1. Fill a tall glass with boiling hot water and line a small plate with a paper towel. 3. Pour out the hot water from the glass, then immediately place the empty hot glass over the stick of butter.

No more half-melted mess—this method softens butter evenly every time. I know I’m not the only one who has spontaneous cravings for baked goods. There’s nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie ...

Beating butter with a rolling pin is the quickest, most foolproof method for achieving evenly softened butter. A stand mixer or microwave are both effective tools, but proceed with caution to ensure ...