Cornbread, whether you’ve made a loaf of it, a cake, or turned it into cornbread muffins, is a delight to have.
With its soft texture and just the right amount of sweetness and flavor, it can either be eaten on its own or as a side with stews, soups, or with butter and jam.
However, when you’re baking cornbread, you have probably ended up making more than you can eat within a day or two—leaving you to worry on how to reheat cornbread and restore its original glory even after it’s no longer fresh.
Cornbread always tastes the best when it’s freshly baked. It has a special aroma and appeal that makes it the most enjoyable when it’s just been taken out of the oven. But don’t worry, warming up cornbread with the right methods can solve your dilemma.
It’s quite possible to reheat cornbread to taste and look the same as it originally did if you use the following methods to heat it.
Reheating cornbread
If you’re trying to reheat frozen cornbread, you’ll have to wait for it to thaw first, or else it will absorb the moisture and become soggy.
How to reheat cornbread in the microwave
A quick and easy way to reheat almost anything is by reheating it in the microwave.
To reheat cornbread in the microwave, you’ll have to place it in a microwave-safe container and then cover the container with the lid, a paper towel, a microwave-safe glass plate, or plastic wrap (that can be used in the microwave). Make sure the plastic doesn’t touch the bread.
- Next, you’ll have to switch your microwave to the reheat setting and place the bread inside for around 30 seconds for the best results.
- If you notice that the bread isn’t warm enough, you can keep it in the microwave for about a minute or two more, but keep checking on it every 30 seconds. Even a slightly longer time in the microwave could burn, overheat, and dry out your cornbread, so be careful.
- Some people also wrap their cornbread with a slightly moist paper towel before placing it in the dish. This ensures that your cornbread doesn’t dry out, lose its shape, or become hard and difficult to chew once you’ve heated it in the microwave.
- Once you’ve taken it out, you can add syrup or butter to it for the best results.
How to reheat cornbread in the oven
The oven is the preferable way to reheat cornbread.
- First, you’ll have to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This is typically the temperature you bake bread at, so it’s best to help the cornbread retain its original texture.
- Wrap the cornbread in aluminum foil after placing it in an oven-safe dish. You can also place it on a cookie sheet or tray. The foil is vital for preventing the cornbread from drying out or losing its color.
- Next, you should leave the bread in the oven for around 15 minutes at most. It will help if you keep checking it to make sure it isn’t burning or drying out.
- It would be best if you keep rotating the tray around in the oven so that your cornbread receives an equal amount of heat from all sides. This also ensures that the center of the bread gets enough heat and isn’t left unheated, which can happen in the case of heating it with the microwave.
- Finally, when the bread looks and feels adequately heated up to you, take it out of the oven and smear butter on the golden surface to freshen it up and enhance its flavor.
How to reheat cornbread in the air fryer
Another easy way to reheat cornbread is in an air fryer. It won’t take you much time and has exceptional results, which makes it a convenient option.
- All you have to do is preheat the air fryer for around five to seven minutes before placing the cornbread inside.
- Next, place the cornbread in a silicone, non-stick mold and then put it in the air fryer.
- Next, you should leave the bread in the oven for around 15 minutes at most. It will help if you keep checking it to make sure it isn’t burning or drying out.
- One thing to keep in mind is that air fryers don’t work well for cornbread that’s been drizzled with any liquid topping. For example, if you’ve poured syrup or on your cornbread and then stored it in the fridge or freezer, the air fryer will likely burn the liquid and ruin your cornbread.
How to reheat cornbread on the stove
Another way to deal with dried cornbread is to fry it in a pan on the stove. Of course, this will result in a different flavor than the original, but it’s a great way to reheat it without drying it out.
- Just smother butter on the bottom of the pan or skillet and fry the bread until it’s heated and looks slightly more golden than before.
- Be sure not to burn it or over fry it, which could result in a compromised taste. It would be best if you also flipped it over in the pan to make sure all sides get the right amount of heat.
- With a stove, the bread might fall apart and not look the same as it initially did. But if you’re careful not to burn it, it should still taste just as great.
How to reheat cornbread without drying it
As I’ve mentioned, the best way to reheat cornbread without risking it getting dried out is to place a moist paper towel around it before heating it.
You can also minimize some of the dryness by covering the cornbread in syrup or butter.
The bottom line
Hopefully, you’ve gotten at least a few ideas on how to reheat cornbread and bring it back to life after it has gone cold. Remember to add some butter after using any of the heating methods to enhance the taste and handle any of the dryness that comes with reheating bread.
How to reheat cornbread
If you're looking for a quick method for reheating dried cornbread, then consider heating them on the stove.
Ingredients
- Pan or skillet
- Stove
- Cornbread
Instructions
- Just smother butter on the bottom of the pan or skillet and fry the bread until it’s heated and looks slightly more golden than before.
- Make sure not to burn it or over fry it, which could result in a compromised taste.
- With a stove, the bread might fall apart and not look the same as it initially did.