if I can i leave the butter out overnight on the counter, if not (and usually not) I microwave on med power in 10 second increments.... the trick is to do 2 or 3, 10 sec intervals and then let it sit in the microwave for a minute. Microwaves cook form the inside out so the middle of the butter must heat the outer part of the stick.

If you have already turned on the oven to preheat you can sit the stick of butter on the over which helps move the softening on a bit. It's not a miracle worked, but it helps.

Agreed with FoodLoveAffair. I put anything that needs to soften or come to room temp (milk, eggs, butter) on the stove in front of the oven vent.

i just cut it up into small pieces and leave it on a "not cold" plate. don't warm the plate or the butter will melt, and a cold plate defeats the purpose. by the time i'm done measuring etc the butter is usually warmed enough. if that doesn't work then put the butter in a zip lock snack bag and drop it into not cold water, that usually works but ends up being kind of messy....

I generally work with margarine, but they're pretty similar.. and I'm with matt manfredini - if I forget to take it out ahead of time, I'll put it on a plate and put the microwave on half power and do about 10 secs, then 5-10 more at a time a few times until it's softened.

Low energy setting on the microwave at 10s intervals...mixing possibly needed!

Definitely cut it up into TBS size pieces or smaller and stick it on a room-temp plate. Sometimes if I'm really impatient I'll stick that plate on top of my poorly insulated preheating oven to warm it up a little faster. I don't do it any other way because I've had too many microwave and oven mishaps that involve me accidentally melting the butter and then I have to wait around for it to reharden in the fridge.

I don't own a microwave, so it's almost always the oven vent trick. Although I have to admit I've forgotten about it more than once and ended up with a melty mess!

My life changed when we remodeled our kitchen and I got a new microwave (it's a kitchen aid, can't remember exact model). It has all sorts of settings and sensors so I just put the butter on the plate, choose "soften" "butter" "1 stick" and off it goes! It also perfectly steam cooks ears of corn :)

My mama taught me to put the butter between some plastic wrap and then gently mash the cold butter with a rolling pin. It works for me—and it's fun!

Microwaves don't actually heat from the inside out; if you microwave butter and aren't careful, you'll end up with a bit of melted butter surrounding a slightly-colder-than-room-temp block. Try microwaving on medium-LOW power for 20 to 30 seconds, then repeat if necessary. I find this works better than short blasts at a higher power.

I have a gas stove so I usually place the butter on top of one of the burners for a little bit.

Tried to comment but got an error, so I'm trying again. Apologies if I end up double-posting.

I have had luck defrosting butter. It is not perfect, but it makes less of a puddle/block contrast than straight heating does.

I leave mine on top of the stove while my oven is preheating. It usually works.

This works perfectly every time and is from the cooking pros at Cook's Illustrated:
In a 1,100 watt microwave.

For 4 tablespoons of butter, place the butter in one piece on a small microwave-safe plate. Place the plate in the microwave and heat for 1 minute at 10 percent power. Press on the butter with your finger to see if it is sufficiently softened; if not, heat for an additional 20 seconds at 10 percent power. This method also works with whole sticks. (In fact, we even softened a pound of butter this way.)

The idea is to increase the second microwave time by 10 seconds for each additional 2 tablespoons of butter. For example, a whole stick should be microwaved for 1 minute, checked, and then microwaved for 40 seconds, if necessary. For a lower wattage microwave (we tried an 800-watt oven), you will need to heat the 4 tablespoons of butter for 1 1/2 minutes at 10 percent, check it, then heat for another 30 seconds at 10 percent power, if necessary. Either way, the butter should be about 67 degrees--perfectly softened and ready to be creamed.

Hit it with a hammer.

well, rolling pin. I've been making croissants lately and definitely a fan of the method that softens without really raising the temperature of the butter at all.

This may only work for certain recipes...but I have a butter bell that I adore. Not only is the butter spreadable for things like toast, but you can fit an entire stick into a butter bell and it keeps fresh for up to 30 days. There may be larger butter bells available, but I rarely need more than a stick. If I do, I use the short increment microwave method like most other people...or I put it in at a low temp in my toaster oven.

I cut my butter into small pieces and lay it out on a plate as the others have suggested.

I have also used a large cheese grater and grated the cold butter and spread it out on a plate.

Most of the recipes using softened butter start out with beating the butter in a mixer so you can always just beat the cold butter a bit longer until it is soft.

I believe I saw this trick on Smitten Kitchen (but I can't find it now, so maybe not), and I like it more than using a microwave.

Put the butter in a ziploc bag. Place a water bath that is slightly warmer than room temperature (too warm, and the butter will melt; too cool, and this won't work). I forget how long it was recommended to leave it in, but I find between 3 and 5 minutes usually does the trick.

I use French butter keeper. That way I don't have to worry about softening my butter. Seriously they are brilliant!

