Step-by-step how to make and store brown butter in a mold. It has become so popular for baking and cooking. Caramelized flavor with nutty notes, which is a great way to elevate recipes.
There are so many tutorials through photos and video, so I’ll keep it real simple. Basically we are cooking the butter until the milk solids become brown.
Make-ahead in bulk and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. It’s perfect for holiday baking, special events or just having it ready for any recipe.
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies, is the most popular way to use it.
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How To Make Brown Butter
- Place 1 lb. and ¼ cup butter into a heavy bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add the butter. Mix frequently for even melting and browning.
2. While the butter is melting it will foam up a bit. You'll notice the white milk solids.
3. The milk solids will start lightly browning and begin to form at the bottom of the skillet. Keep mixing to avoid hot spots.
4. When you see the milk solids are golden brown remove the skillet from the heat. It is very easy for them to burn, so keep an eye on it. Can take around 5-10 minutes.
5. Carefully pour into a heat safe container and scrap all the brown bits of flavor. The brown butter will continue to brown while it's cooling. Let the liquid brown butter to fully cool.
Store The Brown Butter In Mold
6. Grab the silicone butter mold and place on small sheet pan.
7. Pour the cooled brown butter into mold and cover it. Place into the refrigerate to chill until solid.
8. When solid wrap with parchment paper and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Make Ahead
You bet during the holidays I’ll be browning butter in bulk. I’ll brown it, cool it to room temperature, place in storage container, refrigerate until solid, wrap and freeze. Having a stash is a bakers time saving secret.
Brown butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.
Butter Storage Mold
There are many ways to store brown butter like a mason jar, small heat proof bowl, parchment paper, measuring cups and ice cube tray.
Over all the years I’ve been browning butter this is the best and easiest way to store it. Using a butter stick mold with ridges to measured in tablespoons. This is the one I recommend and use.
Feel free to use my affiliate link below to purchase this butter mold, I do appreciate it.
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Common Question About Brown Butter
Depending on the size of the pan and amount of butter, it can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
I recommend one pound of butter. I do add ¼ cup extra butter to account for water evaporation during browning. You can add other liquids instead of butter.
Water evaporates approximately 1 tablespoon for every ¼ cup of butter when browning.
When the water evaporates you can add cold water or heavy cream to the butter account for the loss.
Don’t walk away and over brown the milk solids. Butter is a costly ingredient in recipes, so it’s better less brown than over brown.
Cathleen Caffrey says
I noticed in your pictures that the stored hunks of butter have the brown bits on the bottom. If you don’t store it in a mold, Is there any point in mixing it to get the brown bits Inc. before chilling? bits would sync to the bottom and you could not just simply take a spoonful of it from the top without losing the flavor of the brown bits. Do you have any comment on this. I’ve never seen this. Discussed anything on storing brown butter.
Andrea Johnson says
That is is great question and observation. Here's a tip to store brown butter in bowl, container, or parchment paper instead of a butter mold. I would allow the brown butter to fully cool and solidify (but not harden fully), then mix well so the brown butter pecks would be mixed through out the butter. Now you can store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Hope this help.