If you love croissants, you likely wish to preserve them for as long as possible. How to heat up a croissant without it becoming dry, greasy, or flat may seem like a tall order, but trust us, we’ve got the details to keep your croissant looking and tasting great even a couple of days after being baked. Don’t believe us? Read on to discover the best ways to heat up a croissant.
Should You Heat Croissants?
You not only can heat croissants but it may be recommended, especially if your croissant has sat a while.
Just like you may have wondered how to reheat cinnamon rolls or how to reheat garlic bread, we know that reheating a croissant has been on your mind for good reason. And for that, you’ve come to the right place!
Before jumping into the details on how to reheat your croissant, we want you to know that it is perfectly fine to eat a croissant that has sat at room temperature for up to two days after it was first made. However, you may notice that in that amount of time your croissant has gone stale. This may be especially true if you chose to place your croissant in the refrigerator –which we don’t recommend, by the way!
If you find you have a stale croissant you’ll want to warm it up to bring out the moisture in it and to make it soft and flaky again. There are a variety of ways to do this. Let’s explore those ways now!
Reheat Croissant Without Oven
If you’re wishing to reheat a croissant without an oven, you’re in luck. There are many ways you can heat a croissant without an oven. Although we have to tell you, the oven usually yields the best results.
Still, you can practically heat up a croissant using any heating mechanism you would normally use to heat something else, including a microwave, a toaster, and even your stove. Just know that each method of heating yields a different result. As such, you may wish to experiment to see which heating method is best according to your personal taste and preference.
Can You Warm Croissants in the Microwave?
Yes! You can warm a croissant in the microwave.
However, just be warned that you may not love the result.
Croissants warmed in the microwave can sometimes turn out squished, too soft, greasy, and without layers. Still, the result tends to be pretty tasty, and not everyone minds the softer, flatter texture of a microwaved croissant.
Check out how to warm a croissant in the microwave in the segment below.
How to Reheat Croissant in Microwave
In order to reheat a croissant in the microwave, consider the following steps:
- Place your croissant on a microwave-safe plate.
- Heat the croissant, with or without a damp paper towel on top, for about 10 seconds. If you find that your croissant isn’t completely warmed through, you may wish to place it back in the microwave for another 5-10 seconds.
- Wait until it cools, and enjoy.
Note: Using a damp paper towel over your croissants for this method will yield a chewier texture. Some people like this texture whilst others do not. If you heat a croissant without a damp paper towel you’ll have a less chewy texture. Therefore, whether or not to use a damp paper towel will depend on your preference. We recommend you try both and see which works best for you!
How Long Should You Microwave a Croissant?
Microwaving a croissant generally only takes anywhere from 10-15 seconds. But it will depend on how big your croissant is and whether or not it is frozen, thawed, or refrigerated.
Can You Toast a Croissant?
You sure can!
In fact, toasting a croissant is one of the easiest and best ways to retain the flaky texture of your croissant without it becoming too greasy.
Try the following method for heating up a croissant in a toaster:
- Slice your croissant lengthwise so that it fits comfortably on its side in your toaster.
- Place your toaster setting on low if possible.
- Check on your croissant periodically for doneness. Sixty seconds or so should be about all it takes.
- Once the croissant is golden brown, remove it from the toaster and slather it with butter or your favorite topping.
How to Reheat Croissant in Air Fryer
How Do You Reheat an Air Fryer Croissant?
In order to reheat a croissant you made in the air fryer, you may use any method that you would reheat a normal croissant with. However, you’ll want to avoid re-air frying it.
No matter how your croissant was made, the air fryer is one of the worst ways you can reheat a croissant. Doing so will render your croissant dry and practically void of flavor.
If you must use the airfryer to reheat a croissant, be aware that you may loathe the results. Still, the following is the best way to go about reheating your croissant in the airfryer:
- Place your croissant in your air fryer.
- Place the air fryer setting on low.
- Air fry your croissant for only 1-2 minutes.
- Remove and enjoy.
Can You Cook Croissants on the Stove?
Once your croissant is already baked, you can absolutely heat up your croissant using the stove top.
You may not believe it, but the stove top is a unique and convenient way to reheat your croissant while still preserving the flakiness and layers of the croissant.
Moreover, you’ll likely be pleased with the crispy crust left over from having toasted the croissant in a little butter (if you choose to do so). It’ll be warmed all the way through and almost as good as when you first bought it…if not a little better!
Do the following if you wish to heat your croissant over the stove:
- Gently melt some butter over medium-low heat in a skillet. When melting your butter, be careful not to burn it. The burned butter may not taste great.
- Cut your croissant lengthwise and place the croissant facedown in the melted butter. Be diligent not to burn your croissant. Medium-low heat is key here, and so is timing.
