Softened Vs Melted Butter (2024)

Home Education Softened Vs Melted Butter

Butter is a baking ingredient that can be used in many different forms and ways depending on how you want your baked goods to turn out.

Many dessert recipes use softened or melted butter. Is softened butter and melted butter the same? Let's dig deeper into their differences, how we can achieve a particular consistency, and how to choose the right butter for your baking.

Butter 101

Before we learn how butter is used in baking, let’s go back to basics: defining what butter is. Butter is a fat that results from vigorously churned cow’s milk or heavy cream.

The churning process generates fat and liquid. The fat is then processed into a solid fat called butter. Meanwhile, the liquid is separated and fermented to be processed into buttermilk.

Butter is favourable for baking and cooking because it has its own buttery and creamy taste. From sauce to bread, savoury cooking or sweet baked goods, butter can help enhance the end result of your food.

Softened vs. Melted Butter

When baking different baked goods, you might often find recipes using one of two different temperatures of butter: softened butter and melted butter, both usually unsalted.

Why do you think different recipes call for different temperatures of butter? Does it actually matter?

In this article, we are going to talk about softened and melted butter.

If you want to know more about brown butter, which is something you can use to elevate your dishes, you can read our complete guide about brown butter here.

Softened butter is used in many recipes and is often creamed with sugar before use.

Can I Use Melted Butter Instead Of Softened?

You can, but it will require you to have a very good understanding of how it affects your recipe, and you will likely have to make changes to your recipe!

If the recipe calls for softened butter and you accidentally melted butter instead of softening it, it’s best that you set aside the melted butter for future use.

Both kinds of butter will yield a very different final result in every baked good.

The recipes that work well with melted butter are brownies, cookies, and loaves. It will bring a nice chew and density to your baked goods, along with added richness.

How To Soften Butter

Leaving It Out

Leave it out at room temperature anywhere between 30 mins to 60 mins (this depends on how warm your kitchen is). In hotter/tropical climates, 30 minutes is typically enough

Using A Hot Dish

Pour hot water into a bowl or a cup.
Let it sit for 10-15 seconds.
Discard the hot water.
Cover the butter with the cup/bowl, without touching the butter. Remove after 1 minute. The hot steam will help you soften your butter.

Read More: Softening Butter In Singapore — Cooler Than You Think

Is My Butter Softened?

To tell if your butter is softened, press your finger into it.

If it holds its shape and your finger comes clean without much grease, it’s softened enough for the creaming process. If it’s oily and wet, your butter is much too soft for proper creaming.

Never try to soften your butter by heating it in the microwave!

Melted Butter – The Perfect Way To Melt Cold Butter

The Microwave Method

Cut up your butter into cubes, and place in a microwave bowl.
Heat it over low heat in 15 second bursts. Once the butter is 80% melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir with a spoon.

The Stovetop Method

Cut up your butter into small pieces.
Place the butter in a small saucepan and heat it over low heat.
During the heating process, gently stir the butter until it melts completely.

Butter has a low smoke point, which is the point that fat (in this case, butter) starts smoking.

It’s important to melt it over low heat so you don’t burn the butter, which results in a bitter aftertaste. Using a microwave in small bursts of heat will help you melt your butter quickly and effectively.

When To Use Softened Or Melted Butter

If you are new to baking, stick to what the recipe specifies. However, as you learn more about how different forms of butter affect your result differently, it’s time to experiment with getting your perfect treat!

In cookies, softened butter will result in a cakier and airier cookie than using melted butter. This is due to the fact that softened butter will create air bubbles that expand in the oven during baking.

Melted butter will make your cookies delightfully dense on the inside and crisp on the edges.

This is because cookie dough with melted butter will give you extra moisture and spread out more during baking, giving you a softer inside and with thinner, crisper edges. Beyond that, melted butter also adds richness to the cookie.

If you want to learn how to make your perfect cookie, join our all in comprehensive virtual course, where we teach you to make your perfect cookie. Check outThe Ultimate Cookie Course.

What about the classic brownie?

If you want a fudgy chocolate brownie, use melted butter.

For cakey brownies, beating softened butter and sugar together to create air pockets will make your brownies lighter and cakier.

—

As you can see, the kind of butter you use will vary greatly depending on what you are looking for in your own recipe.

Even for something as simple as cookies or brownies, a minute detail like this can transform your baking!

Hungry for more baking tips? From baking ingredients to baking equipment, we have all the baking insights for you to learn anytime. Subscribe to our free newsletter for more updates!

Want to learn to make the perfect cookie? Sign up for The Ultimate Cookie Course.

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in Education

As an expert in culinary arts and baking, I've extensively studied and practiced the nuances of using butter in various forms for baking. My expertise includes hands-on experience in creating a wide array of baked goods and understanding the impact of different butter consistencies on the final product.

Butter, a quintessential ingredient in baking, is essentially a fat derived from cow's milk or heavy cream through a vigorous churning process. This process yields solid fat (butter) and liquid (buttermilk), with butter's rich, creamy taste being highly favored in both sweet and savory culinary applications.

In the article "Home Education: Softened Vs. Melted Butter," the discussion centers around the fundamental differences between softened and melted butter in baking. Softened butter retains its shape but is pliable enough for creaming with sugar in various recipes. On the other hand, melted butter transforms entirely into liquid form after being heated.

Regarding softening butter, methods such as leaving it at room temperature for a specific duration or using hot dishes to create steam aid in achieving the desired consistency for creaming. It's crucial to note that butter should not be softened by microwave heating, as this alters its texture and affects the baking outcome.

Melted butter, while suitable for certain recipes like brownies, cookies, and loaves, requires careful handling to avoid burning. The microwave method in short bursts or gentle heating on the stovetop helps melt the butter effectively without compromising its taste due to overheating, considering butter's low smoke point.

Understanding the distinction between using softened and melted butter is pivotal in baking. Softened butter contributes to airier and cakier textures in cookies by creating air bubbles during creaming, while melted butter results in denser interiors and crisp edges due to added moisture and spreading during baking.

For instance, in cookies, melted butter yields denser interiors and crisp edges, while softened butter leads to airier textures. Similarly, for brownies, melted butter produces fudgy consistency, whereas beating softened butter with sugar creates a lighter, cakier outcome.

The choice of butter consistency significantly influences the final texture and taste of baked goods. Even minor variations, as highlighted in the article, can profoundly impact the outcome, showcasing the intricacies of baking.

For those eager to delve deeper into baking techniques and enhance their culinary skills, courses like "The Ultimate Cookie Course" offer comprehensive learning experiences tailored to perfecting baking skills for specific treats.

In conclusion, the selection of butter consistency plays a pivotal role in achieving desired textures and flavors in baked goods. Exploring and understanding these differences empower bakers to experiment and create their perfect treats while mastering the art of baking.