How to Soften Butter Quickly

This how to soften butter quickly is a perfect tutorial for all those recipes that call for room-temperature butter!

It’s important to know how to soften butter quickly as many of our favorite recipes like Best Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cinnamon Rolls call for room-temperature butter.

Baking Ready

I’m always baking last minute. My boys ask for cookies or I feel the itch to whip together a cake and I have butter, but of course, it’s ICE COLD. And almost every recipe I use calls for ROOM TEMPERATURE butter.

What’s the trick when you’re in a pinch?

First thing, grab that butter and I’ll share one of our favorite baking tips – how to get butter to room temperature in a jiffy.

Purpose of Using Softened Butter

Baking is a science and every factor is important, including the temperature of the butter.

Did you know?

• If the butter is too cold, it cannot be evenly distributed or combined the proper way with the other ingredients.
• If the butter is too warm, it will interact differently with the other ingredients and affect the look and texture of the baked goods you’re trying to make. 

Characteristics of room temperature butter.

• Room temperature (aka softened butter) will still feel slightly cool to the touch.
• When you press the butter with your finger it should cause an indent.
• If your finger sinks in, then it is too warm and put it back in the fridge. T
• he butter should look smooth. If it is shiny and oily, then put it back in the fridge.

How to Quickly Soften Butter

Room temperature butter is generally said to be 65-67°F which is often much colder than the actual room.

• Frozen butter can take 3+ hours to thaw and then rise to room temperature.
• Refrigerated butter can take up to an hour to get to room temperature. 

Oftentimes, I forget to pull the butter out or decide to make something last minute. This is when knowing how to soften the butter quickly comes in handy.

My Favorite Method

My favorite method to soften butter quickly (without the microwave which can soften butter unequally) is the hot water method.

1. Fill a large glass cup or microwave-safe bowl with water and microwave it until hot.
2. Pour the hot water out.
3. Stand the stick of butter up tall and cover it with the empty warmed glass.

The warm air trapped under the glass will soften the butter more quickly than if the butter is left on the counter. This works for both frozen and refrigerated butter. 

3 OTHER Methods

Here are a few other methods that can be used:

1. Cut it. Slice the stick of butter into sections or small cubes – this will help the outer section and inner sections of the butter soften quickly and evenly.
2. Roll it. Like cutting the butter into cubes, rolling it will create a larger surface area of the butter which will in turn allow it to warm up evenly and quickly. Place the stick of butter in a plastic bag, between two sheets of wax paper or pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to pound it a bit and then roll it into a flat even butter pancake. This method works for refrigerated butter but not frozen butter.  
3. Grate butter. If your recipe uses room-temperature butter that needs to be cut into the flour, then I like to use a box grater to grate the butter. This works for both frozen and refrigerated butter.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly that butter softens up using these methods which are great for those specific recipes and for creaming in recipes.

For More Kitchen Hacks, Check Out:

• How to Freeze Eggs
• How to Ripen Bananas
• How to Make Buttermilk
• Baking Powder Substitutes
• Common Baking Substitutes
• 10 Uses for Baking Soda