There’s nothing quite like the smell of buttery, sweet pancakes drifting through the house in the early morning.
But have you ever wondered if you can reheat these delicious treats?
And if you do reheat them, is it possible to keep them soft and fluffy with just a bit of a crisp?
The short answer is yes – pancakes reheat really well!
In this article, I take you through five different reheating methods that all produce delicious results.
I’ll also share some tips about how best to store them, to keep them as fresh as possible.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
A note on my experiment
When I make pancakes, I like to make plenty in one go and freeze them to reheat later. Very convenient if you love to throw a spontaneous brunch!
The reheating methods I most often return to include:
- In the oven (great for large portions)
- In a toaster (best overall, especially in a hurry)
- In the microwave (best for freshening up stale pancakes)
- In a skillet (buttery and crispy)
- In an air fryer (warm and crisp but a little dry)
The oven delivers consistently good results and is perfect for reheating lots of pancakes at once.
Popping pancakes in the toaster is unbeatably quick and easy.
While not my favorite, the microwave is the best method for stale pancakes. And the skillet is good for a buttery treat.
Note: as a serving suggestion, lathering your reheated pancakes with butter and syrup will help restore moisture and have them tasting freshly baked.
All the methods in this article are also suitable for frozen pancakes.
Reheating pancakes in the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a baking tray with butter. Then, spread your pancakes out on the baking tray so that they aren’t touching (no stacking). Cover the tray with foil and heat your pancakes for 5-10 minutes, or until warm. Frozen pancakes might need a bit longer.
How to reheat pancakes in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Lightly grease a baking tray with butter.
- Spread out your pancakes on the baking sheet, not touching. If the pancakes are stale, spritz them with some water to help add back some moisture.
- Cover the tray with foil.
- Warm for 5-10 minutes (or until the pancakes are warm and soft).
If you don’t want to use butter, line your baking tray with parchment paper instead.
On the other hand, if you’re a big fan of butter, you can smear some on top of your pancakes before heating them so that it melts and sinks in.
Overheating pancakes in the oven can dry them out and make them chewy, so check your heating progress at the halfway mark.
My verdict
This method works well for reheating lots of pancakes at once, making it perfect for a big brunch with guests.
They retain a lot of their moisture and fluffiness, making them taste fresh and delicious.
However, you will need to sacrifice some of the outer crunch possible with other reheating methods.
Reheating pancakes in a toaster
To reheat pancakes in a toaster, set the toaster to a high heat setting and pop the pancakes in the slots for 1-2 minutes. Once they’re warm and crispy on the outside, they’re ready to be served.
Caution: Don’t place pre-sauced or buttered pancakes in the toaster. The fat will drip down into the toaster and could cause a fire.
How to reheat pancakes in a toaster:
- Select a high heat setting on your toaster.
- Place your pancakes in the toaster slots.
- Warm for 1-2 minutes or until crispy.
Different toasters toast at different rates, so you may need to experiment with timings until you land on the one that warms them up just right.
If you’re reheating pancakes from frozen, toast at the same heat level, but give them a minute or so extra until the pancake is warm to the center.
My verdict
Overall, this was my favorite method because my pancakes were deliciously crisp on the outside but still hot and fluffy inside.
Also, the toaster is fast, convenient, and hassle-free.
Reheating pancakes in the microwave
Spread out your pancakes on a microwave-safe plate (no stacking) and cover them with a damp paper towel. Warm your pancakes in 10-second intervals until they are hot and steamy. If you want, you can pre-butter the pancakes so the butter melts in.
The microwave is really good at temporarily softening up stale pancakes. Just don’t leave them sitting out for long after
(Don’t say I didn’t warn you…)
How to reheat pancakes in the microwave:
- Spread out your leftover pancakes on a microwave-safe plate.
- Warm your pancakes in 10-second intervals, checking their temperature at every stop.
- Once warm, serve immediately.
Generally, it should only take around 20-30 seconds to warm pancakes in the microwave, but if you’re reheating from frozen, it can take a little longer.
Serve your pancakes before they have a chance to cool down because they will dry out very quickly once they get cold.
My verdict
The microwave is great for is getting moisture back into stale pancakes, but if your pancakes are still fresh, I’d opt for another method.
The pancakes didn’t have any crisp and were a tiny bit soggy (although they still tasted good).
If you plan to spread cold butter on the pancakes be aware they will be quite soft so will rip easily!
Reheating pancakes in a skillet
Set a skillet over medium heat on your stove. Optionally melt some butter in the skillet while it warms up. Then, spread out your pancakes and heat them for 1-2 minutes on one side. Flip them over, heat them for a further 60 seconds until hot and crisp, and serve immediately.
