America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Speedy Way to Soften Butter

Avoid microwaving to soften cold butter—it’s easy to soften it too much or even melt it. Instead, cut the butter into small pieces. By the time you’ve preheated the oven and measured the remaining ingredients, the pieces should be near 65 degrees.

Recommended Reading

This is a members' feature.