I was today years old when I learned the best way to warm butter to room temperature. Well, not technically today but a few weeks ago, but still, almost.

I’ve always used the microwave, because I never plan far enough ahead to take the butter out a few hours ahead and let it just warm on its own. The microwave method isn’t too bad, but it’s a bit tricky, because if you go even 10 seconds too far then the butter starts melting.

My brother taught me to instead put the butter in a bowl with lukewarm water. 10 minutes later, pour off the water, and you’re done. No tricky timing whatsoever! So much easier.

Today (actually today, for real) I discovered that there’s a bonus effect: if you then start e.g. creaming the butter with sugar in the same bowl, the thin layer of water helps keep the butter from sticking to the bowl, which makes for less butter on the sides of the bowl and more of it where you actually want it.