How to Make Butter from Goat Milk
Ask most people and they will tell you that you cannot make butter from goat milk. They are wrong — but they are not entirely without reason. Goat milk butter is harder to make than cow milk butter because of how goat milk fat behaves. It is absolutely possible, and the result is a uniquely flavored, naturally white butter that is worth the extra effort.
Why Goat Butter Is Challenging
Three things make goat milk different from cow milk when it comes to butter making:
- Naturally homogenized: Goat milk fat globules are much smaller than cow milk fat globules (1 to 5 microns vs 2 to 15 microns). They stay suspended in the milk instead of rising to the top. This means cream does not separate on its own as easily.
- No beta-carotene: Goats convert all beta-carotene in their diet to Vitamin A, so their milk fat is white, not yellow. Goat butter is naturally white, which surprises people but is completely normal.
- Lower cream volume: Even with a separator, you get less cream per gallon from goat milk than cow milk, making butter a more milk-intensive product.
Getting Cream: Three Methods
Method 1: Cream separator (recommended)
A mechanical cream separator spins the milk and uses centrifugal force to separate the heavier skim milk from the lighter cream. This is by far the most efficient method for goat milk.
- Captures approximately 85% of available fat
- Produces cream at 30 to 35% fat content
- One gallon yields approximately 10 to 14 oz of cream depending on butterfat percentage
- Cost: $80 to $400 depending on model. Worth it if you make butter regularly.
Method 2: Gravity separation
Pour fresh milk into a wide, shallow container and refrigerate undisturbed for 24 to 48 hours. A thin layer of cream will rise to the top. Skim it carefully with a ladle or spoon.
- Captures only about 40% of available fat (the rest stays suspended)
- You may need to collect cream over several days to get enough for a batch
- Works better with higher-fat breeds like Nigerian Dwarf (6 to 8% fat separates more readily than 3% fat)
- Free — no equipment needed beyond containers
Method 3: Whole milk churning
Skip the separation entirely and churn whole goat milk. The butter granules will eventually form, but it takes longer (15 to 25 minutes vs 8 to 15 for cream) and the yield per gallon is lower.
- Chill whole milk to 55 to 60 degrees F (slightly warmer than fridge — this helps fat globules clump)
- Process in a food processor or stand mixer on high
- Be patient. It takes significantly longer than churning cream.
- Best for small batches when you do not have a separator
Churning: Step-by-Step
- Start cold. Cream should be 40 degrees F when you begin. Pour it into a stand mixer bowl or food processor.
- Whip on medium-high. The cream will go through stages: liquid, foamy, soft whipped cream, stiff whipped cream — then suddenly it will break. You will see yellow-white chunks (butter) separating from white liquid (buttermilk). This takes 8 to 15 minutes with cream, 15 to 25 with whole milk.
- Drain the buttermilk. Pour through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Save the buttermilk — it is excellent for baking.
- Wash the butter. This is the most important step for shelf life. Add ice-cold water to the butter, knead and press with a spatula or your hands, and drain. The water will be cloudy. Repeat 3 to 4 times until the water runs clear. Unwashed butter spoils quickly because residual buttermilk ferments.
- Salt (optional). Work in 1/2 tsp of fine salt per pound of butter if desired. Salted butter lasts longer.
- Shape. Press into molds, roll in parchment paper, or simply pack into a jar.
- Refrigerate or freeze. Goat butter keeps 1 to 2 weeks refrigerated and 6+ months frozen.
Butterfat is the whole game
Herd Manager tracks each doe's butterfat in the Quality Lab, so you know which does give you the cream worth churning.
Track butterfat free →Cultured Goat Butter
Cultured butter has a tangier, more complex European-style flavor. To make it:
- Collect cream using your preferred method.
- Stir in 2 tbsp of plain yogurt or cultured buttermilk per cup of cream.
- Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature (68 to 72 degrees F) for 12 to 24 hours until it thickens slightly and smells tangy.
- Chill to 40 degrees F, then churn as normal.
The culturing step adds depth of flavor that pairs especially well with bread, pastries, and cooking. Many people prefer cultured goat butter to regular because the tanginess complements the natural flavor of goat milk fat.
Common Questions
Why is my goat butter white?
Because goats convert beta-carotene to Vitamin A. Cow butter is yellow from beta-carotene passing into the milk fat. Goat butter is naturally white or very pale cream. This is normal and does not affect flavor. If you want yellow butter for aesthetics, you can add a tiny amount of annatto coloring, but there is no nutritional reason to do so.
Is it worth making butter from goat milk?
Economically, goat butter is more labor-intensive per pound than cheese or soap. But it is a unique product that commands premium prices ($15 to $25 per pound at farmers markets) and impresses customers who have never tasted it. If you have a cream separator and more milk than you can sell, butter is a great use of surplus. Nigerian Dwarf owners with their high-fat milk are especially well positioned.
Can I use a hand churn?
Traditional hand churns work but take significantly longer — 20 to 40 minutes of continuous cranking for cream, even longer for whole milk. A food processor or stand mixer is much more practical for regular butter making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is goat milk butter hard to make?
Because goat cream doesn't rise. Goat milk is naturally homogenized, with fat globules too small to separate on their own, so unlike cow milk you can't just skim the top. You need a cream separator, or must let milk sit very cold for a couple of days to skim a thin cream layer.
How do I get cream from goat milk?
Three ways: a mechanical cream separator (by far the most effective and worth it if you make butter regularly), letting milk sit in the coldest part of the fridge for 2 to 4 days and skimming the thin cream that rises, or a settling method. Separators recover far more cream than skimming.
Why is my goat butter white?
Because goats convert beta-carotene into colorless vitamin A, so their milk fat and butter are naturally white rather than yellow like cow butter. It's completely normal and doesn't affect flavor; some makers add a touch of natural coloring for a cow-butter look.
What is cultured goat butter?
Butter churned from cream that's been cultured (fermented with a starter) before churning, giving a tangy, complex, European-style flavor. You add a mesophilic or buttermilk culture to the cream, let it ripen at room temperature, then churn. Cultured butter is the payoff that makes goat butter worth the effort.
How much butter does goat milk make?
Not much, which is the main drawback. Goat milk is lower in fat than many cow breeds and the cream is hard to separate, so yields are modest and depend heavily on butterfat and separation method. High-butterfat breeds like Nigerian Dwarf give the best return.
Know your butter yield before you churn
Herd Manager's Butter Calculator estimates yield from your milk volume, butterfat, and separation method, pulling your herd's actual butterfat from the Quality Lab so you know what to expect.
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