Every baking recipe starts the same way: “Let the butter come to room temperature.” Which means you either planned three hours ahead (you did not) or you are about to try microwaving it and hoping for the best.

I have melted more sticks of butter in the microwave than I care to admit. The outside turns to liquid while the center stays cold. Then you try to cream it with sugar and end up with a greasy puddle.

The Grate Method (45 Seconds)

Take the butter straight from the fridge and grate it on a cheese grater. The thin shreds come to room temperature in about a minute on the counter. They cream perfectly with sugar.

The Warm Glass Method (5 Minutes)

Fill a glass with hot water. Let it sit for a minute so the glass gets hot. Dump the water out. Place the hot glass upside down over the stick of butter. The radiant heat softens the butter evenly in about five minutes.

The Pound Method (2 Minutes)

Put the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound it flat with a rolling pin. The increased surface area warms up fast. After a minute or two you can peel the paper off and the butter is pliable.

The Cut-and-Spread Method (10 Minutes)

Cut the cold butter into small cubes — about half an inch. Spread them out on a plate. They will soften in about 10 minutes while you measure other ingredients.

I keep a stick of butter in a butter bell on the counter now. It stays soft and spreadable for up to two weeks. Not one more emergency microwave situation since.