Generally, a refrigerated stick of butter can take anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour to soften; meanwhile, frozen butter can take upwards of four hours to reach a usable consistency. If you forgot to leave the butter out ahead of time, or it just won’t thaw quickly enough, we’ve gathered a few helpful tips for achieving smooth, soft butter fast.
Benefits of Softened Butter
Aside from the much more malleable texture, softened butter plays an important role, especially when baking. Many pastries like chocolate chip cookies, pie doughs, and croissants depend on softened butter to create these iconic textures and flavors. Butter, a solid fat, can trap air pockets when creamed or whipped, making a cake fluffy and a croissant flaky. The hot steam within the buttery solids expands when baking, adding airiness and the melt-in-your-mouth sensation we crave. Not only does butter help make your baked goods more flavorful, but it also helps stabilize your mixture and create a homogenous consistency when used at the right temperature. Butter that’s too cold or too melted can result in an oily pie crust, lumpy frosting, or a flat cake.
Signs of Perfectly Softened Butter
Between 65 F and 72 F is the ideal range for “room temperature” butter, even though your home may be warmer than that. Softened butter should indent slightly when poked, but your finger should not easily pierce through the entire stick. Additionally, the butter should not show signs of melting, oiliness, or moisture loss. With that in mind, here are the best ways to soften butter quickly. Instead of microwaving an entire stick of butter (which risks over-softening, or even worse, melting it completely), convert this appliance into a steam room by trapping warm moisture in it. Fill a microwave-safe container with 1 to 2 cups of water. Microwave the liquid for 2 minutes, creating sufficient steam in the appliance’s interior that’ll help soften the butter. Meanwhile, cut the stick of butter into smaller pieces, maximizing the surface area exposed. Place the butter pieces in a large bowl or rimmed plate, spreading them out—you don’t want to create one bunched-up pile. Next, carefully remove the hot water, and place the bowl with butter inside the microwave as quickly as possible while letting minimal steam escape. This method will help quickly soften without completely melting your butter in just a few minutes. Use a glass container like a bowl or mug (large enough to cover the quantity of butter needed), and fill it with boiling water. Let the container absorb the heat from the water and once it becomes very hot, empty it. Quickly dab the excess moisture from the container, place the butter on a solid, heat-proof surface, and put the hot container upside down covering the butter entirely. Though the container may lose heat, it’ll help soften the butter in no time. RELATED: 5 Foolproof Ways to Bake Even Better Banana Bread
