Can You Reheat Muffins In the Microwave? What to Expect

This post contains affiliate links.

Muffins are a delicious breakfast that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. They are also a great snack to have on hand. But what do you do if you have leftover muffins? Can you reheat them in the microwave?

As a general rule, you can easily reheat muffins by placing them on a paper towel and microwaving them for 15-30 seconds. Dampen the paper towel if your muffins seem dry so that they don’t dry out further in the microwave. Be careful not to overcook them or you’ll end up with a rubbery muffin.

Read on as I more thoroughly answer the question, can you reheat muffins in the microwave. I’ll also provide some tips and tricks to help ensure that your reheated muffins taste just as good as they did when they were first baked!

How Do You Reheat Muffins In The Microwave?

To reheat muffins in a microwave, place the muffins on a microwave-safe plate or on a paper towel. Then, microwave the muffins for 15-30 seconds. If the muffins are dry, you can dampen the paper towel with water before microwaving which brings back moisture to the muffins.

This is the quickest way to reheat a muffin. But, as with any food in the microwave, you want to be very careful not to overcook or your muffin will end up rubbery.

When reheating multiple muffins, make sure to space them out on the plate or paper towel so that they heat evenly. If one side of the muffin is overcooked, it will be noticeably dry and tough.

*By the way, I recently wrote an article about The 5 Best Ways To Reheat Your Muffins Correctly. This article talks about the best ways I found to warm up your muffins without them getting dry. You can check out this article here!

Below, I talk about how long to set the microwave for so that your muffins don’t dry out. Plus what to do to reheat dry muffins so that they turn out fresh tasting every time!

How Long To Reheat Muffins In The Microwave?

As a whole, reheating muffins in a microwave depends on many factors such as the wattage of your microwave, how cold the muffins are, and how many muffins you are reheating. In general, reheat the muffins for 15-30 seconds. If the muffin isn’t warm enough, continue warming at 15-second intervals.

During my search for the perfect muffin/cupcake, I came across a Great Nonstick 12-Cup Muffin Pan that will make my muffins/cupcakes the perfect size. Ever since I got it, my muffins came out looking better than ever before! You can find this Muffin Tin on Amazon!

But, it is always best to start on the lower end of that range and then increase the time if needed. I find this very important when reheating anything in the microwave because it is so easy to overcook food in this appliance.

Sometimes, I encounter larger muffins that require additional heating. I continue heating it for 15 seconds at a time until they are the perfect temperature!

Will My Muffins Dry Out While Reheating In The Microwave?

Generally speaking, muffins may dry out a bit while reheating in the microwave. When reheating, dampen a paper towel and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Place the muffin on top of the paper towel and reheat. This will help prevent the muffin from drying out and reintroduce moisture to the muffin.

Also, if you set the wrong time when reheating or if you overcook the muffins, they will definitely dry out. This is why it is so important to be careful when reheating food in the microwave.

To help combat this issue, you can place a damp paper towel over or under the muffins while they are reheating. This will help to keep them moist and prevent them from drying out.

When I bake muffins in the air fryer I have to use these Silicone Muffin Liners which are super easy to clean and use! They make it very easy to remove the muffins out of the muffin pan without getting stuck. Check out the link on Amazon!

How Do You Moisten Stale & Dry Muffins In The Microwave?

As a general rule, it is easy to moisten stale and dry muffins in the microwave. The important key is to wrap the muffins in a damp paper towel and then place them on a plate and into the microwave for 15-30 seconds. This will help to rehydrate the muffins and make them moist again.

If your muffins are very dry, you can also try spritzing them with water before reheating. Just be sure not to use too much water or your muffins will become soggy.

I wet my hands very slightly and “flick” water at the muffins. When microwaving, the muffins will soften and moisten instead of drying out.

Also, ensure you don’t dampen the paper towel too much as this can make the reheated muffins wet and mushy.

Run your paper towel under running water for one second. Squeeze out any excess water and make sure it is fully unraveled, not clumped into a ball. Place it directly on your muffin or underneath it.

