The Secret to a Crispy Golden Grilled Cheese Every Time

Butter on your grilled cheese for the perfectly crispy sandwich? Or a spread of mayo? It’s a debate as old as time for what makes the best grilled cheese. Luckily, you no longer have to choose! This Butternaise spread combines the best of both worlds for the perfect crispy sandwich.

Butternaise is a simple, homemade blend of butter and mayonnaise with seasonings that creates a perfectly crisp, flavorful crust on grilled sandwiches. This homemade Butternaise recipe is inspired by Tillamook’s Butternaise and it is a game-changer.

A grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate comfort food. It’s crispy, it’s buttery, it’s cheesy, and it goes perfectly with a bowl of warm tomato soup. A staple in every household, it’s a winner for dinner because it’s so easy to whip up. With only 3 ingredients and less than 10 minutes, you can have a meal on the table.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better… Enter Butternaise. It’s a combo of butter and mayo and a little bit of seasoning. We needed to test it out for ourselves to see does it really make a difference in the quest for the best sandwich?

So what’s the verdict… I can confirm that butternaise did, in fact, make the BEST grilled cheese sandwich. It got the perfect crispy crust from the mayonnaise, the rich flavor from the butter, and a little boost from the added seasonings. I absolutely will be keeping some stocked in my fridge.

a bowl of butternaise with a grilled cheese sandwich

So how do you make this viral spread? You simply mix the softened butter, mayonnaise, and seasonings. For the best results, I do recommend using a hand mixer to get this spread nice and fluffy. For the ultimate flavor, use Kewpie Mayo, but in a pinch, regular mayonnaise will work too!

You can use Butternaise for a classic grilled cheese, but don’t stop there! Use this on any of your favorite toasty sandwiches to uplevel them.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

To make grilled cheese sandwiches

In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to beat butter until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika until smooth.

To make grilled cheese sandwiches:

Preheat a large skillet or electric griddle over low heat.
Spread 1 tablespoon of the butternaise over one side of each piece of bread. Place 4 slices of bread in the skillet, butternaise side down.
Top the bread with cheddar cheese slices and the remaining slice of bread, butternaise side out.
Cook until bread is golden and crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden and the cheese is melty.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Sandwich

Cuisine American

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