How To Make The Best Brown Butter In The Microwave

If you're a bit of a baker, you'll know that brown butter is the unbeatable ingredient for the best chocolate chip cookies. This golden substance lends baked goods such a rich caramelized flavor and nutty aroma that it almost seems like a magic secret. However, there isn't any complicated sorcery behind it; you simply need to heat a stick of regular butter in a saucepan and keep an eye on it until it turns foamy and brown. An even easier way to prepare a batch of brown butter is to make it in the microwave.

Microwaving your butter has two benefits. Firstly, you can leave it unmonitored for the most part, which means you won't have to stand at the stove stirring. Secondly, the aroma given off by the butter as it browns will remain contained inside your appliance — this toasty scent smells almost hazelnut-y at the perfect sweet spot, but it can veer into bitter territory and settle in your kitchen if you accidentally burn it. To make the best brown butter in the microwave, place one stick in a microwavable bowl (a transparent one is ideal so you can keep tabs on color changes), and place a plate on top. Covering the bowl will help to contain any splatters as the butter heats up and protect your microwave from getting greasy. Cook your butter for three minutes before checking it. If it hasn't quite browned enough, continue to cook it for 30-second bursts until it has reached the perfect hue.

When you first open your microwave, your nose should instantly pick up on the toasty aroma coming from the melted butter inside your bowl. This is the first sign to look out for. The butter itself should be golden brown and speckled with some darker flecks (these bits are the caramelized milk solids). Microwaving your butter in short bursts towards the end of the cooking time will reduce the risk of it burning. If it does accidentally go beyond a chestnut color, the easy fix to try before tossing burnt brown butter is to immediately strain it. This trick gets rid of any acrid-tasting milk solids, hopefully leaving the golden nutty liquid behind.

The unexpected way to take your brown butter to the next level is to whisk in some powdered milk as it browns. This trick is best done on the stovetop versus the microwave because the powdered milk is more likely to burn if left unstirred due to its grainy texture. Then you can use it to make a scrumptious batch of cookies, or whip it into some chocolate ganache to imbue it with a note of rich nuttiness. Having said that, brown butter is equally as delicious in savory dishes, such as pasta sauces, soups, and gnocchi.