If summer corn, seafood boils, and warm cornbread are on your menu, this old bay butter is the quick flavor boost you need. It's made with 4 ingredients for a savory, slightly zippy spread that melts into just about anything.
Old Bay seasoning has that nostalgic, seafood-boil flavor that feels right at home on a Southern summer table. It's savory, a little smoky, and just bold enough to make plain butter taste like something you'd want to put on everything.
As a Southern dietitian, I love having quick flavor boosters like this on hand for cookouts, picnics, and last-minute summer sides. You can spread it on cornbread, melt it over corn on the cob, or serve it as a dipping sauce for shrimp or crab legs.
Planning a seafood night? This butter would be perfect with my easy shrimp boil for two!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Makes summer sides taste special: This Old Bay butter turns corn on the cob, cornbread, potatoes, and dinner rolls into something that feels cookout-ready.
- Works as a spread or sauce: You can serve it softened, chill it as a compound butter, or melt it into a quick Old Bay garlic butter sauce.
- Easy to make ahead: Mix it once, store it in the fridge, and use it all week for quick flavor.
- Perfect for Southern summer hosting: Bring it out for seafood boils, backyard BBQs, lake weekends, picnic spreads, or a casual corn-on-the-cob night.
Try my tomato basil butter or honey jalapeño butter for more easy flavored butter ideas.
Ingredients
This old bay butter uses a few simple ingredients that bring bold, buttery flavor without a lot of prep.
- Butter: Unsalted softened butter is the base of this recipe, giving you more control over the flavor since Old Bay seasoning already has a salty kick.
- Old Bay seasoning: Old Bay gives this butter that classic savory, slightly smoky, seafood-boil flavor with celery salt, paprika, and warm spices.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds a savory bite that makes this butter taste more homemade and flavorful.
- Lemon zest: Lemon zest brightens everything up without watering down the butter like too much lemon juice can.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is easy to adjust depending on how you plan to serve it.
- Stir in jalapeno honey if you want a sweet and savory Old Bay butter that tastes amazing on cornbread, biscuits, or grilled corn.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to make this spicy Old Bay butter for seafood, corn, or potatoes.
- You can swap fresh garlic for garlic powder if you want a smoother compound butter that spreads easily and keeps well in the fridge.
- Mix in fresh herbs like parsley, chives, or dill if you want a brighter butter.
- Turn this into seafood boil butter by melting it with a splash of lemon juice and serving it warm with shrimp, crab legs, sausage, potatoes, and corn.
How to Make Old Bay Butter
This recipe comes together in just a few minutes, so it is perfect for making ahead!
Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir everything together until the seasoning and garlic are evenly mixed into the butter.
Step 3: Taste and adjust with more Old Bay, lemon zest, or black pepper if needed.
Step 4: Serve softened, roll into a log and chill, or melt gently for dipping.
What to Serve With Old Bay Butter
This Old Bay butter works with so many summer meals, from seafood boils to backyard BBQ plates.
- Spread it over hot corn on the cob, skillet corn, warm cornbread, biscuits, or hushpuppies for an easy Southern side.
- Melt it for shrimp, crab legs, lobster, salmon, fish, or a low country boil when you want a quick dipping sauce.
- Spoon it over grilled chicken, steak, or pork chops right before serving for extra buttery flavor.
- Brush it over grilled or roasted zucchini, green beans, carrots, asparagus, or broccoli for a simple veggie upgrade.
Tips For Best Results
A few small details help this Old Bay butter taste balanced, spreadable, and full of flavor.
- Let the butter soften first so the Old Bay seasoning mixes evenly with the garlic and lemon zest.
- Taste the butter before adding extra salt because Old Bay seasoning already brings plenty of salty flavor.
- Use lemon zest instead of too much lemon juice when making compound butter so the texture stays thick and spreadable.
- Chill the butter before slicing if you want neat butter rounds for corn, seafood, steak, or cornbread.
Storage
Old Bay butter stores well, which makes it a great make-ahead recipe for summer meals and cookouts.
- Refrigerator: Store Old Bay butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also spoon the butter onto parchment paper or plastic wrap, roll it into a log, and chill until firm.
- Freezer: Freeze Old Bay butter for up to 2 to 3 months, then slice off pieces as needed.
FAQ
Yes, you can melt Old Bay butter and serve it as a dipping sauce for shrimp, crab legs, lobster, corn on the cob, or roasted potatoes. Melt it gently over low heat so the garlic does not burn.
You can use either, but unsalted butter gives you more control because Old Bay seasoning already contains salt. If you use salted butter, taste before adding any extra seasoning.
Yes, this is a great make-ahead recipe. Mix the butter, store it in the refrigerator, and let it soften slightly before serving.
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Thank you!
Jessie
Old Bay Butter
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
- Stir everything together until the seasoning and garlic are evenly mixed into the butter.
- Taste and adjust with more Old Bay or lemon zest if needed.
- Serve softened, roll into a log and chill, or melt gently for dipping.
Notes
- For a smoother butter, use ½ teaspoon garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- For a sweet and savory version, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey.
- For a melted Old Bay butter sauce, warm the butter over low heat and add a small squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To freeze, roll the butter into a log, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.
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