Review: Tillamook's Butternaise Is The Answer To Your Grilled Cheese Woes

If there's one dish that can potentially unite all Americans, it's the humble grilled cheese. After all, a gooey, melty cheese oozing out of perfectly-grilled bread is the ultimate comfort food, transcending cultural boundaries and putting a smile on anyone's face. Then again, the age-old debate over what makes a better grilled cheese — butter or mayo — has been tearing friends and families apart for decades (not really, of course). But whether you're team mayo or team butter, Tillamook's newest addition to its dairy lineup is intended for all grilled cheese lovers.

Tillamook knows dairy inside and out, so it's likely no stranger to crafting a grilled cheese sandwich with butter or mayonnaise. Consequently, its new limited-edition product — Butternaise — is designed specifically for grilled cheese fans of both spread preferences. I got my hands on a jar (along with some classic Tillamook cheeses) to whip up a grilled cheese, and see where Butternaise lands on the butter versus mayo spectrum. After testing out its grilling capabilities, spreadability, and its overall flavor, I'll determine if the new Tillamook spread is worth purchasing, and whether it can settle the butter-mayonnaise debate once and for all.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Tillamook's new Butternaise is exactly what it sounds like: A combination of butter and mayo specifically designed for spreading on a grilled cheese so that the sandwich cooks evenly and doesn't burn or stick to the pan. Tillamook partnered with Kewpie mayonnaise to create this one-of-a-kind spread, making it a whole lot more than a simple mix of two fridge staples.

A combination of Tillamook butter and Kewpie mayo (of the velvety-smooth, umami fame) make up the bulk of Butternaise. Tillamook also joined forces with Spiceology to craft a seasoning blend of sugar, onion, cayenne pepper, garlic, and paprika for this product. These ingredients combine to give the new spread a much more elevated touch than if you were to, say, whisk some Hellman's and Walmart-brand butter together at 1 a.m. to satiate a midnight craving.

As part of the limited-edition release, each 8-ounce jar of Butternaise comes in a gift box with a branded Tillamook spreader and two types of the company's sliced cheeses (thin-sliced medium cheddar and thick-sliced sharp cheddar) for $15. The company started selling Butternaise on November 6th, 2025, but is sold out as of this writing. In other words, grilled cheese fans should keep their eyes peeled in the hopes that Butternaise will soon be back in stock.

As soon as I opened the Butternaise jar, it reminded me of whipped butter, which differs from standard sticks. The texture wasn't nearly as firm as cold butter, but it wasn't moist and oily like mayo. Sticking the spreader in the jar and scooping some out instantly brought to mind slightly-softened ice cream. It had an orange-ish hue from the seasoning that made it look much more appealing than butter or mayo alone.

The Butternaise spread beautifully on a slice of brioche bread (the best bread for grilled cheese, in my opinion). While it didn't spread quite as easily as room-temperature butter, it didn't leave nearly as much of a wet mess as mayo. I spread it evenly on the bread, but it browned pretty quickly once in the hot pan, not unlike regular butter. However, I was able to achieve an even, golden-brown color that was slightly well-done, which is how I like my grilled cheese.

Additionally, I made two sandwiches: One in a non-stick ceramic pan, and the other in cast iron. A significant amount of Butternaise and moderate heat kept the sandwich from sticking to the cast iron, but the ceramic pan gave the sandwich the most even browning. Still, the final result of both was near-perfectly crisp and toasty bread giving way to plenty of melty cheese.

I tried each sandwich right off the grill when it was at peak meltiness. I also followed the company's chef recommendation and used two slices of each Tillamook cheese that came in the gift box, though I found it to be a little excessive (there is such a thing as too much cheese sometimes). Despite a little bit of cheese overkill from two thick slices and two thin slices, it ended up melting completely, but only because I made the sandwich a bit well-done.

As for the Butternaise, it managed to keep every last millimeter of the bread nice and crisp. It had that toasty, nutty flavor that only butter can achieve, yet the umami, eggy taste from Kewpie was far from unnoticeable. I'd say the spread leaned more butter-flavored than mayo-flavored, though the sweet-and-savory seasoning really brought it to life. It complemented the cheese beautifully and highlighted the natural flavors in the bread. Brown sugar gave it a touch of natural sweetness, while paprika brought a hint of heat, and garlic finished things off.

To be honest, I went into this Butternaise taste test with fairly mid-level expectations. After all, what could be so special about butter and mayo mixed together? But Tillamook didn't just throw together some butter and mayo and call it a day. In fact, the texture was clearly achieved after many iterations, because it was downright perfect: Excellent spreadability, but thick enough not to melt away as soon as the bread hits the pan.

Kewpie mayo was an excellent choice to pair with Tillamook's own delicious butter, as well, which we deemed the best butter when stacked against Land O' Lakes. Most types of mayonnaise would have had its flavor muted in this spread, only adding textural benefits, but the flavor of Kewpie was as much the star of Butternaise as its delightfully-whipped texture and creamy mouthfeel.

Beyond the excellent mayo-butter flavor and superb consistency, my favorite thing about this spread was the added seasoning blend. It gave the sandwich a unique flavor that was subtle enough to still make it a standard grilled cheese, but potent enough to give it that special something extra. Spicy and earthy spices made the cheese taste extra savory and the bread extra sweet. Ultimately, Butternaise created a grilled cheese with nuance in flavor, an evenly-golden crust, and just the right amount of oiliness: The trifecta for the ultimate grilled cheese.