The #1 The Delicious Taste of Culver's Butter Burger Recipe (2024)

Culver’s History-Making Burgers

If you love a good butter burger just as much as I do, then chances are that you’ve been to your local Culver’s. The first one opened in 1984 in Wisconsin, and since then, has been a Midwestern treat that has gradually spread around the country. I’m still hoping for West Coast expansion, but for now, we’ve got the butter burger recipe.

Alongside the famed Culver’s custard, the Culver’s burgers were the first item on the menu designed by Craig and Lea Culver. But that burger needed a name, and they wanted something that stood out. As they pondered ideas, Craig drew inspiration from his own mother who buttered the buns first before lightly grilling them into that delightful toasty texture.

That’s how the Butter Burger got its delicious name. Even though the menu has grown over the years, it remains one of Culver’s original creations, and one of the most adored. 🍔

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Beyond the Bun: Other Culver’s Favorites

In addition to the Butter Burger that Culver’s always makes to order for every customer, there’s much more to satisfy your cravings. While the Butter Burger tends to be my own personal go-to at Culver’s, I’ve got to share a secret that I’m afraid may make the lines at your Culver’s a little longer.

Sorry, not sorry.

I discovered the pretzel bites when I was running late to meet a friend who I’d told to go ahead and start eating. By the time I got there, their food was in front of them. I felt like a sham when he told me to grab a few pretzel bites and dunk them into the Wisconsin cheese sauce.

Life-changing stuff, I tell you. From then on, my orders have included more than my usual frozen custard and Butter Burger. I’ve even tried the cod sandwich which also comes with a nice buttery bun.

And really, that’s the secret…the butter. Make sure you have plenty of it to make this recipe!

Simple Ingredients for the Butter Burger Recipe

I can’t stress this enough…if you want to make your own Butter Burger at home and pretend you are at Culver’s, then you need plenty of butter. The better the butter, the better the burger.

Try saying that 10 times fast. 😂

I recommend Grassland butter to truly replicate the flavors of Culver’s. You’ll want to get the butter all melty in your skillet, swirling it around a bit first before popping your buns face down into their bath of butter. While the butter is key, it’s also important not to use too much or you’ll wind up with soggy buns instead of toasty ones.

Shaping the patties and getting them to come out just right requires a bit more of a demonstration, which you can see in my video on this page. Once you’ve got that down-pat, pun intended, you can cook your Butter Burgers to your desired level of doneness.

I like adding cheese on top because I’m a firm believer in cheese making life better overall.

You can stack your patties into a double or triple, just like Culver’s, or you can leave it at one and add lettuce, pickles, sliced red onions, bacon, tomato slices, and your favorite condiments. If you’re making this for friends or family, a great way to do it is to get the buns and patties ready, then set up a serving station that lets everyone customize their Butter Burger the way they want it.

Unless you really want to live the dream of being a Culver’s employee in your own kitchen. That’s up to you though.

If you want to be extra, have frozen custard ready for dessert and it will be the best meal you’ll have by a landslide.