Here's The Best Way To Reheat Pancakes Without Drying Them Out
Starting the day with a warm batch of pancakes topped with butter and syrup sounds ideal, but can be time consuming. If you have a taste for pancakes that extends beyond one day, then make a large batch and keep extras for leftovers.
An important factor in ensuring pancakes taste their best when reheated is to store them properly. Make sure that your pancakes are fully cooled to room temperature before storing. Leave them out on a tray or towel and don't stack them while cooling. The pancakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator if you plan on eating them within a couple days, but they'll dry out if left any longer. Pancakes can be frozen and kept for up to two months, just place them in a freezer-friendly Ziploc bag or storage container.
Whether you're ready to have leftover pancakes the next day, or weeks later, reheating pancakes in the oven is the best way to keep them fluffy and moist. This is also the most convenient method when prepping for a crowd — or one very hungry person.
Tips for reheating pancakes in the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while you lay the pancakes out on a baking tray. Be sure they're spread out and not stacked. Butter can be used for added moisture and flavor: Simply grease the baking tray with butter before placing the pancakes, and add melted butter to the top of the pancakes. If you want to save calories you can skip this step by using a non-stick tray, or lining the tray with parchment paper. Cover the tray tightly with tinfoil before placing in the oven.
Depending on the size, pancakes take around five to 10 minutes to heat, but check them at the halfway point to ensure they're not drying out. When the time is up, check the middle of the pancakes to see if they're warmed. It may be tempting to save time by cranking up the heat over 350 degrees, but this can easily result in dried-out pancakes. As advised by Lacademie, be sure to wrap the tinfoil tightly around the baking sheet to seal in moisture while the pancakes are heating. This step also protects the top of the pancakes from burning.
Follow the same steps when reheating frozen pancakes. They don't need to be thawed, but keep them in the oven longer, just be sure to check them periodically. While the oven is the best method for moist, fluffy pancakes, it may not be ideal if you're in a hurry.
Other ways to reheat leftover pancakes
Using an air fryer can save a few minutes over an oven. Heat the pancakes at 350 degrees in the air fryer basket for two to three minutes, but be careful as they can quickly dry out.
Multiple home experts swear by the toaster method for reheating pancakes. This is a quick way to get just a few pancakes ready anytime, and gives a good crisp to the pancakes. Simply place the pancakes in the toaster with one in each slot, and set the heat fairly close to the max temperature. If the pancakes are frozen then just toast them a bit longer. Also, don't try to moisten up the leftover pancakes by adding butter before tossing them in the toaster, as this can be a fire hazard.
Another approach for crispy leftover pancakes is to reheat them in a frying pan. Unlike other methods, it's best to keep the temperature low so the outside of the pancake doesn't burn before the middle is warmed. Toss some butter in the pan as it heats, and — as with the oven method — add melted butter to the top of the pancakes too. Be sure to flip them about every 10 seconds until they're ready to eat.