B and I made butter in a jar today! I’ve planned at least one science related experiment to do each day over the summer and today was great because we learned about changes in matter, specifically, physical changes: liquids to solids.
AND it required physical activity! (Lots of shaking!)
This was a fun activity for us to do together, and only took about 12 minutes! We had a lot of fun shaking, and even turned it into a dance party!
Our butter is more margarine-like in its consistency, like what you’d find in a tub. I prefer this consistency, but you can make it a little more solid by shaking the jar more.
What You’ll Need:
- Jar with lid
- Heavy whipping cream (I recommend Silk brand’s almond whipping cream for a dairy free option!)
- Optional-salt, honey, herbs
Instructions:
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into the jar only halfway full. Don’t fill it any more than half, because you’ll need enough room for it to churn when you shake it.
- Put salt in if you’d like (Other options are honey and herbs!)
- Shake for at least 10 minutes. You should see a lump that’s formed inside.
- You can save any remaining liquid for a later batch, or throw it out,
You can use any type of jar that you’d like. The size just depends on how much butter you want to make, just remember to only fill it halfway. The butter will keep for about 3-5 days at room temperature, or 5-7 days if it’s refrigerated.
How Does It Work?
If you’re like me, you like explaining the WHYS to your kids. Or maybe your kid is like mine and wants to know the reason behind everything. WHY is this turning into butter? When shaking the cream in the jar, the fat molecules start separating from the liquid. The more you shake it, the more the fat molecules clump together. This clumping forms a solid… which is the butter!
B even wrapped it and gave it to his grandma as a gift. He was so excited that he made something with his own hands that someone else could enjoy. I just love his sweet heart!
Mommisadventures 