I've been doing the following for a long time, and it seems to work (i.e. I never get melted butter, but it softens it quite easily).

Fill a tall glass cup with water, and microwave the water (in cup) for 2 minutes or until the water starts to bubble. Take the glass out of the microwave, dump the water out, and overturn the glass on the counter, covering the stick of butter (usually i have to stand it up on its end). Wait 1 or 2 minutes, and then test the butter to see if it's softened. Repeat if it needs a bit longer.

This has been working really well for me for a long time, and there's no wait to get the butter softened.

I put it in a bowl and sit in on the middle of my stove above the pilot, the bowl heats up and warms the butter within 15 mins or so.

saer
http://cravenmaven.wordpress.com

I quarter the sticks of butter, put it in a shallow bowl, and nuke it for about 7-8 seconds. I take it out, flip the butter pieces, and do it for another 4-5. Always perfect!

I like the rolling pin ideas and will probably use that in the future. Currently though I either sit it on the stove if I'm preheating the oven. If I'm not though I will throw it in my pocket (in a zip loc if I don't butter everywhere ;-) ).

Great ideas about using the warm glass and cutting it into smaller pieces. Usually, I just microwave in 5 second increments.

I use a butter keeper! It's always soft!

In front of the oven vent is always a winner for me.

If it's still a bit too hard and not creaming properly, a friend found that putting a dish of hot water under the mixing bowl (he was using a stand mixer at the time) while the mixer is running, helps soften the butter ever so slightly and start working the way it's supposed to.

I have a gas oven, so I put mine on a plate and stick it inside the oven, which always stays a little warm. I think it's better than just being over the burner because you don't get a hot spot. Of course, you have to remember not to turn the oven on before you take it out....

I'm also a fan of cutting the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. However, I peel off the wrapper before cutting and then set the pieces on the wrapper in order to save a plate. 15-30 minutes at room temperature usually is enough to soften the butter. After using the butter in the recipe, I use the wrapper to grease the pan, if necessary.

I have very hot tap water. I have put the stick of butter in a zipoc bag, taken all of the air out of the ziploc the submerge it in very hot tap water. It's worked for me - and we got rid of our microwave years ago, so much the wiser!

BTW - I love that other idea of a cup warmed by hot water then inverted over a stick - sounds brilliant!

@The Kitchenette I like your idea. I'm trying it next time

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For my microwave it is 30 at 30. 30 seconds at 30% power and the butter is perfect. If I'm defrosting egg whites, I'll put the container in a bowl of warm water and they defrost quickly.

Defrost in the microwave -- works surprisingly well.

I keep my butter frozen and use a microplane (coarse) to grate it on my toast, into recipes, where ever you need it.

Metal conducts heat better than ceramic plates and other surfaces, so it would be even more efficient to cut up the butter and put it on a metal pan (also makes defrosting meat go faster). I'll usually cut it up in pieces right in to my steel Kitchenaid bowl, since the first step of all my cookie recipes is to beat the butter, and the metal bowl helps it soften faster.

I also use the trick of placing it on top of the preheating oven.

I use a similar method to Kitchenette's. I put a small amount of water in a small saucepan and heat on the stove for a few minutes until it's hot. Then empty the water and invert the saucepan over the butter...usually this means the handle hangs over the edge of the counter. Once the pot is cool, the butter is usually usable.

for baked treats that'll go into the stand mixer anyway, i just put the butter in and let the mixer have it's way with it. after a minute or two, softened and ready to take in it's sugar.

I was watching an episode of the Martha Stewart Show with Jennifer Afflec (Ben's wife whose name I forgot). MS recommended galaxiekat's suggestion of just beating it in the mixer.

I do it.

I grate mine with a box grater. I almost never let it out to soften, because my kittens like to eat it, so I just grate it with a box grater into the bowl, and it works just fine.

I second smashing it with a rolling pin!

I set the microwave at 50% power and nuke it for about 25 seconds. This keeps it from melting completely and you don't have to keep stopping and starting every 5 seconds.

I soften butter the same way I defrost meat in a hurry, in water.

Similar to keeperrox but I don't use a ziploc or think much about the water temperature. I just put the stick right into some cool water, the wrapper is enough to protect the butter. The stick is ready to use by the time I get all the other ingredients ready.

I grate it.

Is it gross that I use my own body heat? I put the butter in a plastic bag, and then tuck it between my arm and my side while I'm getting the rest of my ingredients together.

I can't wait to try the glass trick though.

I put the butter in the microwave on defrost for 10 secs. Works perfect.

I'm sure this has already been a post at the Kitchn.

But to say the same as I said on the last post:

Cheese grater. Everytime.

I use my mom's trick of beating it with a rolling pin or pressing and rolling with the rolling pin...it depends on my mood!

Microwave for five seconds at a time on each side. Usually I don't need to microwave all four sides before it's soft enough to use. And since I do such short increments, it never gets too soft/melted.