The Rolling Pin Method For Quickly Softening Butter

Butter can be a baker's bane when you need it softened in a pinch. As Simply Recipes explains, softening butter allows you to cream it with ease, something that can be quite difficult when it isn't in a softened state. The cooking site goes on to explain that it takes a good 30 minutes to allow your butter to soften up. So, what's a baker to do? The trusted microwave may be your first thought, but The New York Times says to think again and take two steps back from this modern convenience. The outlet shares that 65 degrees is the sweet spot for creaming butter. You don't want it to be melting or even on the verge of melting because, as author Jennifer McLagan told the publication, "Once butter is melted, it's gone." 

The Food Network further reveals butter's important role in baking, noting this creamy stick of goodness is the heart and soul of the "richness, tenderness and structure" of our favorite baked goods. Butter does its job based on the temperature at which we use it. Change butter's temperature too much, and you may not get the results you hope for. That's why, given the importance of butter to our cookies, pies, and so many other confections our taste buds hold dear, it is important to get this ingredient right. So, what's the easiest way to soften butter quickly?

According to Food52, if you need to soften butter quickly, the best way to do so is with a rolling pin. The site shares that this method will give you "pliable cold butter" in under a minute, and if you can spare 14 minutes more, you can achieve "soft butter at room temperature." It only requires some plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag, a rolling pin, and a cool countertop. Sounds easy enough, right?

Butter maker Land O'Lakes also suggests using this softening butter method, so there must be something to it. The butter experts instruct bakers to place the butter between two sheets of waxed paper or inside a plastic bag and then take your rolling pin and start pounding the stick of butter until it is flat. Food52 suggests once the butter is flattened to flip the butter still wrapped in the Ziploc bag or between the waxed paper and continue pounding until it's a half-inch in thickness. But don't stop there. You are going to "fold" the flattened butter into halves and roll it out. You're looking for it to be about 1/4 inch in thickness. The butter should be moveable with your fingers, but cool to the touch. The site shares you want to let it set on the counter for five minutes, flip it over, and let it set for about five more. Then you're in business.