How to Reheat Pancakes for Easy (And Delicious) Breakfasts All Week Long
Pancakes are the embodiment of weekend decadence (especially when Nutella is involved). But even whipping up a batch of flapjacks from a packet requires some effort on your part. Here’s a little secret: You can treat yourself to a lazy morning with a luxurious spread, any day of the week. Just learn how to reheat pancakes and you can keep those weekend vibes going throughout the week.
How to Reheat Pancakes in the Oven
Pancakes reheat well in the oven no matter where they come from, so if you’re feeling really clever you can order a short stack from your favorite diner and phone it in twice. (Hey, no judgment.) Whether the batter was whipped up in your own kitchen or came from a spot down the street, those flapjacks will be fluffy and delicious the next day if you follow these steps.
1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 350°F. Don’t go higher or your pancakes will dry out (and don’t go lower if you’re hungry).
2. Get the pancakes ready. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, or give it a little grease, and spread your pancakes out. It’s important to disassemble the short stack before sending them into the oven so they heat evenly.
3. Cover them up. Wrap the baking tray in a tight layer of aluminum foil to seal in moisture and prevent a crumbly pancake catastrophe.
4. Heat the flapjacks. Have your maple syrup on hand because after five to ten minutes in a preheated oven, your pancakes should emerge moist, fluffy and fully warmed through.
How to Reheat Pancakes in the Toaster Oven
It’s kind of quirky, but you can actually reheat pancakes in a standard toaster. They won’t have the same fluffy texture but the upside is that you can make breakfast happen pronto. Plus, if you heat leftover pancakes in the toaster, they crisp up around the edges and then melt when met with a scoop of ice cream—and that’s a brunchy dessert anyone can get behind. Here’s the breakdown for how to use your toaster oven to reheat pancakes.
1. Pop in the pancakes. Place one flapjack in each slot of your toaster. (Note: If your pancakes are frozen there’s no need to thaw them—they just might need another round of toasting before they’re ready for breakfast.)
2. Toast them. Heat the pancakes on a moderate setting and stand by—you might need to intervene if you notice that the edges of your jacks are getting a little too crispy.
3. Dig in. Slather those perfectly toasted pancakes with butter and syrup and enjoy.
How to Reheat Pancakes in the Microwave
The microwave has kind of a bad rap in the culinary world but the convenience tempts us every time. Fortunately, pancakes are one of the few foods that actually reheat beautifully in the microwave—just follow our advice before you start nuking so you don’t ruin your morning with mushy flapjacks.
1. Plate up. If you’re heating a single pancake, place it in the center of a microwave-safe plate. If you have more flapjacks to reheat, spread them out on a larger platter so that none are touching. Note: The time required to reheat even a frozen pancake in the microwave is so minimal that it makes more sense to do them one at the time and avoid the nuisance of uneven warming.
2. Heat and eat. Reheat in the microwave at 50 percent power for 10 to 20 seconds for a single pancake (depending on whether it was frozen or thawed) and up to 60 seconds for a platter of five flapjacks. When each pancake emerges warm in the middle, it’s time to plate ‘em up and put ‘em away.
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