A butter making appliance adapted and configured for countertop operation includes a churning vessel having an open end through which cream may be introduced and butter may be withdrawn, the open end having a lid removably mountable thereto, the churning vessel being removably mountable to a motor-driven reciprocating drive housed within a housing, the drive being adapted and configured to drive the churning vessel in reciprocal motion, whereby the reciprocal motion of the churning vessel agitates cream contained therein causing it to convert to butter. Alternate embodiments include means for introducing at least one dwell period in each cycle of reciprocating motion to increase cream-to-butter conversion efficiency.
