The Absolute Best Ways To Keep Muffins Fresh

Muffins are fluffy and sweet treats that are easy to make but not quite as easy to store or keep fresh. Whether you're testing your skills with a zucchini banana bread combo or attempting a new matcha muffin recipe, you surely won't be eating the entire batch in one sitting. While they are most delicious when are warm and fresh-baked from the oven, there's no reason you should let them go to waste. Muffins are best shared with friends or stored in a way that savors their crumbly and moist texture.

With these three ways to keep your muffins fresh, you can enjoy your homemade muffins for breakfast with your morning coffee, as a quick afternoon snack, or as a late-night dessert for days to come. Having them ready-made and fresh makes them easy for you to grab when you're heading out the door. As long as you let them cool completely before choosing your storage method, your muffins will be there — delicious as ever — any time that hunger strikes. To get it right, Oureverydaylife.com recommends leaving them inside the pan to cool for five minutes and then for another 10-15 minutes on a baking rack before transferring them to your chosen storage method.

Once your muffins have cooled completely, grab a large enough container to fit all of the leftover pieces you'd like to store — just don't just put them straight in. Before they go inside the container, you must line it with a folded paper towel on the bottom. Then, once you've placed your leftover muffins inside and on top of the towel, place another towel over the top of the cupcakes before sealing them closed.

As Kitchn explains, muffins lose moisture as time goes on. The added paper towels help absorb this moisture by acting as a sponge. This means that the paper towels save our muffins from becoming soggy in the container — and if any of you have bit into a squashy muffin, you understand why it should be avoided. With this method, you can place the container of muffins on your countertop, where they will stay fresh for up to four days (via Does It Go Bad).

This storage method will probably be your go-to option if you know that you won't be eating up all of your muffins within four days. However, like the other options, it's important to let your baked products cool completely on a baking rack before putting them in the freezer. Stuffing them in a bag too soon is a recipe for sogginess that will only result in disappointment later.

However, once they've cooled off, you can place your muffins in a resealable bag and toss them inside your freezer. They'll stay fresh in there for up to three months and won't age a day for it (via Quaker). Then, when you're ready to enjoy them, you can either let them thaw at room temperature or, if you're really hungry, you can use the microwave. Once they've reached room temperature, wrap them in foil, and place them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until you achieve a gentle toast.

Generally speaking, refrigerating your muffins is frowned upon. But, the case is different when it comes to savory muffins. Obviously, if you bake yourself a batch of cheesy bacon breakfast cupcakes, it's best to keep them inside the fridge, where they won't spoil or smell up our house. In this case, Does It Go Bad says that your savory muffins stay fresh for up to six days.

But, for our typical sweet muffins, storing them inside of your refrigerator is a big no-no. According to Allrecipes, putting your sweet cupcakes away in the fridge will only dry them out — and the only thing worse than a soggy baked good is a dry one. Our refrigerators run cold for a good reason; however, they'll change the fluffy, moist, and crumbly muffin texture we all adore. So, in the name of blueberry muffins, please keep them far-far away from your refrigerators and on the counter or inside the freezer.