The Clever Hack That Makes Frozen Butter Instantly Spreadable

Let us guess: You forgot to set out the butter to soften up again, didn't you? And now you're left with a brick of dairy that feels like you'll need some sort of power tool just to butter your toast. Well, it turns out you do actually need a tool, but there's no need to rummage around for that chisel just yet. Instead, reach for your fine-mesh sieve — the humble kitchen tool that's about to make your life so much easier if you're someone who doesn't support leaving your butter on the counter.

Instead of chipping away at your frozen butter stick, just use the underside of your sieve to start scraping over the butter's surface. And voila! You've now got fluffy, feathery shavings of delicious butter. And that's it. No risky knife work, microwave, or fancy cheese grater needed. And the best part is, since the flakes melt almost instantly when they come in contact with something warm, you won't risk tearing up your toast or pancakes by trying to spread a slab of stubborn, rock-solid butter.

So, what's the secret here? It's all about surface area. By grating butter into shavings, you increase its surface area, warming it up so it softens pretty much immediately. But, unlike with the microwave method, you don't run the risk of your butter melting. In other words, it's quick and easy and gives you perfectly spreadable butter every time.

This trick isn't just for toast, either. You can toss these buttery shavings in your baked goods when you're crunched for time, as it can take up to an hour for butter to soften. Also good for biscuits and pie crusts, these butter shavings are great for blending into the dough, causing layers so flaky that even your grandma might reconsider her tried-and-true baking methods.

We're not trying to gatekeep here, so go on and spread the word (and the butter) because no pancake deserves to be torn to shreds before ever making it off your plate.