How To Reheat Croissants [I Test 9 Methods]

This article was updated on 29th August 2023 for freshness and to add new insights.

Here’s the best way to reheat your croissants – based on tried and tested methods.

The best way to reheat croissants is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C and heat the croissant for 7-10 minutes (3-5 minutes in a toaster oven). If you want a less flaky texture, cover the croissant in foil. You can also heat them in an air fryer for 2-5 minutes.

Keep reading for all the juicy details of my experiment.

How I tested reheating the croissants

I ordered several croissants from my local bakery and left them overnight. The following day I tested several different methods of reheating them to see which one worked best (I may have gone a bit overboard with my tests!).

I tested reheating croissants in:

• The oven – The most reliable method.
• The microwave – Soggy croissants.
• The air fryer – Good for crispy croissants.
• The toaster – Okay in a pinch.
• The stove – Tastes amazing, but not healthy.

If you have a frozen croissant, skip to this section.

How to reheat croissants in the oven (or toaster oven)

Time: 5-10 minutes
Rating: 9/10

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C.
2. Optional: cover the croissant loosely with foil.
3. Heat the croissant on the middle rack for 7-10 minutes in a regular oven, 5-7 minutes in a convection oven, or 3-5 minutes in a toaster oven.*
4. Remove the foil for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking to crisp the croissant up. And if you want extra crisp, consider broiling the croissant at the end.

*To speed this up you can cut the croissant in half.

I also tested other temperatures, from 250°F all the way up to 400°F, but (for me) 300°F was the Goldilocks temperature and the croissant was just right. I found the lower temperatures too slow, and the higher temperatures too drying.

Using foil at first helps keep some moisture in the croissant and keeps the middle soft. And removing the foil towards the end allows the crust to crisp up.

If you don’t like a crispy crust, you can keep the foil on the whole time. Or if you prefer the outside of your croissant to have a really crispy texture, skip the foil completely.

Results: The oven was definitely my favorite method despite not being the fastest. The outside of the croissant was crisp and flaky, while the inside was soft and warm and you could still see the layers. It’s ideal for big batches and it’s easy to customize.

How to reheat croissants in the air fryer

Time: 2-5 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Set the air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
2. Place the croissant in the air fryer basket.
3. Heat the croissant for 2-5 minutes.

If you prefer softer croissants like me, consider wrapping the croissant in foil before putting it in the air fryer.

Again, I tested other temperatures in the air fryer but 300°F came out on top again. 350°F wasn’t too bad, but the croissant was definitely dryer.

Psst… your croissant won’t need long in the air fryer – it’s a harsh machine!

Results: The air fryer is a really quick method and good if you like crispy, flakey croissants. But you have to be careful not to overheat the croissant and dry it out.

How to reheat croissants on the stove

Time: 3-4 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Cut the croissant in half lengthways using a bread knife.
2. Melt some butter in a pan on a medium heat. You can also use cooking spray.
3. Put the croissant face down in the pan and heat it for 3-4 minutes until the cut side starts to turn golden brown.
4. Remove the croissant from the pan and serve.

The croissant soaks up all the butter, making it even more decadent than it already is. And you get a nice crispy texture on the cut side.

You can also use a sandwich press instead (without closing the lid!). If you close the lid, you’ll end up with a very squished croissant.

Tip: If your croissant is stale, sprinkle some water around the edge of the pan when you put the croissant in and put the lid on for 30 seconds. The steam will help soften the croissant.

Results: The resulting croissant tasted amazing and super buttery, but you have to be careful not to squish the croissant too much when you’re cutting it. That’s why I suggest using a bread knife.

Psst.. if you want to take this method even further, check out this viral croissant recipe from TikTok.

How to reheat croissants in the microwave

Time: 15 seconds
Rating: 3/10

1. Put the croissant on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Cover the croissant with a damp paper towel (optional).
3. Put the croissant in the microwave and heat it for 10-15 seconds.
4. Eat the croissant immediately.

As you can see from the picture, the layers completely disappear when you microwave a croissant. The microwave melts the butter or fat in the croissant, so it leaks out and soaks into the pastry leaving it greasy and soggy. There won’t be a flake in sight.

One way to mitigate this effect (slightly) is to wrap the croissant in a damp paper towel. The damp towel acts as another source of moisture for the microwave to target, so butter won’t melt as much and the croissant will have a dryer, chewier texture.

