This Classic Kitchen Essential Is Making a Modern-Day Comeback

Keep your butter at its peak freshness and temperature—without having to remember to take it out of the fridge.

When you’re in the throes of baking or preparing your morning toast, not much is worse than having to wait for your butter to reach room temperature (except for maybe struggling to spread it when it’s chilled). If you’re constantly forgetting to allow butter to reach its ideal softness (which takes about 30 minutes to an hour), there’s an underrated kitchen staple you may want to look into: the butter crock. A butter crock can keep your butter at the perfect texture for up to a week—without being stored in the fridge.

The butter crock originated in the late 1800s, and using one simply involves adding water to the dish’s base. When paired with a half to full stick of butter, the crock creates an airtight seal that keeps the butter fresh. Like many trends, the practice is making its way back to the mainstream—it’s a bestseller at Modern Prairie, an e-commerce home and lifestyle brand and store from Melissa Gilbert.

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“We know that you can leave the butter out, but it becomes gooey and can spoil,” says Nicole Haase, co-founder of Modern Prairie. “A crock helps minimize the issue, keeps the butter contained, and still gives you spreadable gold.”

Using softened butter is essential for certain baked goods, like cookies, cakes, and biscuits. Leaving your butter out (and not using a crock) for a few days is safe because the fat and salt content helps keep bacteria from growing. However, not storing it in a covered dish can expose it to contamination. 

Haase recommends changing the water in your crock every two to three days for the best results. If your butter becomes too soft, just pop it back in the fridge until it returns to the desired consistency.

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Not only is a butter crock functional, but it fits right in if your kitchen has a cottagecore feel, which has been on trend since 2020. Keep one in your kitchen for easy access when you’re cooking and on your dining room table when hosting—guests are sure to be intrigued when you put it on display (aka, you can take credit for starting a new trend). 

“With earthy, good looks for days, we keep our wheel-thrown, stoneware beauty front and center on our countertops—and close to the toaster, of course.” Haase says. “We also bring it out onto the table when we have family gatherings and friends over. It’s one of the pieces that we love to talk about, as it surprises and delights everyone.”

If you’re going for a farmhouse aesthetic, pair your butter crock with a vase of fresh flowers, neutral tones, and stoneware dishes or glasses to tie everything together. 

“It’s a very simple concept, can be used by anyone, and has a fun story,” Haase says. “Plus it creates something magical, spreadable, and delicious—who wouldn’t want that?”

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