Refresh Stale Croissants With This Easy Trick

With its flaky, buttery interior layers and slightly crisp, laminated exterior, there's nothing quite like a well-made croissant fresh out of the oven. These pastries definitely taste best the day they're made — if you wait too long, they start to get a bit stale and lose what makes them so delicious.

However, what if you're left with quite a few leftover croissants that you don't want going to waste? Sure, you could always repurpose them into a different dish like bread pudding, but what about if you still want to enjoy them as-is? Luckily, there's an easy trick that allows you to refresh those stale croissants while adding a little extra flavor at the same time.

All you need is a sharp knife, an oven, and some type of filling that you think would pair well with the croissant. Frangipane (a.k.a almond cream) is an absolute classic, although you could opt for your flavored pastry cream of choice or go with jam or homemade lemon curd for a fruit-forward take — whatever strikes your fancy. Then, simply slice your croissant in half horizontally, slather on the filling, and bake it for a few minutes to get a mouthwatering twice-baked croissant. While you'll want to keep an eye on them to ensure they don't get too browned, roughly 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit should do the trick.

The easy twice-baking tip works extremely well, and can even be a fun way to level up underwhelming store-bought croissants. However, if you're a croissant purist who doesn't love the idea of introducing a filling to your flaky treat, there are a few other options for reviving the pastry when it's gone a bit stale.

Before you reach for the easiest solution and head to your microwave, note that simply heating them up isn't the secret to reviving stale croissants, as microwaved croissants tend to become a bit soggy — that's not what we're going for.

First, consider reaching for your air fryer if you have one, as it's the perfect vessel to heat up a solitary stale croissant. Simply dampen the croissant slightly with water and then toss it in for a mere 3 to 4 minutes at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This quick zap of heat will help crisp up the exterior and bring out the pastry's original flakiness.

For situations where you need to refresh a larger batch, the oven is the ideal reheating method. However, for best results, you'll want to lower the temperature a little bit, as you don't want all those delicate layers to dry out. 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 6 to 7 minutes should leave you with croissants that are warm, flaky, and crisp on the exterior, just the way you like them.