How to Reheat Muffins without a Microwave?

As a whole, there are many ways to heat muffins without a microwave. One of the best ways is using a toaster oven to reheat your muffins if you don’t have a microwave. You can also use an air fryer, but this will take longer than the other methods. If you don’t have either, a stovetop can be used.

Here’s how I reheat my muffins without using the microwave:

Air Fryer

To reheat muffins with an air fryer, preheat the appliance to 300F. Then, place the muffins on the racks and let them heat for about 2-3 minutes or until they are warmed through. Heat in intervals of 2 minutes if they are not warmed all the way through.

*Side Note: Reheating your muffins the right way is no simple task. If you’re looking to know if you can Reheat Your Muffins In An Air Fryer, I recently wrote an article that talks about What To Expect When Reheating Muffins in An Air Fryer. You can check out this article here!

Toaster Oven

This is my preferred method for reheating muffins without a microwave. Preheat your toaster oven to 350°F and then place the muffins on the racks. Let them heat for about three minutes or until they are warmed through. Again, use parchment paper to avoid sticking.

*Side Note: You might catch yourself in a situation where you don’t have access to anything else besides a Toaster Over to reheat your muffins. For that reason, I recently wrote an article that fully breaks down the steps to properly Reheat Your Muffins In A Toaster Oven to Make Them Fresh Again and to know what to expect. You can check out this article here!

Using the Oven

The optimal tool for reheating muffins is an oven. However, this step takes the longest and requires you to preheat a large oven.

Preheat the oven to about 350°F. Cover the muffins with aluminum foil separately and place them on the racks. Then, let them heat for about 7-10 minutes or until they are warmed through. The aluminum foil protects the muffin from getting burnt and ensures an even distribution of heat.

*By the way, I recently wrote an article about How To Properly Reheat Muffins In An Oven. This article talks about what you need to do in order to make sure that your muffins are reheated properly to make them taste like they’re freshly baked! You can check out this article here!

A Stove Top

You will need a pan with a lid for this method. Place the muffins in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and heat it over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes. You want to keep an eye on the muffins so they don’t burn on the bottom.

Can I Add Frosting to Reheated Muffins?

Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with adding frosting to reheated muffins. Frosting adds to the experience of eating muffins as it makes the muffins moister and more delicious. Just remember, this won’t be like a cupcake because the warm muffin will melt the frosting and seep into it.

If you are going to add frosting, I would recommend doing so after the muffins have been reheated. This way, the frosting will be melty and gooey.

As the frosting melts, it adds a whole other level of flavor to your muffin. Some of it seeps into the muffin which adds moisture.

If you’re not a fan of gooey frosting, I would recommend skipping the reheating step and just add it directly to a cool muffin.

How Do You Revive Cold, Dry, and Stale Muffins?

As a general rule, the best way to revive cold, dry, and stale muffins is to reheat them with additional moisture. This can be done in the microwave, oven, toaster oven, or stovetop. However, the ideal way is to wrap a dry muffin with a damp paper towel and microwave to soften the muffin.

The key to reviving dry, stale muffins is by introducing an external source of moisture. Even though I prefer reheating my muffins in either an air fryer or toaster oven, microwaves and stovetops may be better for dry muffins.

To revive stale muffins in a microwave, dampen a paper towel and place it on top of the muffin or underneath it. Microwave in 15-second intervals until warmed through.

For stovetops, the only difference between a general reheating and actually reviving stale muffins is the addition of water. Place your pan over medium heat and put a muffin on it. Place 1 tablespoon of water into the pan. Close the lid and allow about 5-7 minutes of heating or until warmed through.

As the water heats up, it will create a steam environment and force moisture into the muffin without getting it too soggy.

Final Thoughts

Muffins are such versatile treats that can be eaten for every meal and at any time. The best part is when you reheat it so you can enjoy a deliciously warm, moist muffin.

No matter what appliance you have, there’s always a way to ensure you get to eat a delicious and reheated muffin!