There’s nothing quite like freshly baked donuts. But how do you prolong their shelf life to keep them just as delicious for later? Here’s how to keep donuts fresh every time.
Donuts are one of the most delicious desserts that you can enjoy. They’re also very easy to make! However, donuts have a tendency to go bad quickly and end up being dry and crumbly. But what if there was a way for them to stay fresh? There is! From airtight storage to frying, here’s how to keep donuts fresh every time.
How to store yeast-raised donuts
There are different ways to store donuts, which can be primarily determined by how the donuts are made. Ingredients will steer the ship for you more than many other factors because ingredients go bad at different rates. You can maintain the freshness of yeast-raised donuts even after a few days.
To store a yeast-raised donut, your best bet would be to seal it inside a zip lock bag. You can also put them inside an air-tight container. The main point is not to let any air in. to maintain their fluffy nature. You will need to put them on a counter so that they are at room temperature. If fluffiness isn’t a big deal for you, and all you want is for them to be edible, then you can store the donuts in a fridge.
You can also wrap them in cling wrap, thereby making sure that there isn’t any room for air to find its way to the donuts. The downside with this is that it may be difficult to keep the air out completely. The presence of air will cause the donut to dry out. To keep them at room temperature, place them on a counter or surface, away from direct sunlight. While some may use aluminum foil, it is not as good as plastic in preserving freshness.
When you keep yeast-raised donuts in the fridge, they remain fresh for about 4days. If they are left at room temperature, they will be fresh for up to 2 days.
How to store filled donuts
Storing donuts that are filled can be tricky. So, for instance, chocolate and jam have different shelf lives, which may affect how you store donuts filled with these. The more moisture a donut has, the prone it is to mold. Stuffed donuts are better stored in the fridge, where the temperatures are lower than room temperature.
Storing the donuts in the fridge will help prevent mold from growing. The fridge also helps you keep your donuts for longer than if you would store them at room temperature. At room temperature, you could probably get away with keeping them fresh for about a day. If the donut is filled with dairy products such as whipped cream, you will need to make sure that the donuts are kept cold.
To store the donuts, wrap them in cling wrap tightly, and then place them in the fridge, making sure they are at 40˚ or lower.
How to store cake donuts
To store cake donuts, you will need to follow similar steps with filled donuts and yeast-raised donuts. You want to make sure that you keep as much air out as possible. As such, wrap up the donuts as tightly as you can, then place them in the fridge.
The similarity is significant. However, it differs in that cake donuts tend to last longer. This is also because cake donuts have more moisture that helps keep them from drying out fast.
You can store them at room temperature, and they will be fresh for about six days. Put them in the fridge, and you can get a few more days.
How long do donuts last?
This will depend on how you store them. If left on a plate or in a box, donuts can last for about two days.
That is if they are at room temperature and also when kept out of the sun. However, if they are filled with any type of cream, you have to refrigerate immediately. To store donuts effectively and keep them for at least a week, you will need to make sure there is no chance of air getting to them. When kept well enough, you can keep donuts in the fridge for about six days or a week.
To avoid them becoming soggy in a plastic bag, try to suck out as much air as possible. The other option is to use baking sheets and foil, which will discourage any moisture build-up.
How to freeze donuts
This is a common question, especially if you have several donuts and wonder how to extend their shelf life. The short and long of it is, yes, you can freeze donuts. To do this, you will need to put your donuts in freezer-safe bags or containers, making sure to remove as much air as possible. A vacuum sealer will work well in this case.
Another option would be to wrap the donuts in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. This helps you avoid getting soggy donuts which tend to happen after about two days. Make sure to freeze the donuts at a steady 0˚F. At this temperature, they remain safe and fresh.
When done right, frozen donuts can last for up to 3months. This helps give you a leg up in having them go a long way. It is better to make sure they are unglazed before you freeze them. You can, however, freeze them when you have iced them. The critical thing to remember is that this process is best done when the donuts are fresh and just out of the oven.
Make sure to wrap the donuts up tightly and effectively, making sure that no air could dry them that can find its way to the donuts. This will speed up the process of them going stale. One way of making sure that they are tightly wrapped is to wrap them in a cling wrap and then seal them in a Ziploc bag.
How to reheat donuts
Now that we have dealt with how to freeze donuts, it’s only natural that we look at how to restore them to their former fluffy glory. To reheat donuts, put them in the microwave for about 10 to 20 seconds. It’s better to start with less time and increase as you go along if they are not warm enough. At this point, you need to be careful not to overdo it. this could result in you drying out the donuts.
