How to Soften Butter for Spreading

It’s a struggle to spread cold, hard butter on any form of bread. To avoid ripping your muffin or chewing on clumps of butter along with your bagel, try these butter softening tips before you spread that cold butter.

Microwave Method

To soften butter in the microwave, you only need to have it in there for a few seconds, especially if you are softening butter in a 3 oz Epicurean Butter container. To avoid liquifying the butter and splattering the inside of the microwave with butter, place a paper towel over the container and put a small glass of water in the microwave as well.

Room Temperature Method

Remember the butter dishes your grandmother would keep on the dining room table? Well, believe it or not, they are still at play, and designs have improved, with all the fun colors, patterns, and sayings you can handle.

You could also just leave your butter container on the counter but why would you when there is such fun pottery to work with? Check out this crock - it’s one of the Epicurean Butter team’s favorite way to store butter at room temperature. Many crocks come in beautiful colors, like this one from Butter Bell.

Warm Oven Method

If you’re cooking something up in the oven, set a scoop of butter in a dish on top of the stovetop until you are ready to spread.

Warm Knife Method

Run a knife under hot water or hold it over the stove to heat it up. Just be very careful not to burn your hand! It’s always wise to use a potholder when using the warm knife method.

Do you have another trick for warming up your butter to make it easy to spread? We’d love to hear about it. Visit us on Facebook to let us know.