The Best Way to Reheat Biscuits to Keep Them Fluffy (We Tested 3 Methods)

There’s nothing like a warm biscuit, fresh from the oven. They’re fluffy, buttery, and comforting. However, eating a biscuit at almost any other time can be a bit less satisfying. Leftover biscuits quickly transform from pillowy little clouds to dense, dry rocks even after having only been baked the day before. 

To figure out the best method for reviving day-old biscuits, I baked off a batch of homemade buttermilk biscuits and stored them in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning I split the batch into thirds and tried out three methods for reheating them, with top marks going to the methods that not only restored the biscuits to their fresh-from-the-oven glory — crisp exterior and fluffy interiors — but were also easiest to pull off. 

The method that seems the most obvious proved in my testing that it’s your first thought for a reason: Stick them right back in the oven. I wrapped the biscuits loosely in aluminum foil before baking them in a 350°F oven for about 6 minutes. Next I opened the foil package, exposing the tops of the biscuits, and continued to bake them for another 4 minutes. Whether or not to butter the exterior is up to you; depending on how you intend to use the biscuits, the extra butter might be welcome (or not).

The beauty of this method is that it’s simple and effective. Wrapping the biscuits in aluminum foil is a key part of success, ensuring that the biscuits are able to warm through completely without losing moisture to evaporation in the oven and drying out. I don’t like a flabby biscuit without any texture, so opening the foil package towards the end of the bake time allowed the tops to re-crisp. This method is like a time machine — it brings your biscuits back to the moment you pulled them out of the oven in the first place. 

This method is straight from the diner. Cut leftover biscuits in half, slather both sides with butter, and heat them over medium-low on a griddle (or cast iron skillet) until golden-brown and warmed through. 

This method is perfect if your plan is to use the biscuits to make a really great egg sandwich, but might not be the best if you’re planning on using them to top a pot pie or as a bed for gravy. 

This method is a hybrid of the two above. Melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter (depending on how many biscuits you’re reheating and how large your skillet is) in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the biscuits to the skillet and cook until the bottoms are lightly crisped, 2 to 4 minutes. Then flip and continue to cook until the tops are lightly crisped, 2 to 4 minutes more. Turn off the heat and transfer the skillet to a 350°F oven until the biscuits are warmed through, which took about 5 minutes for me.

This method is very similar to the oven method, but adds extra butter and results in noticeably crispier exteriors while retaining fluffy, tender interiors. If extra-buttery, extra-crispy-on-the-outside biscuits are your thing, this is the method for you.

If you’re wondering why you can’t just pop your biscuits in the microwave for a minute or two and call it a day, you certainly can. I don’t prefer to use the microwave because, while it will heat the biscuits faster, it’s at the cost of texture, as it makes them flabby and soggy. 

The opposite is true of the air fryer, which can also heat the biscuits more quickly than the oven, but dries them out in the process. In my opinion it’s worth the extra time to get that perfect biscuit texture.

Leftover biscuits are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months