If you’re not using butter, use a non-stick pan or a fine coating of cooking spray.
How to reheat pancakes in a skillet:
- Set your stove to medium heat.
- Optional: Melt some butter in a skillet while the stove warms up.
- Once your skillet is ready, spread out your pancakes so they’re not overlapping.
- Heat them on one side for 1-2 minutes. For stale pancakes, sprinkle some water in the pan and cover it with a lid to gently steam the pancakes for a short while.
- Once hot and crispy, flip them and heat for another 60 seconds.
- Serve immediately.
Keeping your stove to a medium heat ensures you warm up your pancakes without burning them.
However, you can turn it up a bit if you want them a little crispier on the outside.
If you’re reheating pancakes from frozen, flip them every 30 seconds initially until they’re thawed, and then leave them for longer on each side to crisp.
My verdict
The skillet method works beautifully for getting a buttery flavor into your pancakes.
It also delivers a crisp exterior that I loved.
While you can’t heat too many pancakes at the same time, it’s perfect for one or two servings.
Reheating pancakes in an air fryer
Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Spread out your pancakes in the fryer basket and heat them for 2-3 minutes. If you like, add a dollop of butter on top of each pancake to melt and sink in. Once hot, serve immediately.
Avoid overcrowding the fryer basket, as this will leave your pancakes crisp in some spots and soft in others.
How to reheat pancakes in an air fryer:
- Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
- Spread out your pancakes in the fryer basket.
- Optional: Smear a little butter on each pancake. The butter will help the pancakes crisp, and melt into the soft inside.
- Heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Once hot, serve immediately.
Keep a close eye on your timings as the intense heat of the air fryer can burn pancakes quite quickly.
Check their progress halfway to make sure they’re not getting too hot.
My verdict
This method wasn’t bad and ranked relatively high on the convenience scale.
However, my pancakes were a little dry (which I solved with lots of butter and syrup!). I wouldn’t recommend this method if your pancakes are a little stale, because it will just dry them out further.
But if you’re in a rush and want your pancakes crispy, the air fryer is a good option.
How to store pancakes
Cool your pancakes to room temperature before storing them. If you plan on eating them the next day, wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge. Or use an airtight container, although more air exposure means they turn stale faster. If you want to keep them for longer, it’s best to freeze them.
While pancakes are fine to reheat the next day, they dry out the longer they stay in the fridge.
This is why I recommend freezing them – they freeze well and you can reheat them straight from frozen.
Before storing, always make sure to cool your pancakes to room temperature first.
If not, condensation will build up inside the packaging or container, turning the pancakes soggy.
Can you freeze pancakes?
Pancakes freeze exceptionally well and are easy to reheat straight from frozen. Once cooled, freeze them as soon as possible because they’ll turn stale if you let them stand in the fridge or counter for too long. Flash-freezing the pancakes first makes it easier to grab individual portions.
Pancakes will retain their best quality for up to three months in the freezer. They’ll be safe to eat beyond this, but they might not be as soft and fluffy.
How to freeze pancakes:
- Cool your pancakes to room temperature (ideally on a wire rack so the pancakes don’t get soggy bottoms).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread your pancakes out on the sheet, not touching.
- Cover with another sheet of parchment paper, add another layer of pancakes, and so on, until they’re all accounted for.
- Pop in the freezer for a few hours until hard.
- Transfer your frozen pancakes into a zip-lock freezer bag.
- Remove excess air, seal, mark, and use within three months.
Individually frozen pancakes are great to have on hand for a grab-and-go breakfast.
Flash-freezing prevents them from sticking together, making them a lot easier to reheat. Alternatively, you can separate the pancakes with parchment paper in the freezer bag.
Removing the excess air from your zip-lock bag reduces the risk of freezer burn. To remove the air, suck it out with a straw or dunk the bag in some water to force the water out.
How to reheat frozen pancakes
You can reheat frozen pancakes in the toaster, microwave, oven, skillet, or air fryer. Follow exactly the same method you would for fresh pancakes, just add on an extra 1-2 minutes of heating time. Alternatively, you can thaw your frozen pancakes first by letting them rest on the counter for an hour.
Exactly How To Reheat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 portion pancakes
- 1 portion extra toppings optional
Instructions
- Select a high heat setting on your toaster.
- Place your pancakes in the toaster slots. Warm for 1-2 minutes or until crispy.
- Optionally, top your pancakes with extra syrup or toppings and serve immediately.