The Shortcut

The Best Way to Soften Butter Quickly

Without melting it.

It’s one of the easiest things to forget to do: You have an irresistible plate of fresh biscuits or rolls to go with dinner, but the only butter left in the house sits in the refrigerator, sad and hopelessly firm. You could wait for a while (or buy a $2 butter dish like a regular person), but that doesn’t help you right now, does it?  

In the video above, The Shortcut offers a method for quickly softening butter that does not compromise its texture, as putting it in the microwave might, but instead gently brings it to room temperature in the time it takes to set the table.