These incredibly juicy stovetop Butter Burgers have a perfectly crisp outer crust, making them the most flavorful burger you will ever make at home. This classic Midwestern burger is served with melted cheese, cooked onions, and pickles.
When it comes to comfort food, few things can compete with a great burger. I love how little gourmet variations can make a classic burger better. My mouth starts watering at the thought of Mini Greek Lamb Burgers slathered in yogurt sauce or savory Italian Bunless Burgers.
And then there's the butter burger. It just might be the richest burger you will ever make, and it all comes down to one very special ingredient: butter.
What to know before you start:
These stovetop Butter Burgers are a classic Midwestern recipe where butter is mixed into the beef, used to cook the onions, and toasted into the buns. Crispy edges, juicy centers, and no grill required.
- ⏱ Total Time: 50 minutes 🍽 Makes: 4 burgers 🧾 Ingredients: 8 📊 Difficulty: Easy 🥩 Contains: Dairy, Gluten, Eggs (in buns)
- The key technique is keeping the butter ice-cold before mixing into the meat so it stays distributed rather than melting too soon. This is what makes Wisconsin-style butter burgers uniquely rich, moist, and flavorful compared to a standard burger.
- Use 90/10 lean ground beef: the butter already adds all the fat and moisture the patty needs, so a fattier cut would make the burgers greasy rather than juicy.
- Butter burgers should not be grilled because the butter drips and causes flare-ups. Use a skillet on the stovetop.
- Classic Wisconsin toppings are American cheese, butter-cooked onions, mayo, and dill pickles, but the recipe is easy to customize with other cheeses, sauces, and add-ons.
- Patties can be prepped ahead and stored raw in the fridge, or frozen (raw or cooked) for up to 3 months.
Generated with AI and experts from the Tara Teaspoon team.
Butter Burger Origins
These beauties originate in the Midwest, specifically Wisconsin, and while there are several variations, they're all united by one thing: the liberal use of butter!
The original Wisconsin butter burger was made famous by Solly's Grille in Milwaukee in 1936, now located in Glendale. They serve their sirloin patty and stewed onions with a generous pat of butter on top. The butter burger served at the national chain Culver's, seems to simply use buttered buns to create their butter burgers.
My version takes it even further – butter is grated cold and mixed directly into the beef, used to cook the onions, and toast the buns for maximum butter flavor in every bite!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Rich, buttery flavor: The secret to enhanced beefy flavor is butter. It adds richness and moisture that creates a next-level juicy burger without any special equipment.
- Crispy, seared edges: Whether cooked in a skillet or on a griddle, these burgers have amazing texture. They develop irresistibly crisp, caramelized edges while staying tender and juicy on the inside.
- Easy, restaurant-style burgers at home: This easy recipe delivers restaurant-worthy burgers with simple ingredients and techniques, making it perfect for weeknight dinners, game days, and backyard cookouts.
- Classic toppings: No butter burger is complete without the famous combo of American cheese, butter-cooked onions, a swirl of mayo, and a few pickles.
Jump to:
Ingredients
The quintessential butter burger starts with a short list of ingredients. Check out my ingredient tips to gather everything you'll need. See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Lean ground beef: To prevent the burgers from getting greasy, I recommend using 90/10 lean ground beef. The butter will keep the patties moist and juicy.
- Salted butter: The salt in the butter helps to flavor the meat. For extra flavorful burgers, consider using a European or European-style butter with a higher butterfat content than regular American butter.
- Oil: Use avocado or canola oil to cook the onions along with butter to reduce the smoke point.
- Yellow onion
- Buns: For quality flavor, I like to use brioche or potato buns.
- American cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Dill pickle chips
More toppings
Although traditional butter burgers are typically served with American cheese, grilled onions, and dill pickles, you can make these burgers your own with other toppings like:
- Veggies: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sliced onion
- Sauce: ketchup, mustard, ranch, BBQ sauce
- Cheese: provolone, Swiss, Gruyere, pepper jack
- Savory: bacon, onion rings, fried egg, chili
How to make Wisconsin butter burgers
Your burgers will be ready in no time. Follow these step-by-step instructions to see how they're made. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Grate very cold butter into shreds. Use the large holes on a box grater.
- Step 2: Spread the butter on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer to stay very cold.
- Step 3: Mix the cold butter into the ground beef.
