How To Soften Butter in Minutes (No Microwave Required)

I don’t know about you, but I always forget to set the butter out before baking. Now I am rushed to soften it and I inevitably melt is accidentally in the microwave. 

So, instead of popping it in the microwave, which often results in a melted, oily mess, try this time-saving hack to take your butter from cold to room temperature in just a few minutes. To start, boil some water (approximately 2 cups) in a kettle, or simply run the sink until the temperature of the water is very hot. The tap water should be almost too hot to touch, even for those with hardened, heat-tolerant mom hands.

Fill up a drinking glass with the hot water — if you’re using boiling water from a kettle, make sure the glass is resistant to thermal shock — and let it sit for five minutes. A pint glass or a Mason jar works especially well.

While that sits, grab a cutting board or another flat surface and place the stick of butter on it vertically. Once you’ve reached the five-minute mark, dump the hot water in the sink, and put the empty but still-warm glass upside down over the butter like a cloche, letting it rest for an additional five minutes. (If your butter is very cold and firm, you may need to leave it under the glass for up to 10 minutes.)