How to Reheat Donuts? 5 Ways to Restore Delicious Taste of Donuts
Have some leftover donuts in the freezer? How do you reheat your donuts to perfection?
This article will guide you on how to reheat donuts. I have tested them out, and each one gives a unique twist to the donut. Let’s get in.
A Quick Note on Methods to Reheat Donuts
I have gone through all the reheating processes and found the top 5 easiest ways.
These are effective ways to get warm and delicious donuts within a few minutes. Let’s dig in.
My top 5 methods are:
- Reheating donuts in the microwave (efficient, a bit tricky to learn)
- Reheating donuts in an oven (precise baking takes time)
- Reheating donuts in an air fryer (healthy method, can over-burn)
- Reheating donuts on the frying pan (traditional way, needs oil)
- Reheating donuts in the toaster oven (adds Crispynes, but dry)
To be honest, I have gone through each of the techniques with varied outcomes.
Writers Note: There are many ways to reheat donuts; choose accordingly to suit your requirement. For example, If you want quick results, microwave them. If you want a healthy option, air frying is ideal. Want baked donuts? Throw them into the oven. Like crispy donuts? Use a toaster oven.
How To Reheat Donuts (All Methods)
Reheating donuts is easy and simple as long as you know the steps. With proper cooking, you can enjoy crisp and soft donuts every time.
I found these methods easy to reheat leftover donuts. Within a few minutes, I indulge in donuts as if they’re freshly baked.
Let’s get through these methods one by one.
1. How to Reheat Donuts in the Microwave
No doubt, going for the Microwave is the best way to reheat donuts. Because whenever I need to go outside or am in a hurry, I go for microwaving.
Be sure to keep the temperature in check if you want perfect microwave heating of donuts.
Instructions:
- Prepare your donuts and place them on a plate suitable for microwaving.
- Place a wet towel on your donuts if they seem dry.
- Microwave the donut for at least 15 seconds.
- Take out the donut and let it dry right away.
Pros:
- Efficient method
- Reheats donuts perfectly
- Takes lesser time
Cons:
- A bit tricky, and the microwave time can vary.
Pro Tip: Sometimes, it could take more than 35 seconds if the microwave is set to lower power mode.
2. How to Reheat Donuts in an Oven
This approach is time-consuming. But you get super crisp and perfectly baked donuts. There weren’t any other options that offered me perfect re-heating.
Hence, I must follow specific steps to get perfect heating like other options.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to around 360 Fahrenheit temperature.
- Place the donut in the middle tray of the oven.
- Heat the donut in the oven for at least 3 minutes.
- Take out the donut and let it cool a bit. After a few munites, start eating up the freshly heated donuts.
Special Note: Add water cups at the bottom tray if your donut seems dryer.
Pros:
- Precise and perfect baking of the donut.
- The process yields the tastiest donuts ever.
Cons:
- Not suitable for occasions when you need to go outside.
3. How to Reheat Donuts in Air Fryer
Can you reheat donuts in an air fryer? The answer is Yes. I prefer the air fryer method when I don’t want to consume oil.
The machine uses hot air to heat the donuts, so it’s a healthier option.
Instructions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 3500°F
- Use parchment paper to place the donuts.
- Start the heating process and let it be for at least 1 minute. But 2 minutes should be the highest time to fry.
- Take out the donuts and cool them off.
Pros:
- Free of oil
- Healthy method.
- Easy to follow.
Cons:
- Sometimes, it burns off my precious donut.
Pro Tip: Ensure you don’t burn off your hand while taking off the hot donuts. Use cooking gloves.
4. How to Reheating Donuts Using the Frying Pan
Honestly, it’s not a great way forward. It’s a bit tricky and unhealthy at the same time. I advise you only to use the following technique once in a while.
Let’s learn how to heat donuts using a frying pan with oil.
Instructions:
- Place the pan on the stovetop and oil it up. Stay as minimal as possible.
- Let the pan heat on medium heat.
- Place the donuts on the frying pan. Make sure to fry up both sides of the donut. Otherwise, it might not taste as good as other methods.
- Stop the heat from the stovetop and take out the donuts.
Pros:
- Lets control the heating manually.
Cons:
- Needs oil and not a healthy method.
Pro Tip: Add some water to infuse some moisture into the donut.
5. How to Reheat Donuts in Toaster Oven
Have a toaster oven in your kitchen? Why not use it? In my experience, using a toaster oven could be a great option to get some variation on the re-heating process of donuts.
With proper steps, you could get it done right. Let’s take a look at it.
Instructions:
- Start the toaster oven and heat it up to 360 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
- Use some wet paper towels on top of the donuts to add up some moisture.
- Set up the toaster oven for at least 5 minutes of toasting.
- Check if it’s heated perfectly after 5 minutes. If it’s not up to the mark, you could consider doing the heating process for a few more minutes.
Pros:
- Offers crispy and crunchy donuts.
- It’s quick and gives perfect heating.
Cons:
- Not suitable for a batch of donuts
Pro Tip: Brush up some oil on top of the donuts, to make them crispier. But make sure you don’t spoil the icing.
How to Store Donuts?
My experiments showed that donuts could stay in good shape for 2 to 3 days on a normal day. But, in hot summer weather, the donuts will start getting stale after passing the 1-day mark. This is why always put your donuts in an airtight container and store them in the freezer.
Meanwhile, you could increase the shelf life a lot with the deep freezing technique. As you freeze up the whole donut, it stays in for months. But, it always decreases the taste whenever I reheat the donuts.
How Long Do Donuts Last?
Donuts can last on different time frames depending upon your storage. You must know it to get more efficient storing these delicious donuts.
Here’s how long donuts last:
In Airtight Container
The first and best option is to place the donuts in an airtight container. I always try to use the most secure ones that don’t let air in. Make sure to wrap an aluminum foil around it and lace the box and a cooler place in your room. Doing this way, you could save up your donut for at least 2 days.
In the Fridge
I find it’s the ultimate option when storing the donut for a longer time. Using a fridge to store the donuts longer will be a great option. In the fridge, the donuts stay intact. In fact, reheating the donut gives the best donuts right away. When the donut is in the freezer with the airtight container, it stays good for 5 days.
In the Freezer
As a last option, you could freeze up the donut. First off, place the donuts on the tray of your freezer. After the donuts freeze away, place them in air-tight plastic bags. Then put it in the low-temperature freezer. It increases the donut’s shelf life to 2-3 Months.
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Conclusion
That’s my take on how to reheat donuts using various methods. I have gone through all of the techniques for heating the donuts multiple times to verify the outcomes.
All of them work perfectly, but remember the taste may vary depending on your approach.