How Long Does It Take To Melt Peanut Butter In The Microwave?

With its natural sweetness and decadent texture, peanut butter more than earns its place on snacks and sandwiches, and as a key element of tasty dishes like Vietnamese summer rolls with peanut sauce. Peanut butter also has countless culinary applications when melted. But how do you go from creamy (or crunchy) PB to a warm, pourable version that maintains its smooth texture and rich, unmistakable flavor? The stovetop is always an option, but melting peanut butter in the microwave is quick and simple as long as you follow a few guidelines. It only takes about 30 seconds to turn a tablespoon of yumminess from the best peanut butter brands into a melted puddle of deliciousness.

Start by placing 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into a small microwave-safe bowl (a mini prep dish works great). You could set the timer for 30 seconds from the get-go; in many cases, the peanut butter will be fully melted. Microwave ovens differ, though, and overcooking or scorching peanut butter is easier than you might think. So, until you know exactly how your machine handles peanut butter, a more careful approach is to start with 15- to 20-second increments, stirring between each heat session until the peanut butter is smooth and uniformly melted. (If you're heating more than a couple of tablespoons or so, it's probably safe to start at 30 seconds and stir between each heating cycle.)

Melted peanut butter drizzles like a dream and blends well — just be sure you're using it quickly; it firms up again once it cools. Try it on plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for a little extra flavor and protein before a workout. On the sweet side, it goes well on brownies, ice cream, cakes, or muffins. For movie night or a quick snack, popcorn (both kettle corn and the regular buttery variety) shines with a drizzle of melted peanut butter.

Breakfast foods benefit from warm, melty PB, too. It's great on pancakes and makes a fun twist on French toast – bonus points if you've made Nutella-stuffed French toast, as the two flavors complement each other brilliantly. For a more fruit-forward breakfast, it makes a luscious, ultra fast topping for an açai bowl, where its rich, nutty taste pairs well with the earthy flavors and slight tartness of the star ingredient.

Finally, there's that most basic of uses for a melty dish: Dip. Dunk sliced apples, bananas, berries, pretzels, or squares of chocolate into melted peanut butter. Channel Elvis and try it as a dip for crispy bacon. For a deconstructed take on ants on a log, mix raisins into melted PB and dip celery sticks into it, "fishing" for the raisins. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination, and to think: It all starts with just half a minute in the microwave!