Kinders Cowboy Butter is one of those seasonings that turns up everywhere once you try it — on steak, on chicken, stirred into butter for a dipping sauce, sprinkled on roasted potatoes. This copycat version makes a dry pantry mix with 13 herbs and spices that captures the same bold, garlicky, herb-forward flavor at a fraction of the store price.
Make one batch, store it in a pint mason jar, and it keeps for up to a year. Every ingredient is linked in the recipe card above.
What is Cowboy Butter?
Cowboy Butter started as a classic finishing sauce — melted butter infused with garlic, fresh herbs, lemon, and a touch of heat, brushed over grilled meat right before serving. Kinders bottled it as a seasoning blend and it became one of their most popular products.
The dry mix version captures that same flavor profile in a shelf-stable pantry format. Stir one to two teaspoons into melted butter or olive oil and you have the sauce ready in thirty seconds. Or sprinkle it dry directly onto hot food straight from the jar for an instant flavor hit without any prep.
What makes this blend work
The flavor comes from three layers working together. The garlic and onion base is bold and savory — a quarter cup each, more than most seasoning blends use, which is what gives Cowboy Butter its distinctive punch. The herb layer — parsley, chives, thyme, and oregano — adds freshness and complexity that lifts the whole blend. The heat layer — chili flakes, cayenne, and black pepper — builds gradually rather than hitting you all at once.
Lemon zest powder or citric acid is the ingredient that ties it all together. It adds a brightness that cuts through the richness of the butter and keeps the flavor from feeling heavy. If you cannot find lemon zest powder, citric acid works well and is available at Walmart in the canning section. If you prefer to leave it out, the blend still tastes good but loses some of its characteristic tang.
How to use Cowboy Butter seasoning
| Use | Method | Notes |
| Grilled steak | Stir 1-2 tsp into 1/4 cup melted butter, brush on before and after grilling | Apply right before serving for maximum herb flavor |
| Chicken | Mix into melted butter or oil, baste during roasting or grilling | Works under the skin for roasted chicken too |
| Seafood | Brush butter mixture onto salmon, shrimp, or scallops before cooking | Excellent on grilled shrimp skewers |
| Roasted vegetables | Toss with olive oil and a generous sprinkle before roasting at 400F | Especially good on asparagus, zucchini, and corn |
| Potatoes | Stir into butter for mashed potatoes or toss with cubed potatoes before roasting | Makes the best baked potato topping |
| Cowboy garlic bread | Mix into softened butter and spread on French bread before broiling | Toast until golden and the edges start to crisp |
| Dipping sauce | Stir into sour cream, Greek yogurt, or mayo | Great with bread, vegetables, or grilled meat |
| Popcorn | Sprinkle dry over freshly popped corn with melted butter | A light hand goes a long way |
| Pasta | Toss hot pasta with butter and a teaspoon of the mix | Simple weeknight side dish in under 10 minutes |
The frozen butter bomb method
Lisa in the comments made a triple batch of this mix and turned it into frozen butter bombs — and honestly it is one of the best ways to use this blend.
Mix the dry seasoning into softened butter at a ratio of one to two teaspoons per tablespoon of butter. Beat until completely combined, then scoop into small dollops on a parchment-lined sheet pan or pipe into rounds. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
Pull out one butter bomb whenever you need it — let it melt over a hot steak, a bowl of pasta, a baked potato, or steamed vegetables. No measuring, no mixing. The flavor is already built in. They keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Where to find lemon zest powder and citric acid
Lemon zest powder is available on Amazon — it is linked in the recipe card. Citric acid is sold at Walmart in the canning aisle, usually near the pectin and canning salts. Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid) also works as a substitute in the same amount if that is what you have on hand.
If you are making this as a last-minute gift and cannot get either in time, leave the citric element out. The blend is still excellent without it — it just has a slightly less bright, tangy finish.
