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This super simple single-ingredient cutting board oil is food-safe, inexpensive, and easy to use. It’s way cheaper than the fancy store-bought oils and has the same ingredients! Plus, I’ve got free printable labels to make it easy to gift.

glass bottle of homemade cutting board oil on a wooden cutting board next to a spoon.

Years ago, my husband and I both accidentally bought each other thick wooden cutting boards for Christmas.

It was pretty funny – there were two very similarly shaped items under the tree that both happened to weigh the same amount…

We opened them at the same time and laughed when we realized we both bought the same thing! Great minds, right?

A long time ago, we bought a bottle of cutting board oil to keep these boards in good shape.

It worked really well and when I looked at the ingredients to see what was inside, I was a little frustrated that it was literally just fractionated coconut oil.

We paid about $14 for an 8 oz bottle for something that costs far less than that!

So, we started making our own and won’t be going back.

I use fractionated coconut oil plus some citrus essential oils, and keep it in a bottle for easy use. We oil the boards about once a month or every two months and it keeps them in great shape!

Pair this with our wooden spoon butter and it’s easy to keep your wooden cutting boards, utensils, and more all in good working order without spending a small fortune. You’re welcome! 😉

Ingredients

Fractionated coconut oil – I’m not a mineral oil person. I feel more comfortable using fractionated coconut oil, which is coconut oil that stays liquid even at cool temperatures. We buy a food grade version you can cook with, which we feel comfortable applying to our cutting boards.
Orange or grapefruit essential oils – This is entirely optional, so feel free to skip it! It adds a nice “clean” scent and citrus oils can help wood. Skip it if you don’t want it!

How to Make DIY Cutting Board Oil

pouring fractionated coconut oil into a glass bottle to make homemade cutting board oil.

Step 1: Pour the fractionated coconut oil into your preferred jar or bottle.

adding grapefruit essential oil to homemade wood cutting board oil.

Step 2: Add essential oils and shake well to combine.

To oil your cutting boards, first make sure they are totally clean and dry. Then, liberally apply the oil over the board on all sides (I usually do the top and sides at night then the other side in the morning). Let the oil seep in for a couple of hours.

Then, use a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to buff off any extra oil. That’s it!

image of a glass bottle with fractionated coconut oil and essential oils and a label that reads cutting board oil.

Get the Free Printable Label

Download this 2×2 inch round label to upload to your favorite sticker paper software (like Avery) or print with a thermal printer. No email needed!

download here

Storing Suggestions

If using essential oils, it’s best to store the cutting board oil in a cool, dry, and dark place, like a pantry or under your sink. An amber or blue glass bottle would be perfect to block the sunlight, which can degrade essential oils.

Otherwise, you can literally just use a bottle of fractionated coconut oil or bottle a smaller quantity in a glass bottle. (We used little flip-top bottles I bought at IKEA last year.)

overhead view of homemade cutting board oil and a wooden spoon butter on a white towel in an antique drawer.

Tips & Variations

In addition to this cutting board oil, you can also make a wooden spoon butter by melting coconut oil and beeswax in a double boiler. It’s great for the sides of cutting boards and wooden utensil handles or any time your cutting boards need a deeper treatment.

More Homemade Gift Ideas

If you’re making this oil for gifting, you’ll probably also enjoy these other homemade Christmas gift ideas!

I’m a huge fan of making beeswax candles with coconut oil, which always feel like a luxurious, thoughtful gift.

For skincare, these homemade lotion bars are naturally non-greasy and the tins are easy to toss in a purse for whenever.

glass bottle of homemade cutting board oil sitting on wooden rolling pins.

If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.

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$image of a glass bottle with fractionated coconut oil and essential oils and a label that reads cutting board oil.$