- Step 4: Shape the meat mixture into 6-inch patties.
- Step 5: Cook onions in butter and oil in a skillet. Let them get soft and start to turn golden.
- Step 6: Once cooked through with golden color, scoop the onions into a bowl and set them aside.
- Step 7: Butter the buns.
- Step 8: Toast the buns in a skillet until golden, then set them aside.
- Step 9: Cook patties in a heated skillet until just browned, flipping halfway through. Allow the melted butter to crisp the edges.
- Step 10: Top with cheese just before removing the patties from the skillet.
- Step 11: Place cooked hamburgers on a wire rack to set.
- Step 12: Spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun.
- Step 13: Top with a hamburger patty and cooked onions.
- Step 14: Finish the burger with a few pickles and the top bun.
Tara's expert tips
Don’t press down on the burgers while cooking: Butter burgers are super juicy because the butter melts on the inside while cooking. If you press on the burgers as they cook, you'll squeeze out all those delicious juices and flavor.
Use really cold butter: The key to getting butter evenly distributed throughout the patty is starting with very cold butter. Grate it straight from the fridge or freezer, and chill it in the freezer before blending it into the meat. This step protects the butter from melting before it hits the pan.
A cast iron skillet creates the best crust: Although a nonstick skillet works beautifully and is what I use, try making these burgers in a cast iron skillet if you want to go the extra mile. You'll get the ultimate extra-crispy, caramelized sear from a heavy cast iron pan.
What to serve with these burgers
Classic cookout sides like potato salad or pasta salad were made to go with butter burgers. Grab some chips, a veggie tray, and plenty of fresh fruit like watermelon to complete your spread! Here are a few more delicious options to pair with your burgers:
Make-ahead and storage
Make-ahead: Butter burgers are a great recipe to prep ahead! Form your patties up to 24 hours in advance, stack them between sheets of parchment paper, and keep them covered in the fridge until you're ready to cook. You can also prep your toppings ahead of time so everything is ready to go when the burgers hit the pan.
Refrigerate: Store cooked burger patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze both cooked and raw patties! For raw patties, place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. For cooked patties, freeze them the same way for up to 3 months. Thaw both in the refrigerator overnight before cooking or reheating.
Reheat: For the best results, reheat cooked patties in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. This brings back that delicious crust and keeps the burger from drying out. Avoid reheating in the microwave because it will make the patties tough.
FAQ
Not when you make them right! I use 90/10 lean ground beef because the butter is already adding all the richness and moisture the patty needs. A fattier cut would just tip the scales into greasy territory. The result is a juicy, indulgent burger with so much flavor.
I would not recommend grilling butter burgers. I suggest sticking to the stovetop or griddle. The butter in the patties can drip onto the flame of a grill and cause flare-ups. You'll also lose some of the rich, melted butter that makes these burgers so very juicy and creates the crispy edges.
More easy ground beef recipes
Keep ground beef recipes in your dinner rotations. These blog favorites are delicious any time of the year:
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📖 Full Recipe
Butter Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef (90/10 preferred)
- 12 tablespoons salted butter (cold, divided use)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (canola oil)
- 1 medium onion (diced to ½ inch pieces)
- 4 brioche buns (potato buns)
- 4 slices American cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Pickle chips
Instructions
- Grate 6 tablespoons very cold butter, spread shreds evenly on a parchment lined tray or plate, and freeze until very cold again.
- With gloved or very clean hands, gently mix frozen shredded butter into ground beef and make 4 equal-sized patties, pressing until they are about 6 inches diameter. Cover and set aside or chill until ready to cook.
- Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter plus the 1 tablespoon avocado oil, and onions. Cook, stirring frequently until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are just turning golden in parts, 7 to 8 more minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile butter buns with remaining 4 tablespoons butter and then toast in the skillet over medium heat, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
- Heat the skillet over medium heat, then add prepared beef patties. Cook patties flipping halfway through, and cook just until browned and cooked, about 5 minutes total. Butter will melt and the burgers will sizzle in the butter getting crispy edges.
- Add slices of cheese on burgers just before removing from skillet. Remove burgers to a wire rack set over a tray.
- To build burgers, spread mayonnaise on bottom buns, top with cheese-topped butter burgers, add onions, pickles, and top buns. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
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