Introduction
Few things are more disappointing than biting into a biscuit that was once warm, flaky, and buttery, only to find it cold, dense, and chewy after reheating. If you have ever microwaved a biscuit and ended up with something that tastes like rubber, you are not alone. The good news? Your air fryer is the single best tool in your kitchen for bringing leftover biscuits back to life. But the question everyone asks is: how long to reheat biscuits in air fryer without drying them out or burning the tops?
The answer depends on a few factors: the size of your biscuits, whether they are homemade or store-bought, whether they are frozen or refrigerated, and how crispy or soft you want the outside to be. In this complete guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to reheat biscuits in an air fryer so they come out tender on the inside and perfectly golden on the outside, every single time.
Table of Contents
- Why the Air Fryer Is the Best Way to Reheat Biscuits
- How Long to Reheat Biscuits in Air Fryer: The Basic Rule
- How to Reheat Biscuits in Air Fryer for Soft and Fluffy Results
- How Long to Reheat Frozen Biscuits in Air Fryer
- Reheating Canned or Store-Bought Biscuits
- Reheating Homemade Biscuits Without Drying Them Out
- Reheating Buttermilk, Garlic, and Other Flavored Biscuits
- Temperature and Time Guide for Different Biscuit Types
- Comparison Table: Air Fryer vs Other Reheating Methods
- Step-by-Step: Reheating Biscuits in Air Fryer
- Pro Tips for Perfectly Reheated Biscuits
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- How to Store Biscuits Before Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Why the Air Fryer Is the Best Way to Reheat Biscuits
Before we dive into the specific times and temperatures, let us talk about why the air fryer works so well for reheating biscuits. The air fryer uses rapid circulating hot air to gently warm food from the outside in, mimicking the effect of a full oven but at a much faster pace. This is critical for biscuits because they have a unique structure: a crispy, flaky crust on the outside and a soft, layered interior.
When you microwave a biscuit, the moisture inside the dough turns to steam quickly and unevenly, leaving the outside gummy and the inside tough. When you use a conventional oven, it works fine, but it takes longer to preheat and uses more energy. The air fryer strikes the perfect balance: hot enough to revive the crust, fast enough to prevent the inside from drying out, and efficient enough to reheat a single biscuit without heating up the whole kitchen.
Another benefit is the texture control. If you want a biscuit that is warm and pillowy, you set the air fryer to a lower temperature for a shorter time. If you want a biscuit with a slightly crisper crust, you bump up the temperature by a few degrees. That kind of control is hard to get with a microwave.
How Long to Reheat Biscuits in Air Fryer: The Basic Rule
If you are looking for a quick answer, here it is: most biscuits reheat beautifully in an air fryer at 325°F to 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes. That is the sweet spot for most standard-sized biscuits that have been stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
However, the exact time depends on the type of biscuit:
- Room-temperature leftover biscuits: 3 to 4 minutes at 325°F
- Refrigerated biscuits: 4 to 5 minutes at 325°F
- Frozen biscuits (unbaked): 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F
- Frozen baked biscuits: 6 to 8 minutes at 325°F
- Large or thick biscuits: 5 to 7 minutes at 325°F
- Mini biscuits or sliders: 2 to 3 minutes at 325°F
These are starting points. The exact time will vary based on the wattage of your air fryer, the size of your biscuits, and how warm you want them. Always check at the lower end of the time range first.
How to Reheat Biscuits in Air Fryer for Soft and Fluffy Results
Soft, fluffy, warm-from-the-oven biscuits are the goal, and the air fryer can absolutely deliver that. Here is how to do it the right way.
What You Will Need
- Your leftover biscuits (at room temperature or refrigerated)
- An air fryer (basket or oven style)
- A light coating of butter or oil (optional but recommended)
- Parchment paper or a small piece of aluminum foil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 325°F for about 2 minutes. Preheating is not strictly required, but it does help biscuits heat more evenly.
- Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter. This step is optional, but it adds moisture and flavor while helping the tops turn a beautiful golden brown.
- Place the biscuits in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure they are not touching or overlapping, as you want the hot air to circulate around each one.
- Heat for 3 to 4 minutes, checking at the 3-minute mark.
- If the biscuits are not warm enough, continue heating in 30-second increments until they reach your desired temperature.
- Remove carefully and serve immediately with butter, jam, honey, or gravy.
The key here is the low temperature. By reheating at 325°F instead of a higher temperature, you give the inside of the biscuit time to warm through without overcooking the outside. This is the secret to keeping them soft.
How Long to Reheat Frozen Biscuits in Air Fryer
Frozen biscuits are a little different. There are two scenarios: you have frozen baked biscuits (already cooked and then frozen), or you have frozen unbaked biscuits (raw dough that was frozen, like the Pillsbury canned style once baked).
Reheating Already Baked Frozen Biscuits
- Preheat the air fryer to 325°F.
- Place the frozen biscuits directly in the basket. Do not thaw them first; the air fryer does a great job handling them straight from the freezer.
- Heat for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Check the centers. If they feel cold, add another minute.
Cooking Frozen Unbaked Biscuits in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Place the frozen unbaked biscuits in the basket, leaving at least an inch of space between each one so they can rise properly.
