This Is the Absolute Best Way to Reheat Pancakes

In a year of unprecedented amounts of time spent at home, I know I’m not the only one who has found a deeper appreciation of simple pleasures like soft pants, British TV shows, and comfort foods. In fact, more than ever, I’ve become a big fan of making double, triple, and even quadruple batches of some of our favorite foods to squirrel away for another time. But when you make ahead, scaling up is only half the battle. The bigger challenge is finding the best way to reheat in order to achieve a texture and flavor that’s as close as possible to just-made.

Nothing shouts cozy relaxation like pancakes, and we all need a good dose of coziness and ease nowadays. So what happens if you double up on Saturday pancakes to enjoy them again on Sunday? Or during the week? Or next month? What’s the best way to do justice to your hard work? 

The very best way to reheat pancakes has been sitting on your counter all along: the toaster. This works for both leftover pancakes that have been stored in the fridge and frozen pancakes. In either case, they come out fragrant, just-crisp on the outside, and soft, warm, and pillowy in the middle. Reheated this way, they’re just as good, or sometimes possibly better, than freshly made pancakes. 

To reheat pancakes that have been stored, covered, in the fridge, place one pancake in each toaster slot. Set the toast level fairly high, if not to the highest level. We have a very basic toaster that offers levels 1 through 7, and cold pancakes get toasted at level 7 for a perfect result.

For frozen pancakes, there’s no need to thaw, simply toast for a bit longer. You might try toasting at that same high level, then check the temp in the middle of the pancake with your finger. If it’s still quite cold, put it back in for about half the time. If it’s just a little cool, try a quarter of the time. Toast as many pancakes as you plan to eat and leave the rest for another very lucky day.

Experiment with your own toaster to get the results you want. Of course, it’s better to err on the side of less toasting than more so as not to burn those beauties.

Looking for the best way to freeze a batch of just-made pancakes so you can take advantage of this tip? Spread them out on a baking sheet or kitchen towel and allow them to cool to room temperature. Once they’re completely cool, store in a zip-top plastic freezer bag or other covered freezer-safe container. 

So next time you make pancakes, now you can make your whole winter a little sweeter by making a whole bunch. Because if we’re all gonna be spending most of the winter inside, we might as well make the most of it.