While I’ve been baking for over 20 years and have even cooked professionally for about five of those, I still forget to take butter out to soften before baking. Whether it’s cakes or cookies, the softening doesn’t get easier to remember—no matter how hard I try, and even if I improve in other areas.
I thought I’d heard all the tips: Put the butter in the microwave, rotating it every 5 to 10 seconds, or even grate it on a cheese grater. But no matter what, nothing has come quite as close to perfectly soft butter, having rested for several hours or even overnight. That’s why when I saw this clever tip make the rounds on Instagram and even TikTok, I had to try it. There was something about it that made me think: This might work. And it did—even better than I expected!
How It Works
This method uses boiling water to heat a temperature-safe vessel, like a drinking glass or bowl. After pouring out the hot water, you overturn the same cup onto the top of a stick of butter. The interior of the warm cup creates a convective environment at a higher—but not too high—temperature. It gently warms and softens the butter over the course of several minutes. Here’s a helpful breakdown of the steps:
- Boil water. Then transfer it to a heat-safe glass. (Make sure the glass is tall enough that the stick of butter fits inside.)
- Let it sit. This will transfer heat to the glass, creating a very warm environment within it once it’s upturned.
- Pour out and discard the hot water (carefully). Then immediately place the glass over the stick of butter.
- Make sure the cold stick of butter is upright. The stick of butter needs to be upright so that as much of its surface area is surrounded by the air as it warms under the cup.
Some Sticking Points
The process isn’t a total silver bullet. Unlike a microwave, which heats butter quickly in about 30 seconds—depending on the size of the butter—this process takes more than a few minutes. First, you have to heat the water to a boil, then you have to allow the hot water to sit in the vessel long enough for the material to absorb the heat, and then you must also wait while the butter softens.
All in all, I found the amount of time it takes completely worth it—much of it is active, and a few minutes of wait time allows me to accomplish other prep, like pulling out ingredients and measuring dry ingredients, like flour. I’d rather wait 10 minutes for butter to soften than 4 whole hours—or more—any day!
Tips and Tricks
- Speed the process along by cutting the stick of butter in half crosswise, and continuing with the steps as directed.
- Try the same method with softening cream cheese. If the package is larger, simply proceed with the same process, and make sure the vessel you use, such as a heat-safe mixing bowl, accommodates the size of the package.