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5 from 3 votes

How to Brown Butter 4 Ways (Stovetop, Instant Pot, Microwave, Slow Cooker)

This simple tutorial will teach you how to brown butter perfectly every time using your method of choice: stovetop, instant pot, slow cooker, or microwave. Golden, nutty, and richly flavorful, use brown butter to instantly elevate your next recipe!
Prep Time1 minute
Cook Time10 minutes
Slow Cooker Method3 hours
Course: Ingredient
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 203kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks) cut into 1 tablespoon pieces

Instructions

Stovetop Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large skillet (light colored is best) over medium heat, stirring often. Once melted, it will begin to sizzle and foam. Continue stirring often until it starts to turn golden brown and the milk solids sink to the bottom. Cook until butter has reached the desired golden brown color (see notes for tips on depth of color).
  • Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a heat-proof container.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Place butter in Instant Pot, seal the lid with the steam vent sealed, and cook on manual for 10 minutes.
  • Once finished, immediately (and carefully) open the steam vent and, once the steam is released, remove the lid. Remove the inner pot from the base and pour butter into a heat-proof container.

Microwave Instructions

  • Place butter in a large microwave-safe container (clear glass is best). Cover with a plate and microwave on high for 4-8 minutes, pausing to swirl and check color every 30 seconds. Butter will splatter and pop.
  • Time varies depending on your microwave. Watch the color carefully and remove from the microwave once desired golden brown color.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Place butter in a small or medium slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
  • During second half of cooking, watch the color closely. Remove from slow cooker once it has reached the desired golden brown color.

Notes

Tips and Tricks
  • Use a clear or lightly colored pan or container so that you can easily see the color of the butter. 
  • The deeper the brown color, the more rich and nutty the flavor will be. You can lightly brown the butter for recipes that you want to add an extra subtle flavor too, or you can brown it deeply for recipes that you want the butter to star in.
  • Take the butter away from the heat source as soon as it is the depth of brown you would like. Butter goes from brown to burnt in a flash. Brown butter is magical, burnt butter is not. 
  • Keep ALL of the brown butter, little specks included. The small specks are the toasted milk solids and they contribute immensely to the flavor of the butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Calcium: 7mg