In the past decade there has been renewed interest in the consumption, inclusion and application of milk fat ingredients. To this end, production of butter and its by-products has increased significantly, driven by changing consumer demands and perceptions of milk fat, and in general butter demand has increased across the world. As one of the oldest traditional processing methods of milk fat, the principles for the manufacture of butter have not significantly changed in recent years, however, some processing parameters in relation to cream aging have evolved to impart beneficial properties to the final product. This article provides an overview of the major steps in the manufacture of sweet cream butter and its buttermilk by-product.