I just baked up a batch of delicious homemade muffins. And while my kitchen smells great, what in the world should I do with the leftovers? How long can I keep them on the wire rack before they dry out? Can I store them in the fridge? Should I freeze them? In this post I will cover all the details of how to store muffins and quick breads for maximum freshness!
How do you store fresh muffins and quick breads?
If you leave your muffins exposed to air for more than 12 to 24 hours, depending on the humidity level at your home, the moisture will start to leak from them and they will dry out. What do you do?
If you intend on eating your muffins in the next 24 hours
You can keep them on the wire rack overnight if you know for sure that you and your company will be able to finish them within 24 hours. They will not dry out that fast and all you have to do is cover them up with a paper towel, or a fresh and clean kitchen towel. Easy!
If you are planning on eating them in the next 3 to 4 days…
Well, if you know that you will definitely eat them in the next 3 to 4 days, then store your homemade muffins in an airtight container or a zip-lock bag. But make sure to line the container or a zip-lock bag with a paper towel and store them in a single layer. Then place another layer of paper towel on top of the muffins as well.
Why use paper towels
To prevent sogginess! No one likes soggy muffins! So what happens? When excess moisture can’t be absorbed, muffins and quick breads become soggy fast. This is where the paper towel comes in. It absorbs the excess moisture, leaving your baked goods fresher longer.
Muffins moisture always migrates to the surface. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent this with homemade muffins, but we can delay the problem by using those paper towels.
Can I refrigerate my homemade muffins?
Unfortunately, refrigeration temperatures may alter the texture of the muffin. That’s why storing at room temperature is better than refrigeration when it comes to muffin quality and integrity!
What about freezing?
Muffins are the perfect candidates for freezing! For up to 3 months. Because you sort of lock in the moisture and flavor by freezing them. And when you need a muffin, and can easily grab one as needed. The easiest method is once again to use zip-lock bags and place muffins in a single layer inside the bag. It’s important to get as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it for good!
I also like to write on the bag what the date I put my muffins in there. That way, you will never forget to eat them within the recommended time frame of 3 months.
How to defrost frozen muffins
There are two methods to defrost your muffins or quick breads.
- Simply place them at room temperature to defrost for an hour.
- You an also place them unwrapped on some paper towel in the microwave and reheat for about 30 seconds.
Recipe featured in this article
You might also like these homemade quick breads:
Homemade Buttermilk Quick Bread
Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese
Standard Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar or granulated
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk any kind, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat butter and brown sugar for about 2 minutes. Now whisk in the eggs together until the yolks and whites are blended. Then add sour cream and vanilla.
- Add the liquid mixture from to the dry ingredients mixture in step 2. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Add the milk and continue to beat on low until combined.
- Use a large spoon or an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup completely full.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425 then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Nutrition
I love muffins!
Such a useful article! I am a frequent guest on culinary blogs and I often wonder how I should store this or that dessert if the recipe is new to me. Usually the authors do not pay attention to this, so thank you! The recipe is very detailed and understandable, I will try to cook muffins according to this one at the weekend. I like that there are spices in the recipe, I love pastries with spices.
Thank you Ann! So happy you found it useful. I think proper fiod storage is as important as cooking itself!