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–+ servings
brown butter in a white bowl on a white marble counter with a spoon in it.

How to Make Brown Butter

Mimi Council
Elevate your baking and cooking with brown butter! Discover how to make this magical ingredient that adds a nutty, rich flavor to your favorite recipes.
5 from 1 vote
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Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Ingredient
Cuisine American
Makes 8 servings
Calories 101 kcal

Equipment

  • Small Pot
  • High Heat Spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 113 grams salted butter

Instructions
 

  • Add the butter to the pot and put over low/medium heat.
  • Allow the butter to melt.
  • As the butter melts, stir the butter occasionally to ensure even cooking.
  • The butter may begin to bubble, foam or turn white. That’s okay if it does this, just ensure you are stirring so you can see the color of the butter below.
  • If you’re having trouble seeing, remove the pot from the heat for a moment, check the color and put it back on if needed.
  • Continue cooking, stirring frequently.
  • As the butter cooks it will begin to turn from a bright yellow color to a light golden to a tan color.
  • You will start to see small brown specs appear. These are the toasted milk solids and they will sink to the bottom. As soon as this happens it’s ready.
  • Remove it from the heat immediately as it can easily burn. The brown butter is now ready to use in recipes if it calls for melted brown butter.
  • If the recipe calls for softened or chilled brown butter you may need to allow the butter to chill before using it.

Video

Notes

Tips
  • You’ll need a high heat spatula to stir the butter as it browns. Make sure to use a high heat spatula or you can melt your spatula (like I did, check the video, haha!). A light colored pot also helps, as you can see the butter color transform best.
  • Brown butter requires constant attention. Don’t walk away from the stove! It takes less than 10 minutes, so just be prepared to stand over it the entire time.
  • Try adding garlic, sage, or rosemary for an extra depth of flavor. Especially for savory recipes, herbs are a great addition.
  • Because brown butter is made by cooking butter and evaporating the water, the amount of butter reduces. If you are substituting butter for brown butter in a recipe, be sure to weigh the brown butter to ensure you have the right amount. Typically, you’ll need 20% more butter when making brown butter.
  • Brown butter can be used in pasta, baked goods, or as a drizzle over vegetables and meats!
High Altitude — Follow the recipe as noted.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 0.01gProtein: 0.1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 91mgPotassium: 3mgSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 353IUCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.003mg
Want more recipes?Follow along on @mimisorganiceats for more inspiration!