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark.
- They should be golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.
One word of caution: if you are cooking unbaked biscuits from scratch, do not let them thaw on the counter first. Thawing can cause them to deflate and lose their flaky layers. Straight from the freezer to the air fryer is the way to go.
Reheating Canned or Store-Bought Biscuits
Canned biscuits like Pillsbury Grands, Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Biscuits, or any grocery store brand are some of the most commonly reheated biscuits. They tend to be denser and more uniform than homemade biscuits, which means they hold up well in the air fryer.
To reheat store-bought biscuits:
- Preheat your air fryer to 330°F.
- Place the biscuits in a single layer with space between them.
- Heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
- For extra-crispy tops, brush with butter before reheating.
- Serve warm.
If the biscuits are extra-large (like the Pillsbury Grands Big Biscuits), add an extra minute or two. If they are mini biscuits, reduce the time to about 2 to 3 minutes.
Reheating Homemade Biscuits Without Drying Them Out
Homemade biscuits are a little more delicate than store-bought ones, especially if they have been sitting in the fridge for a day or two. The flour has had time to absorb moisture, and the crust can become tough. Here is how to bring them back to life.
The Steam Trick
This is the single best tip for reheating homemade biscuits. Before placing the biscuits in the air fryer, place a small piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the basket and lightly mist it with water. You are not trying to soak the biscuits; you are just adding a bit of humidity to the cooking environment. This little bit of steam prevents the biscuits from drying out and helps revive their soft texture.
The Wrap Method
If your biscuits are very dry, you can also wrap each one loosely in a piece of aluminum foil before placing it in the air fryer. The foil traps a small amount of steam around the biscuit and prevents the direct hot air from over-drying the crust. Heat at 325°F for 4 to 5 minutes.
The Butter Brush
Brushing the tops with melted butter is especially important for homemade biscuits. The butter adds moisture back into the crust and gives them that just-baked flavor. Combine this with the steam trick for the best results.
Reheating Buttermilk, Garlic, and Other Flavored Biscuits
Flavored biscuits like garlic butter biscuits, cheddar biscuits (like Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits), or honey butter biscuits reheat beautifully in the air fryer. In fact, the air fryer often makes them taste even better than they did the first time because the high heat crisps up the cheese and amplifies the garlic flavor.
Cheddar Bay-Style Biscuits
- Preheat to 330°F.
- Brush the tops with melted garlic butter.
- Heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Serve immediately with extra garlic butter for dipping.
Honey Butter Biscuits
- Preheat to 320°F (a slightly lower temperature to prevent the honey from burning).
- Lightly brush with butter.
- Heat for 3 minutes.
- Drizzle with extra honey before serving.
Sweet Biscuits (Like Shortcake or Scones)
- Preheat to 315°F.
- Heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Top with fresh berries and whipped cream for a warm shortcake.
The lower the sugar content, the more heat you can use. Sugary toppings burn easily, so keep the temperature low for sweet biscuits.
Temperature and Time Guide for Different Biscuit Types
Here is a quick reference for all the different biscuit scenarios you might encounter.
| Biscuit Type | Temperature | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room-temperature leftover | 325°F | 3–4 minutes | Brush with butter for best results |
| Refrigerated biscuit | 325°F | 4–5 minutes | Let it sit at room temp for 5 min first |
| Frozen baked biscuit | 325°F | 6–8 minutes | No need to thaw first |
| Frozen unbaked biscuit | 350°F | 10–12 minutes | Do not thaw before cooking |
| Canned biscuit (Pillsbury) | 330°F | 4–5 minutes | Watch for puffing |
| Large/thick biscuit | 325°F | 5–7 minutes | Flip halfway through |
| Mini biscuit/slider | 325°F | 2–3 minutes | Check at 2 minutes |
| Cheddar/cheese biscuit | 330°F | 3–4 minutes | Add extra cheese on top if desired |
| Garlic butter biscuit | 330°F | 3–4 minutes | Brush with garlic butter before serving |
| Sweet biscuit/scone | 315°F | 2–3 minutes | Lower temp to prevent burning sugar |
Save this table or bookmark this page so you can refer back to it any time you need a quick reminder of how long to reheat biscuits in an air fryer.
Comparison Table: Air Fryer vs Other Reheating Methods
You might be wondering if the air fryer is really worth it when you have other options like the microwave, oven, or toaster. Here is a side-by-side comparison.
| Method | Time | Texture Result | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Fryer | 3–8 minutes | Crispy outside, soft inside | Single biscuits or small batches |
| Microwave | 20–30 seconds | Soft but gummy, often rubbery | Quick reheating when texture doesn’t matter |
| Conventional Oven | 8–12 minutes (plus preheat) | Crispy outside, soft inside | Large batches of biscuits |
| Toaster Oven | 5–8 minutes | Decent crisp, slightly uneven | Small to medium batches |
| Skillet | 3–5 minutes | Toasted outside, soft inside | Split biscuits or biscuit sandwiches |
| Steamer | 5–7 minutes | Very soft but no crisp | When you only want warmth, not crispness |
As you can see, the air fryer is the clear winner for most situations. It is fast,
