Clarified butter is butter that has been rendered to separate the milk solids and water from the butter fat . Typically it is produced by melting butter and allowing the different components to separate by density. Some solids float to the surface and are skimmed off; the water and the remainer of the milk solids sink to the bottom and are left behind when the butter fat is poured off. The non-butter fat components are discarded.

Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, and so is preferred in some cooking applications, such as sautéing. Drawn butter is usually a synonym of clarified butter, but sometimes used to mean simply melted butter; this term is encountered most commonly when it is served as an accompaniment to lobster, crab or shrimp. Ghee is a type of clarified butter important in Indian cuisine. Niter Kebbeh , clarified butter infused with ginger, garlic, and several spices, is prominent in Ethiopian cuisine.