Brown butter can turn an ordinary dish, sweet or savory, into something that tastes extraordinary. It's the same stick of butter, melted in the same pan, but the flavor transforms into something rich, nutty, and almost caramel-like. Follow these easy steps and tips to learn how to make brown butter perfectly without burning it.
I love me some brown butter! It really elevates the flavor in a dish. The magic happens when the solids in the butter begin to toast and develop golden brown flecks. But there's a fine line between perfectly golden and burnt.
Once you know what to watch for, it is easy to get it right. In this post, I will walk you through on how to brown butter so that you get that rich, nutty flavor every time. While you are it, try it in these dishes: Banana Bread Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting, Amish Buttered Noodles, and Nutella Stuffed Cookies. Enjoy! XOXO- Katie.
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Steps
Follow these simple steps to brown butter perfectly.
- Slice butter into tablespoon-size pieces so it melts and cooks evenly. Add it to a light colored or stainless steel sauce pan. Cook on medium heat.
- Watch the butter closely at all times and stir it occasionally. As it melts, the butter will become bright yellow, then bubbly, and then foam up. Don't panic, that is just water evaporating out. Begin stirring continuously. At this point, the butter will create a crackling, popping.
- After a few minutes, the butter will begin quieting down, you will see the foam start to settle, and tiny brown bits forming on the bottom of the pan. These are the milk solids toasting. The smell will also begin to change from melted butter into a deep buttery, nutty, almost caramel aroma. Here's the trick most people miss: remove it from the heat just before you think it's done. It will continue cooking as you remove the pan for another 30 seconds. To remove, gently lift the pan and swirl it a few seconds to slow down the foaming.
- Then immediately pour the butter along with all of the brown bits into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. If you leave it in the hot pan it may burn.
Watch how to make
Can you use salted butter?
You can use salted butter. It will brown perfectly fine. However, salted butter tends to foam more than unsalted butter making it harder to see the bottom of the pan and see the little brown bits forming. Because of this, you will need to watch the pan a little more closely as it cooks.
Once browned, unsalted butter will lean a little sweeter than salted butter.
What kind of pan should you use?
Use a light colored stainless steel skillet or sauce pan, or a light colored enameled cast iron pan. Do not use nonstick or dark cast iron pans. You need to clearly see the color of the butter at all times as it cooks, so you can watch the milk solids turn golden brown and prevent the butter from burning.
How long does it take to brown butter?
Browning butter is quick, though the exact time will vary depending on your stove, the type of pan you are using, and the amount of butter you are browning. The whole process from start to finish typically takes 5-8 minutes.
How to use brown butter
If the recipe calls for melted butter, you can evenly swap out butter for brown butter.
However, if you are using it in a baking recipe that does not call for brown butter, you may need to make a small adjustment because some of the moisture is cooked out during the browning process. A good rule of thumb is to add 1 extra tablespoon of butter per 1 stick of butter.
If you are using it in a recipe that calls for cold butter, like in biscuits, refrigerate the brown butter until it solidifies.
If a recipe calls for creamed butter, allow the brown butter to solidify in the refrigerator, then set it out at room temperature until softened before using.
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📖 Recipe
How to Brown Butter Without Burning It - Easy Guide
Equipment
- a light colored stainless steel skillet or sauce pan, or a light colored enameled cast iron pan
- heatproof bowl
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Slice butter into tablespoon-size pieces so it melts and cooks evenly. Add it to a light colored or stainless steel skillet sauce pan. Cook on medium heat.8 tablespoons butter
- Watch the butter closely at all times and stir it occasionally. As it melts, the butter will become bright yellow, then bubbly, and then foam up. Don't panic, that is just water evaporating out. Begin stirring continuously. Up until this point, the butter will be loud.
- After about 4-5 minutes, the butter will begin quieting down, you will see the foam start to settle, and tiny brown bits forming on the bottom of the pan. These are the milk solids toasting. The smell will also begin to change from melted butter into a deep buttery, nutty, almost caramel aroma. Here's the trick most people miss: remove it from the heat just before you think it's done. It will continue cooking as you remove the pan for another 30 seconds. To remove, gently lift the pan and swirl it a few seconds to slow down the foaming.
- Then immediately pour the butter along with all of the brown bits into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. If you leave it in the hot pan it may burn.
Amanda Clarke says
This looks so good! I love finding recipes like this that are both healthy and delicious. The photos are beautiful - very magazine-worthy. I often look at food photography on Dreamstime for plating inspiration. Thank you for the detailed instructions!