How to Quickly Soften Butter
Lan Lam gives a quick tip on how to quickly soften butter with a hot water hack.
Subscribe to America’s Test Kitchen:
Watch full episodes of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country for free on our new YouTube channel:
Watch More!
In The Test Kitchen:
The Taste Test:
Techniquely With Lan Lam:
Most Popular:
Follow America’s Test Kitchen:
Instagram:
Pinterest:
TikTok:
Facebook:
Twitter:
At America’s Test Kitchen, we investigate every aspect of cooking—recipes, equipment, ingredients, and techniques—with a goal to empower and inspire home cooks. Since 1992, our team of 50+ cooks, editors, and culinary creatives ask a lot of questions—and do a lot of testing—so that you get dependable, delicious recipes, comprehensive guidance, and thorough and unbiased equipment and ingredient reviews. You can find us in the pages of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, on our television shows America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country, in dozens of best-selling cookbooks, and via the 14,000+ recipes, reviews, and classes available on our website and app. Whether you’re in search of a great weeknight meal or an impressive dinner-party dish, we’ve done the testing to deliver reliable recipes and comprehensive cooking info to your home kitchen. Bring your curiosity, and we’ll make you a better cook.
#AmericasTestKitchen #CookingTutorial #FoodScience
When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission.
source
Genius! I always need soft butter for Sunday breakfast as the toast has already cooled. 🧈
I take it that also applies when I'm just using the butter as spread ?
warm tap water works
I don't have a pint glass.
I just leave it out on the bench… it’s always soft …
Brilliant!
Pulgra, too! Albeit salted.
I love that you're using a kettle to boil your water!
This is so simple and brilliant. It’s one of those “How in the world did I not think of this” things.
I've done this with a bowl as well.
Pour that boiling water over a tea bag 😊
While you're waiting for your water to boil my microwave on power level 6 already did it.
Why not just put the butter directly in lukewarm water?
Perfect!💞
Maybe put the stick of butter in a ziplock and run it under warm water or just put it in a bowl of warm water.
I have been using this technique, except I usually just use a small glass or ceramic dish because I usually am not softening a whole stick, maybe 1-2 Tbsp.
Put it on low power for 30-40 seconds in the microwave
Curse you kerrygold double stick packets!
Just realized I oversoften butter
I tried it and it worked great
Been doing this for decades… time-saver
A metal water tumbler would probably work just as well, I’m thinking.
😮😮😮
I could spend a whole day following you around a kitchen.
To be safest, use borosilicate or tempered glass to prevent shattering. Surprised it's not mentioned here.
I just do microwave at 10% power for maybe 5 minutes. Works like a charm and very hands-off
Too long, too complicated. Use microwave
Thank you!
"Quickly"
Make sure you already have boiling water.
It's 2026. Just use your microwave for a couple of seconds.
Or you know…the option in the microwave.
So many times the video did not go the way I assumed
I just put the stick in warm water for a few minutes, easier and it works
Excellent tip.
Fill my pint glass with water? And then not use it for 5 minutes?
Boiling water in glass? Hmmm that hasn't worked for me a couple times.
I soften my butter by leaving it next to the Chernobyl reactor #3 for 12-15 picoseconds.
Thank you.
Neat trick
Thank you!!!
Pour the water back in the kettle, y'all. No need to waste it, when all it did was warm up a clean glass.
or microwave on half power for a couple 30 second increments (depending on your microwave, of course)
Leave it in a cold oven with the light on.
Butter melts easily if your dog will give it the side eye.
Must be tempered glass aka heat proof
If not, that glass might shatter on the counter. I would give the butter a few seconds at a time in microwave.
Faster and safer
Take a clean Dish Cloth get it wet, wring it out and Microwave for 15 seconds and wrap that stick of butter.
I love ATK, thanks for sharing!
That is a great tip
Beauty and brains.