- Wait a few minutes before checking for golden brown color to develop on the croissant.
- Remove from the skillet once your croissant has toasted.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!
This buttery and delicious method will likely have you coming back for more!
Note: There is no need to toast both sides of the croissant using the stovetop. You’ll likely find that the croissant heats all the way through assuming that your croissant was never cold or frozen to begin with.
How Do You Toast Croissants in the Oven?
Toasting a croissant in the oven is one of the best ways to reheat a croissant. It leaves your croissant flaky and fresh, without it becoming soggy or greasy.
Check out the following way to reheat your croissant in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
- Cover the croissant with foil to maintain moisture.
- Heat the croissant for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the foil, if you wish, for 2 additional minutes for a crispier and flakier outcome. Otherwise, you may leave the foil on for the remaining 2 minutes for a softer and more moist finish.
Note: Cooking your croissant on low heat allows the moisture to stay present in your croissant without drying it out. Unless you enjoy a drier croissant you’ll want to avoid warming it over a high temperature. Even an oven set at 350 degrees can be too hot. Thus, the “low-and-slow” method of reheating really livens up a croissant that’s been sitting around.
How to Reheat Croissant in Toaster Oven
Reheating a croissant in a toaster oven will follow similar steps as mentioned above. The only difference is that you may need to heat the croissant a few minutes less in the toaster oven than you would in a conventional oven. Thus, this makes the perfect option for reheating a croissant when you’re late to work.
Note: Heating your croissant in a toaster oven isn’t the same as heating your croissant in a toaster. For the toaster oven, simply follow the same steps detailed above for a conventional oven, but only heat the croissant for about 2-3 minutes instead of 6-7 minutes.
For instructions on how to reheat your croissant in a toaster, see the segment titled, “Can You Toast a Croissant?”
How to Heat Up a Frozen Croissant
Since your croissants will start frozen, you’ll need to kick the oven temperature up a notch from the usual 300 degrees we recommended earlier.
Do the following to heat up a frozen croissant:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place your frozen croissants onto a baking sheet. Do not wrap in foil (unless you like really soggy croissants).
- Place your croissants into the oven for 7 minutes or until heated through.
Note: If you’re working with thawed croissants, you may wish to try the method above, but bake them at 375 degrees for only 2-3 minutes rather than 7 minutes.
How to Properly Store Croissants
Now that you know how to properly heat a croissant, you may be wondering how they are best stored in the meantime. That’s a great question!
In general, we do not recommend refrigerating your croissant. Refrigeration can cause a croissant, or any bread for that matter, to dry out significantly which will change its texture, and sometimes, taste.
Instead, we recommend simply storing your croissant wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for about two days at room temperature, and enjoying them sometime during that time frame. If you have a croissant that you wish to consume the same day, you won’t need to wrap the croissant. Simply keep it at room temperature in the bag it came in or otherwise.
If you plan to enjoy your croissants for the past 2 days, you’ll want to place them in your freezer. Do this by first wrapping your croissant in plastic wrap and placing your wrapped croissant into a freezer bag. These will last 1-2 months in the freezer before the quality, taste, and texture start to change.
FAQs
Should I refrigerate a croissant?
In our opinion? No. Refrigerating a croissant can really kill the moisture in it, leaving you with a dry and oddly-textured treat. Instead, we recommend you simply leave your croissant out at room temperature tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for around 2 days, and then, transferring your croissant to the freezer if you don’t consume it before then.
How do you freshen up croissants?
In order to freshen up ridiculously stale croissants, we recommend you first microwave your croissant, and then pop it into the oven. To do this, microwave your croissant for only a few seconds before placing your croissant into an oven preheated at 300 degrees for another 5-6 minutes. Microwaving first will reintroduce moisture into the croissant before you transfer it to the oven to reconstitute the original texture of the croissant.
Remember, a stale croissant may never be as good as it was fresh, but microwaving certainly helps with the stale croissant taste and texture. There are also several recipes you can make with stale croissants, all of which taste delicious!
Can you reheat almond croissant?
You can reheat an almond croissant much in the same way you would a regular croissant. We would recommend you avoid methods like using a toaster, however, as the almonds might fall off and into your toaster. Instead, try reheating it in the oven or using a microwave as long as you don’t mind the texture that microwaving a croissant yields.
Heating Up a Croissant Is Easy!
Heating up a croissant is relatively easy, though the reheating method you choose will determine how close to” fresh” your croissant ends up tasting. Remember that the oven reheating method is best whilst microwaving and airfrying tend to be worst.
Don’t forget to try out toasting your croissant over the stovetop in melted butter…we’re sure you’re going to love the results!
