Have you ever started a recipe and then realized you needed to soften butter and all your butter is stored in the fridge? When I lived up north, I could store my butter on the counter in a butter crock. But now that I live in the south it is too warm to store butter on the counter.
I found out the hard way that melted butter is not the same as “softened butter” in recipes.
A few years ago my sister showed me this simple tip to quickly soften butter when you are baking.
How to Quickly Soften Butter
Take a stick of butter (or however much butter you need for the recipe) and place it in a Ziploc bag.
Fill a bowl or container with warm water. Place the butter in the Ziploc bag in the warm water.
Over the years I’ve found that my pyrex measuring cup is just the right size for a stick of butter.
In a few minutes you will have soft butter that is easy to spread or use in a recipe. The key to getting the butter soft, but not melted is to use warm water, not hot.
I don’t recommend heating the water in the microwave because it will be too hot and melt the butter. Warm tap water will be hot enough to soften the butter quickly.
Delicious Recipes
Oatmeal Pancakes with Walnut Butter (Gluten-Free)
Apples & Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Butter
Apple Butter Stuffed French Toast
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free option)
Heather says
ooo good tip! I always use the microwave and end up with partially melted butter…which sometimes really makes a negative impact on a recipe.
L2L says
I so needed this tip and this morning, I forgot to set out the butter for our breakfast cookies, now all is not lost!!!!!!! Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!
Christine says
Thanks! (wish I had read this 12 hours ago!)
Cherrill says
Thanks for this great tip, and your right FL and butter are not a great combination… I recently got a butter crock on a trip to NC it didn’t really work to well here either. Happy Thanksgiving
Cherrill
Marni says
Great tip! The microwave is horrible. Cooks uneven and is all melted but then hard. Thanks!
Southern Gal says
Thanks for the tip. I used it with cream cheese and butter this morning. Works way better than melting in the microwave!
Samantha says
What a great tip! I always soften it TOO much in the microwave! Thanks!
Samantha
MarshaMarshaMarsha says
the best ideas are often the simplest!
Julie E. says
Whatever you do, do not use hot water!! It melts very fast when it is in hot water!! LOL
Tess S. says
you are a life saver. just about had a meltdown. no pun intended.
Vikki says
I never thought of that. I just take a rolling pin to it. By the time it’s flat it’s soft.
Sharon says
Here’s another way – grate it. This works especially well when all you have is frozen butter. Send it through a grater and you’ve got yourself a bowl of softened butter.
Melissa says
Lifesaver!!!!!
Lean wall says
Thank you for the tip! We got rid of our microwave and softening butter is the only time it is missed.