Adjust the heat
As written this blend has a medium heat level from the combination of chili flakes, cayenne, and black pepper. Easy adjustments:
- Milder — reduce chili flakes to 1/2 teaspoon and leave out the cayenne
- Medium as written — 1.5 teaspoons chili flakes and 1 teaspoon cayenne
- Hotter — increase cayenne to 1.5 teaspoons or add 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder for smoky heat
- Smokier — substitute smoked paprika for the regular paprika
- More herb-forward — double the parsley and chives for a fresher, greener flavor
Mason jar gift idea
A pint jar of this mix makes a practical, well-received gift. Layer the ingredients visually for a pretty presentation or whisk everything together first for even distribution — both work. Add a small tag with the basic instructions: one to two teaspoons stirred into a quarter cup of melted butter, brushed on grilled meat or vegetables.
Pair it with a wooden basting brush or a small cast iron skillet for a simple grilling gift set. It also pairs well with the Bull Shit or Chicken Shit Seasoning mixes for a complete grilling collection.
Storage
Store in a pint mason jar with a tight lid at room temperature away from heat and moisture. Keeps well for up to one year. The dried garlic and onion can absorb humidity over time — if the mix clumps, break it up with a spoon before using. A silica packet inside the jar helps maintain a free-flowing texture.
Frequently asked questions
What does Kinders Cowboy Butter taste like?
It is bold, garlicky, and herb-forward with a noticeable brightness from lemon and a building heat from chili flakes and cayenne. The flavor is rich and complex but not heavy — it works as well on delicate seafood as it does on a thick ribeye. The dry mix version tastes closest to the bottled product when stirred into melted butter.
Can I use this dry without mixing it into butter?
Yes. Sprinkle it directly onto hot food straight from the jar — hot off the grill, freshly roasted from the oven, or tossed with just-cooked pasta. The heat from the food blooms the dried herbs and garlic quickly. It works especially well on popcorn, baked potatoes, and roasted vegetables used this way.
What can I substitute for lemon zest powder?
Citric acid in the same amount works well and is sold at Walmart in the canning aisle. Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid) is another option. If you cannot find either, leave it out — the blend still tastes good but without the citrus brightness. A small amount of dried lemon peel, finely ground, also works if you have it.
Can I apply this before and after cooking steak?
Yes — both. Before cooking, the seasoning forms a crust and the spices have time to meld with the meat. After cooking, a fresh brush of butter mixed with the seasoning adds brightness and fresh herb flavor that high heat would have burned off. Using it both ways gives you layered flavor at every stage.
How do I make cowboy butter sauce from this mix?
Stir one to two teaspoons of the dry mix into a quarter cup of melted butter or olive oil. For a more intense sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir in the seasoning, letting it cook gently for one minute before using. This blooms the dried herbs and garlic for a deeper flavor.
Can I make this ahead as frozen butter portions?
Yes — and it is one of the best ways to use this blend. Mix one to two teaspoons of seasoning per tablespoon of softened butter, beat until combined, then pipe or scoop into small portions and freeze on a lined sheet pan. Transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Pull one out whenever you need instant flavored butter — it keeps for up to three months.
Is this blend gluten-free?
All of the individual herbs, spices, and seasonings in this blend are naturally gluten-free. If you have a sensitivity to cross-contamination, verify your individual spice brands are certified gluten-free, as some are processed in shared facilities.
How is this different from the Shit Seasoning blends?
The Shit Seasoning blends are dry all-purpose rubs designed to be used straight on food. Cowboy Butter is built specifically to be combined with butter or oil as a finishing sauce or basting liquid. The herb content is much higher and the lemon element gives it a brightness that the other blends do not have. Both work on grilled meat but in different ways.
Copycat Kinder’s Cowboy Butter Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dried minced garlic
- ¼ cup dried minced onion
- 2 tbsp dried parsley flakes
- 1 ½ tbsp paprika smoked for depth
- 1 tbsp dried chives
- 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 ½ tsp ground mustard
- 1 ½ tsp chili flakes adjust heat
- 1 ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt optional
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp lemon zest powder or ½ tsp citric acid
Instructions
- Layer ingredients in the pint jar for a pretty gift presentation, or whisk together in a bowl before funneling into jar for even distribution.
- Add a lid and label. Store in a cool, dark pantry up to 12 months.
- To Use:
- Stir 1–2 tsp mix into ¼ cup melted butter or olive oil. Brush over grilled steak, chicken, seafood, or roasted veggies.
- Mix into softened butter for a spread.
- Sprinkle dry mix straight onto hot foods, popcorn, or baked potatoes for instant cowboy flavor.
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