When you heat a croissant in the microwave, it’s important to eat it as soon as possible. The croissant will start drying out within a few minutes and will quickly become an inedible brick (and no, I’m not exaggerating).

Results: The microwave method is super quick and convenient, but the croissant was soggy and greasy. I’d avoid this method if you have another choice unless you want to give the croissant a 5-second ‘refresh’ before crisping it up in the air fryer or toaster oven (as I mentioned earlier).

How to reheat croissants in the toaster

Time: 60 seconds
Rating: 3/10

1. Cut your croissant in half so it will fit in the toaster slots.
2. Set the toaster to a low setting (if you can, not all toasters are adjustable).
3. Toast the croissant for around a minute before checking on it.
4. Toast for 10-20 seconds longer if you think the croissant needs it.
5. Remove from the toaster, butter, and serve.

A bread knife makes it very easy to cut the croissant cleanly. If you try to use another type of knife, you’ll find it very hard to get a clean cut without completely squishing the croissant (a crime).

Results: I’m not a fan of cutting croissants in half because I think half the joy is biting into a big fluffy croissant! But the toaster-reheated croissant tasted decent and had a nice crunch to it. This method won’t be great if your croissant is stale though.

How to reheat a frozen croissant

Don’t thaw frozen croissants before reheating them, this will leave them extremely soggy.

The best way to reheat a frozen croissant is in the oven or air fryer but at a slightly higher temperature than a fresh one.

Set the oven to 350°F/180°C and heat the frozen croissant for 8-10 minutes (in a regular oven), or until it’s soft and flakey. If you’re worried about the top getting too crispy, cover the croissant in foil for the first half of heating.

In a toaster oven or an air fryer, the croissant will only need around 5 minutes.

If you have a big croissant you want to heat straight from frozen, a good tip is to microwave it for 5-10 seconds before putting it in the oven. This will soften the croissant a bit and make sure the middle heats up before the outside burns. If you do this, keep an eye on the croissant in the oven because it might not need as much time.

Or you can cut the croissant in half, which is surprisingly easy when it’s frozen!

How to store croissants

The best way to store croissants is to wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep them at room temperature. Pick a cool, dry place for maximum freshness. The croissants will stay fresh for up to 2 days. For longer-term storage, you should freeze the croissants.

If you’re going to eat the croissants within a day, then it’s okay to keep them rolled up in whatever packaging you got them in, even if it’s just a paper bag.

How to freeze croissants

It’s best to freeze croissants when they’re still fresh so you can retain their flaky texture. Wrap room-temperature croissants in plastic wrap, then put them in a heavy-duty freezer bag with all the air squeezed out. The croissants will stay at best quality for a month. 

Packing each croissant individually with a double layer provides the best protection against freezer burn, which is a real risk with delicate pastries.

It eliminates as much air as possible from the croissants’ environment, which is the main cause of freezer burn.

To get as much air as possible out of the freezer bag, use a straw. Close the bag, leaving a tiny hole where the straw is, suck all the air out, and then quickly close the gap as you pull the straw out. It works a treat!

The fresher the better when you’re freezing croissants. But make sure the pastries are completely cool before you put them away. Any residual heat can cause condensation, which will turn to ice in the freezer and play havoc with the texture of your croissant.

How to reheat a chocolate or ham and cheese croissant

The best way to reheat a chocolatine or ham and cheese croissant is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C and put the chocolate croissant on the middle tray. Reheat the croissant for 5-6 minutes in a conventional oven or 3-4 minutes in a toaster oven. If you want a less flaky texture, cover the chocolatine with foil.

How To Reheat Croissants [Tested Methods]

Here's the best way to reheat your croissants – based on tried and tested methods.

4.73 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 7 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine French

Servings 1 person

Calories 406 kcal

Equipment

• Foil

Ingredients

  

• 1 piece croissant
• 1 piece pain au chocolat etc

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
• Cover the croissant with foil (optional, see notes below).
• Heat the croissant for 7-10 minutes in a conventional oven or 3-5 minutes in a toaster oven.
• Remove the foil for the last 2 minutes of cooking (optional, see notes below).

Notes

Should you use foil?

Using foil traps any steam the croissant produces and results in a moister croissant, but the crust of the croissant won’t be crispy or flaky (like it is without foil).

Instead, the crust is soft. You can always combine the two methods and cover the croissant with foil at first, then uncover it for the last few minutes to crisp the exterior. This is my preferred method because you get the moist inside and the flaky outside.

Keyword croissant, reheat croissant