorite mayo here. Mayonnaise provides umami flavor and prevents burning with a a superior crust.
Spices: Spiceology Fries SZN is made of paprika, cayenne pepper, brown granulated sugar, garlic, and onion. You can certainly use this spice mix, or just make your own. Or try customizing the sandwich with other savory spices like Old Bay, taco seasoning, Cajun spices, or go simple and leave the spices out.
That’s it. Just mix those three together. For the best results, use a hand mixer or immersion blender with a whisk attachment to get it light and fluffy. But you can also just mix it by hand. After mixing everything, spread it onto your bread before browning it up in a skillet. You’ll get a perfect crispy crust from the mayonnaise, the rich flavor of the butter, and a little kick from the seasonings.
How to make the perfect grilled cheese
Since we’re talking grilled cheese, I thought I’d share the details on the best grilled cheese.
Grab your large pan (preferably a nonstick pan or an electric griddle) and a sturdy spatula (especially a fish spatula).
Use a sturdy, soft bread that’s not too thick (around ½-inch is ideal). Great choices are sourdough bread, brioche, white sandwich bread, or a Pullman loaf. Avoid slices of bread that’re too thick, or the cheese may not melt properly.
Use a blend of two or three cheeses for great flavor and meltiness. Flavorful cheeses that are great in a grilled cheese are sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or Gruyère. And great melty cheeses American, medium cheddar, Havarti, Fontina, Muenster, and mozzarella.
Spread about a tablespoon of butter-mayo spread across the entire surface of one side of each piece of bread. (In the pictures you’ll see I used a thin sliced seed bread. That took a little less than a tablespoon per slice, so go with what looks good on the bread you’re using). Top the bread with 2 to 3 cheese slices and another slice of bread, butternaise side out.
Preheat the large skillet or electric griddle over low heat. Place slices of bread in the skillet, butternaise side down.
Cook low and slow over low heat, turning and flipping often until cheese is fully melted and bread is golden and crisp, about 4-5 minutes so that the sandwich cooks evenly and doesn’t burn or stick to the pan, checking occasionally to ensure it is golden brown and not burning.
I like to cover the pan with a lid in the beginning of cooking; this helps the cheese melt fully and evenly as the bread toasts.
Increase heat as needed until the sandwich is dark brown across the entire bread surface on both sides.
Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and allow it to rest for a minute to help the cheese set slightly before slicing diagonally in half. Your grilled sandwich should be perfectly crisp and toasty bread and filled with plenty of melty cheese.
Oh, and don’t forget the tomato soup! Or go fancy with Tomato Parmesan Soup.
Also use this spread on
Yes, this is the perfect grilled cheese sandwich spread. But don’t stop there. You can make a perfect tuna melt, tuna cake sandwiches, or any other tasty hot griddled sandwich.
Fancy up your grilled cheese with a Pesto avocado grilled cheese, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, tomato slices, grainy mustard, fig jam, pepper jelly, or grilled shrimp.
Make your avocado toast even better.
Have some fun with Pizza sticks.
Butternaise toast the buns of burgers for salmon burgers or regular cheeseburgers.
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Recipe
Butternaise
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra creamy unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise kewpie mayo or regular mayonnaise
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Mix together the butter, mayonnaise, and seasonings in a small bowl.
Notes
Spread about a tablespoon of butter-mayo spread across the entire surface of one side of each piece of bread. Top the bread with 2 to 3 cheese slices and another slice of bread, butternaise side out. Preheat a large skillet or electric griddle over low heat. Place slices of bread in the skillet, butternaise side down. Cook very slowly, turning and flipping often until cheese is fully melted and bread is golden and crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Increase heat as needed until the sandwich is dark brown across the entire bread surface on both sides.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
This makes the best golden crispy sandwiches, and it’s so easy to mix together. Give it a try. It’ll up your sandwich game! Debi, author, Life Currents