Forget everything you know about burgers – cowboy butter just changed the game forever. Our cowboy butter burgers are about to ruin every other burger for you just to prove it.
This viral trend isn’t just hype – it’s pure genius. We’ve been obsessed with cowboy butter since the first time we tasted it, and putting it on burgers was the obvious next step. Smoky chipotle peppers, fresh cilantro, and all those savory spices melted into butter that gets basted right into your burger as it cooks. The flavor is insane.
But here’s the kicker – we don’t just put it on top. We butter the buns with it, cook the patties in it, and baste them while they sear. Every single bite is loaded with that addictive cowboy butter flavor that has the internet going crazy.
🔪 What You’ll Need
Ingredients
For the Cowboy Butter:
- Salted butter
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Garlic powder and onion powder
- Chopped chipotle peppers in adobo
- Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
For the Burgers:
- Ground beef (80/20 blend)
- Kosher salt, divided
- Black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- American cheese (optional)
- Brioche burger buns
- Tomato slices
- Green leaf lettuce
- Red onion slices
- Dill pickle slices
Tools
- Spatula
- Small mixing bowl
- Spoon or basting brush
- Plate or tray for resting burgers
- Measuring spoons
- Large skillet or cast-iron pan
📝 How to Make Cowboy Butter Burgers in a Skillet
1. Make the Cowboy Butter
In a small bowl, mix softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle peppers, and cilantro until well combined. Set aside.
2. Form the Patties
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, half the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently mix by hand until just combined — don’t overwork. Form into 4 equal patties.
3. Toast the Buns
Spread a thin layer of cowboy butter on each bun. Toast cut-side down in a skillet over medium-high heat until golden, about 1–2 minutes. Set aside.
4. Season and Sear the Burgers
Sprinkle remaining salt over patties. Add cowboy butter to the skillet and sear patties for 3 minutes until crust forms.
5. Baste for Flavor
Flip burgers, add remaining cowboy butter, and tilt skillet to pool the melted butter. Baste continuously for 2–3 minutes, or until desired doneness.
6. Add Cheese (Optional)
Place cheese on each hot burger in the last 30 seconds of cooking.
7. Assemble and Serve
Rest burgers for a few minutes. Layer buns with a juicy cowboy butter burger, lettuce, patty, tomato, onion, and pickles. For bonus flavor, pile on crispy bacon and caramelized onions and serve immediately.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Cheese: Swap American for cheddar, pepper jack, or provolone.
- Heat level: Replace chipotle with roasted jalapeños for a milder flavor.
- Buns: Try pretzel buns instead of brioche for a savory twist.
- Cowboy Butter: If you love these flavors as much as we do, check out our friend Derek’s Cowboy Butter seasoning blend so you can have it whenever you want.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Cowboy butter’s fat carries smoky, spicy notes into the beef as it cooks. Constant basting mimics steakhouse technique, keeping burgers moist and deeply flavorful.
- Don’t overwork the beef — light mixing keeps patties tender and makes the best burgers.
- Use cast iron for a better sear and heat retention.
- Baste continuously after flipping to lock in smoky chipotle flavor.
- See the recipe card for how to cook hamburgers in a skillet, on a griddle, or on a grill.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Pile high with crispy onion rings.
- Serve with smoked potato wedges or grilled corn.
- Pair with a cold lager or smoky bourbon cocktail.
🧊 Leftovers & Storage
- Cooked patties: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Cowboy butter: Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Cowboy Butter Burger Recipe
Recommended Equipment
- Spatula, To flip your burgers.
- small mixing bowl
- Spoon or brush for basting
- Plate or tray for resting burgers
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the cowboy butter:
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo chopped
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro minced
For the burgers:
- 4 brioche burger buns
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 slices American cheese or your favorite cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tomato slices
- 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
- 4 slices red onion
- 8 pickles
Instructions
For the cowboy butter
- In a small bowl, combine the salted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chopped chipotle peppers, and chopped cilantro and stir until well combined.
For the pan fried burgers:
- Combine the ground beef, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and with your hans, mix to combine.
- Form into 4 equal sized patties.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Spread the burger buns with a thin layer of the cowboy butter and toast each bun until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes; Set aside.
- Season the outside of beef patties with the remaining salt.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and place the patties into the skillet, cooking for about 3 minutes, until the burger has a good sear on the bottom.
- Flip the burgers, add the rest of the butter.
- Tilt the pan and use a spoon to baste the burgers with the melted butter as they finish cooking. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or to your desired temperature.
- Add a slice of cheese during the last 30 seconds of cook time, if desired.
Serve
- Remove the burgers from the skillet and set aside to rest.
- Layer each bun with a lettuce leaf, burger patty, tomato slice, onion slice, pickles, all of your favorite toppings and serve.
Notes
How to Make Cowboy Butter Burgers on a Grill or Griddle
On the Grill
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400–425°F).
- Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
- Grill the patties 3–4 minutes per side until browned and cooked to desired doneness (160°F for well-done per USDA).
- Melt & baste: Place a small cast-iron pan with cowboy butter ingredients on the grill to melt. Baste burgers with the butter during the last few minutes of grilling, but use caution as the dripping butter will cause flare-ups.
- Toast the buns directly on the grill grates until golden.
On a Griddle (Flat-Top or Blackstone)
- Preheat griddle to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the surface.
- Cook patties 2–3 minutes per side until a crust forms and they reach desired doneness.
- Melt cowboy butter in a small saucepan or metal cup set on the griddle corner. Spoon the melted butter over the burgers as they finish cooking.
- Toast buns directly on the griddle with a light swipe of butter spread (applied to the bread, not the surface).
Nutrition
Bookmark this recipe now!
❓ FAQs About Cowboy Butter Burgers
It’s a compound butter with chipotle peppers, herbs, and spices – perfect for smoky heat.
Yes. Grill over medium-high and baste with melted cowboy butter during the last few minutes.
An 80/20 ground beef blend strikes a balance between flavor and juiciness (though we prefer a 70/30 blend).
Moderate heat from chipotle peppers, but you can adjust by adding more or less.
Toasting prevents sogginess and adds texture – 5⭐ , highly recommend.
