The (Official) Best Way to Reheat a Glazed Doughnut, According to Krispy Kreme

Everybody knows there’s a huge difference between a glazed doughnut and a hot glazed doughnut. The first is undoubtedly delicious, but the second has the power to enlighten your tastebuds and eliminate any semblance of self-control. It’s that good.

Unless you time the Krispy Kreme “Hot Light” just right, you probably aren’t getting to those hot and fresh doughnuts before they’ve cooled down to a dull, crackly-glaze state.

So, what do we do? We reheat.

However, just like reheating pizza or even movie theater popcorn, there’s a science to getting it right. There are plenty of opinions online about the best way to revive day-old doughnuts—some prefer the oven, others utilize the space heater—but there is one thing the internet agrees on: if you don’t reheat your doughnuts, you’re doing it wrong.

The Best Way to Reheat a Krispy Kreme Doughnut

From my research, the best appliance to restore that soft, fluffy, fresh-out-of-the-factory taste is, by far, the versatile microwave. It warms the pastry inside out without drying, crisping, or melting the treat. But how long should you microwave? Opinions vary even further. Some sources recommend heating doughnuts on top of a damp paper towel for anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds, while others suggest heating on half power for 15.

In my house growing up, it was eight seconds—period. Eight seconds was the perfect amount of time to warm a lukewarm, crusty glazed doughnut to warm, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. 10 seconds and it would burn your fingers when you pinched it off the plate, and 11 seconds—oof, don’t even get me started.

It may sound overly meticulous, but in reality, there are only a few degrees between mouth-searing hot and not warm enough, so every teensy second counts. After all, this is some critical scientific research we’re digging into.

So, to settle this question once and for all, we reached out to a Krispy Kreme representative to get an official statement from the brand. Now, we have a definitive answer on the best way to reheat a Krispy Kreme Glazed doughnut.

How Long Should You Microwave a Krispy Kreme Doughnut?

“We recommend popping our Original Glazed Doughnuts into the microwave for up to 8 seconds to enjoy the most delicious doughnut experience,” a brand representative stated in an email.

There you have it. For the premiere day-old doughnut experience, microwave your glazed Krispy Kreme for no more than eight seconds. But, keep in mind, this rule applies to standard microwaves that are functioning properly.

As it turns out, it was never really a mystery to those who paid attention to the packaging—the instructions are stated right on the side of the dozens box.

So, now we can officially put the reheating question to rest—that is until someone brings up air frying.