How To Refrigerate Baked Goods

Refrigerating baked goods helps them to stay fresh and edible for longer. It ensures you always have a sweet or savory treat on hand for snacks. To help you refrigerate your baked goods the right way we have put together this comprehensive guide.

We are going to cover all the major different types of baked goods including cakes, bread, pastries, cookies, and pies.

How to refrigerate cakes

Place your leftover cake on a plate and cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can then place it in the refrigerator. If your cake has frosting make sure it has set and cooled down to room temperature before placing it in the fridge. Make sure you cover it loosely so the frosting doesn’t get stuck to the wrap or foil. 

How to refrigerate cookies

Cookies are best stored in an airtight container. When you take them out of the fridge to serve, let them come to room temperature first – especially if they are crispy cookies.

How to refrigerate bread

For store-bought bread in a bag, make sure the bag is airtight when placed in the fridge. If you have a homemade or large loaf, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or foil. This will help to ensure it lasts longer. If you don’t think you’ll eat the bread within 7 days you can freeze some or all of the bread.

How to refrigerate muffins

Muffins should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. If you don’t have an airtight container you can keep them in a resealable plastic bag or wrap each muffin separately with plastic wrap. Muffins last between 3 and 5 days in the fridge before they start to dry out and spoil.

How to refrigerate pastries 

Store bought and homemade pastries should be stored in an airtight container. If you don’t have a suitable container you can wrap them in plastic or foil. When you serve them, bring them to room temperature first.

How to refrigerate pies 

Pies can be placed on a plate and then covered with plastic wrap or foil. If your pie has a filling made with dairy it should be eaten within a couple of days. Pies without dairy in them can last up to 5 days before they start to spoil.

Tips for storing baked goods in the refrigerator

To help you safely store your baked goods in the fridge, we have put together some important tips you should follow.

• Let your baked goods cool down. Before putting baked goods in the refrigerator you need to let them completely cool down first. This will stop any condensation from forming in the container or under the plastic wrap which can make the baked goods go soggy.
• Cover your baked goods. Make sure you store your baked goods in an airtight container or cover them with plastic wrap or foil. This will stop them from drying out.
• Keep different baked goods separate. Always store different types of baked goods separately to avoid cross-contamination of flavors. For example, don’t store cheesecake in the same container as cake.
• Don’t store baked goods for too long. Baked goods like cheesecakes with cream fillings can only be kept in the fridge for a couple of days while other types like bread can last nearly a week. Make sure you check our guide in the next section for how long to keep different types of baked goods.
• Label your baked goods. When you put baked goods into the fridge make sure you label and date them so you can keep track of when you need to eat them.
• Don’t store too much. If you don’t think you will be able to eat all of the baked goods in the time before they start to spoil, consider freezing some of them. Freezing baked goods can extend their life span to months.
• Serve at room temperature. When you keep baked goods in the fridge they are prone to dry out – even if kept in an airtight container or bag. When serving baked goods out of the fridge, bring them to room temperature before eating/ serving. This will help bring their texture and flavor back to life.
• Don’t let them dry out. Keep in mind that while refrigerating baked goods will extend their shelf life it can make them dry out quicker. To stop this from happening, place a piece of apple or bread in the container or bag with your baked goods. This will help them retain moisture.

How long can I store baked goods?

Different types of baked goods have different recommended storage times when stored in the refrigerator. To help you safely store your baked goods we have put together a list of different baked goods and how long you should keep them.

• Bread. Bread can be refrigerated for up to 7 days. To help keep it fresh make sure you store bread in an airtight container or plastic bag.
• Pies. Pies that contain fillings made with dairy products like cream should only be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Other pies can be stored for up to 5 days safely.
• Cake. Most cakes can be refrigerated safely for four to five days. Make sure you keep the cake in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap or foil to stop them from drying out.
• Cookies. Cookies can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks when kept in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap or foil.
• Pastries. Pastries can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days when kept in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap or foil.

Muffins. Muffins can be kept in the fridge for up to four to five days. Make sure you store them in an airtight container or plastic bag.