We all know the struggle.
There’s that one person in the household who refuses to cinch and tuck the bread bag.
The result? Crumbly, stale burger buns that aren’t edible.
Luckily for you, I’ve tested four different ways to revive stale buns so you can enjoy a tasty burger.
I’ve also included tips on storing and freezing hamburger buns to keep them fresh.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
The best way to soften burger buns is in the oven. First, spritz your buns lightly with water. Next, wrap them in foil and place them on a wire rack. Heat your burger buns on 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes. If the bread is a little soggy, leave them in the oven uncovered for 1 minute. Serve immediately.
A note on my experiment
I bought a packet of hamburger buns and left them on the counter exposed to the air so that they would get stale.
The next day, I tested four different methods of softening them to make them moist and fresh again.
I tried softening the buns:
- In the microwave (softer but chewy)
- In the oven (almost fresh)
- By steaming (soft and fresh)
- In a skillet (good for a slightly toasted effect)
Each method did a fine job of making the buns usable, but the oven and the steamer turned out to be the stars.
Both made the bread soft, fresh, and new again.
The microwave and the skillet are effective in their own ways but have some downsides.
Softening burger buns in the microwave
To soften burger buns in the microwave, start by putting your buns on a microwave-safe plate and covering them with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 10-second intervals until warm and soft. Eat right away, or they will go stale again.
How to soften burger buns in the microwave:
- Put the buns on a microwave-safe plate.
- Cover the buns with a damp paper towel.
- Microwave in 10-second intervals.
- Heat until soft and fluffy, then eat right away.
If you don’t have a paper towel, don’t stress.
Simply place a glass of water inside the microwave with the buns.
The water will make the inside of the microwave humid and infuse the bread with moisture.
As is the way with any microwaved bread, it will go stale once it cools down. Cardboard stale.
To avoid this, eat it while it’s still warm!
Make sure you follow the time interval suggestion and don’t overheat. Only heat it until it’s warm, or you’ll get a crouton that’s break-your-teeth worthy.
My verdict
The microwave was the most effective softening method, and it was super quick and easy.
The only problem was that the bread was a bit on the chewy side, even fresh out of the microwave.
Softening burger buns in the oven
To soften burger buns in the oven, first, spritz your buns lightly with water. Next, wrap them in foil and place them on a wire rack. Heat on 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes. If the bread is a little soggy, leave them in the oven uncovered for 1 minute.
How to soften burger buns in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spritz your burger buns with water. A few sprinkles should be enough.
- Wrap the burger buns in foil.
- Place them on a wire rack.
- Heat for 5 minutes.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can make a steam oven.
Put a shallow tray of water underneath the rack with your bun and poke holes in the foil so the steam can seep into the buns.
Another option is to put the buns in a wet paper bag in the oven instead of foil.
Anything that introduces some moisture will work!
My verdict
The burger buns came out pretty nice.
They tasted fresh and had softened well.
The only downside is that it’s a bit slow compared to the other methods.
If you’re heating a whole family’s worth of buns, I’d definitely recommend this method to get it all done at once.
Softening burger buns in the steamer
To soften stale burger buns in the steamer, first, bring the water in your steamer to a gentle simmer. Place your burger buns in the steamer cut side up (or whole). Steam for 1 to 2 minutes. After heating, leave them to air dry for 30 seconds before enjoying them.
How to soften burger buns in the steamer:
- Set up your steamer and bring the water to a simmer.
- Place your buns into the steamer, cut-side-up if already sliced.
- Steam for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Leave them to air dry for 30 seconds.
- Enjoy!
Be careful not to steam the buns too long, or you can guess what might happen.
Unless you like soupy bread water…just keep an eye on the time.
If you don’t have a steamer, you can still use this method.
To make your own steamer, get a wide pot and put in four equal-sized balls of rolled-up aluminum. Rest a plate on the balls.
Pour an inch of water into the pot and bring it to a simmer.
Put your buns on the plate, cover the pot with a lid, and steam!
My verdict
I was expecting great things from this method, having used it for hotdog buns for years.
And it didn’t disappoint!
The buns came out soft, and they tasted fresh. YUM.
Softening burger buns in the skillet
To soften burger buns in a skillet, first, melt a small pat of butter in the pan. Place your buns cut-side-down in the skillet and heat on medium-low. Sprinkle some water over the buns and cover with a lid. Steam for 2-3 minutes.
How to soften burger buns in the skillet:
- Melt a pat of butter in a skillet on medium-low heat
- Place your buns cut-side-down in the skillet.
- Sprinkle some water over the buns.
- Cover with a lid.
- Heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- To crisp the buns, turn the heat up to high for a minute at the end.
This method is the perfect mixture between adding moisture and toasting the buns.
The water steams and softens the bread, and the butter infuses taste and helps the cut side get crispy.
When you put the water in, be careful not to go overboard.
You could accidentally make your buns mushy, and that’s probably worse than stale buns.
My verdict
While the buns weren’t as soft as with the other methods, the butter added a nice flavor and toasted effect.
For buns that are just a little stale, this method will work fine.
How to store burger buns and keep them fresh
The best way to store burger buns is wrapped in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for 2-3 days this way. If you want to keep them longer than that, you can freeze them. Avoid the fridge because this will accelerate the freezing process.
Plastic wrap or foil packaging will minimize airflow around the burger buns which is what makes them stale.
You can also keep them in their original packaging as long as you can secure it and make it airtight (clips like these work well for this!).
Why avoid the fridge?
Bread goes stale as the starch crystalizes.
This process happens much faster in cooler fridge temperatures than at room temperature.
Once you get to freezing temperatures, the process is halted altogether!
Can you freeze burger buns?
Freezing burger buns is a great way to keep them fresh. If you won’t be able to use your buns within about two days, go ahead and put them in the freezer. Wrapped tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and foil, they’ll last for up to 6 months.
How to freeze burger buns:
- Make sure your buns are at room temperature.
- Keep the buns whole if not already cut. If they are cut, place a small sheet of parchment paper in the middle so they don’t stick together.
- Wrap the buns tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil.
- Store in the freezer for up to six months.
The double layer of wrapping helps to protect the buns from freezer burn (which will give them a funny taste).
Another option for freezing the buns is to flash freeze them on a baking tray first, then vacuum seal them once they’re hard.
How to reheat frozen burger buns
Thaw frozen burger buns at room temperature. Keep them wrapped so they don’t dry out. You can also use the defrost setting on the microwave to thaw them.
Once your buns are thawed, you can heat them using any of the methods we mentioned above.
Exactly How To Soften Burger Buns
Ingredients
- 1 portion burger buns
- 2 sprinkles water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spritz your burger buns with water. A few sprinkles should be enough.
- Wrap the burger buns in foil.
- Place them on a wire rack.
- Heat for 5 minutes.
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