How Long Does Dough Last in the Fridge?

When it comes to baking bread, the best way to do it is sometimes by making sure you have dough ready to go in the fridge. That can be a real time-saver, especially if you make a dough that needs a first rise or second rise. Each dough rise increases the time between “let’s play & knead dough” & “let’s eat!” 

But how long can you dough stay in the fridge before it goes bad? Well, here’s what you need to know about storing dough in the fridge. Plus, tips to make sure your dough stays fresh and ready to bake whenever you need it.

Different Types of Dough & Shelf Life

Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container your dough shouldn’t dry out or absorb odors from other foods in the fridge. But it would also be really ugh to find out your delicious cookie dough is no longer with you.

As always, remember to label your container with at least the date you prepped the dough, if homemade. Use the printed package date if you remove a store-bought wrapper. This will help you keep track of its freshness. And although you don’t have an expiry date or best-by date, generally try to use it within the next few days. Or else put it into a freezer-safe bag & freeze it.

Here’s a breakdown of the typical shelf life of different types of dough when refrigerated:

1. Yeast Dough:
   • Bread Dough: Up to 2-4 days. Beyond this point, you may see less yeast activity as it starts to lose its leavening power. This usually means you’re gonna have less rise when you go to bake. Flat rolls anyone? Nahh, I’ll pass ahahaha Bread doughs can be sensitive, but could you just add another small amount of yeast? Maybe, I’m not sure how much yeast you’d need to add to rebound the dough, but that’s an experiment I’ll have to try! Yeasted breads can also go through a cold fermentation process. It’s a slower rate than if it were on the counter or in a warm spot, but still could happen. So then you’ll introduce a tang to your bread products you might not have wanted.
   • Pizza Dough: 3-5 days. You love making your own pizza every week but rather than use a standard pizza dough you make a favorite (or use store-bought pizza dough!) The thing is, can you make (or buy) it once a month? If you’re next pizza night isn’t tuh-night you might want to check if it’s worth it to batch your pizza dough recipe & refrigerate it for later. Keeping to this general timeframe will help you achieve optimal rise & flavor so that any leftover pizza dough from the weekend tastes just like if it was made using ultra fresh pizza dough next week.
2. Quick Bread Dough:
   • Biscuit Dough: 1-2 days. This type of bread is made quickly & will lose it’s power quickly if stored overly long. The baking powder or soda can start to lose its effectiveness & once again you end up with some flat bread instead of the bread recipe you were going for.
   • Scone Dough: 1-2 days. Similarly to the bread dough above, scone dough made with baking powder won’t last very long in the fridge.
3. Pastry Dough:
   • Pie Crust Dough: 2-4 days. Pastry dough, like pie crust dough, can become too dry & develop off flavors. No one wants a savory pie crust (unless that’s what you intended to make!) Most pie crusts are beloved for that “flaky, slightly sweet, oooooo girl where’d you get this from?” type crust.
   • Puff Pastry Dough: 1-3 days. Outside of this time frame, it can lose that flakiness we all love so much. And it’s just a sad, sad shame if your baklava is more of a biscuit texture than a light & airy, flaky croissant-style texture hello.
4. Cookie Dough:
   • Cookie dough: 1-3 days, but I’ve left mine in there longer. It can lose its freshness & texture – becoming dry & crumbly. But they still bake up ok – more or less ahahahah I can be indifferent about this one because I prefer my cookie dough raw (I know, I know) & enjoying it that way hasn’t mattered whether it was fresh or stored. Eats the same to me!

How can you tell if old dough has gone bad?

So what if you don’t label it, or it loses the store sticker with the expiration date? You won’t know how long pizza dough or any other dough has really without that (or an incredibly talented memory).

If any dough has gone bad it might start to have a sour smell or off odor. Some other different ways you can tell are if you see mold growth on the surface of the dough.

That’s probably the easiest way to tell because that’s a pretty clear sign your pizza crust or leftover dough is no longer safe to use.

And if you eat it anyway you could risk food poisoning from eating harmful bacteria. 

You’ll also be able to tell if the dough feels excessively sticky. Or just has an unusual texture. This means it may have started to break down. If you’ve lost a label or recommended use by date, try to stay in the sweet spot, 3-5 days usually. 

Can you freeze fresh dough for longer storage?

 Say whhhhaattttt? Yes, girl.

You can freeze dough to extend its shelf life. This is part of batch meal prepping & I love it. Because fragile foods like this piece of dough you have, the mass-produced cookie dough you made last night & some other things (like dairy products to go with all those cookies!) have a limited shelf life. So one great way to save them is to freeze them up! And lots of basic ingredients store well this way too, btw.

Pretty much what you see in the frozen aisle in grocery stores is fair game for freezing at home. And haven’t you see frozen neapolitan pizza dough, french bread & all other sorts of food products in there? Right, so you can freeze them too! Which is a good thing so you can continue making the switch from store-bought to homemade.

Simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (remove as many air bubbles as possible) & place it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. That’s gonna be the death of your food lemme tell you. So don’t skip the double securing. You can use parchment paper on the inside or butcher paper on the outside & tape that.

However you choose, store it inside a freezer-safe storage container. It’s the second layer that’s a huge help to preventing deterioration. 

For the absolute best results (& longest storage life), use freezer bags or vacuum-sealed bags. They can really minimize air exposure and maintain freshness. The last thing anyone wants is to spend money & time on storing food away to then find out it wasn’t good enough.

The beauty of this is that the lower temperature of the freezer means frozen dough can typically last for like several months!

What are the best practices for storing dough balls in the fridge?

1. If you plan to use your dough the next day or two, store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap & stick it in your fridge. Doesn’t matter for how long, this will always be the first step. It prevents dough from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods in the fridge. That could be pretty yucky.
2. Don’t forget to label it!
3. Then keep the dough in the coldest part of the fridge, typically toward the back or on the bottom shelf. 

The cold temperature will slow dough the proofing process meaning your bread won’t rise as fast. Lots of chemical reactions still take place even in the refrigerator, but some fare better in the cold. For instance, yeast won’t grow as much in the fridge which is good if you don’t want that sour/tangy flavor in your dough products. Unless you’re going for bulk fermentation, this is good. And in the cold, wheat gluten has a chance to relax & soften up leading to fluffier products. 

Can you refresh refrigerated dough that‘s been stored too long?

In the event you’ve left your artisan bread dough in the fridge a little too long, you can try refreshing it. Try reviving it like someone called EMS before you dispose of it!

Just let the refrigerated dough come to room temperature, giving it time to rise again.

Punch down the dough gently to remove any excess gas, then shape it into balls or loaves, whatever you need. Allow that to rise a second time & bake per your recipe.

 Optionally, I’ve added a small amount of warm water & olive oil to my dough before. That’s helped revitalize that puppy and improve its texture!

Now girl. If you’ve left a whole pack of cookie dough exposed in your fridge & it’s hardened up on you (dried out), you can refresh that too. It really doesn’t matter how much cookie dough you’ve left out just follow this technique.

1. Check the dough for the texture and consistency. If it’s just slightly dried out on the surface, you’re good. It’s workable. If it’s more than that….mmmm..RIP – nahhh try it anyway hello ahahah
2. Add moisture for a snap back effect. Just knead in a small amount of liquid, like a teaspoon or two of some cold water or milk. Keep working in small bits until the dough becomes more pliable.
3. Give it a rest for like 15-30 minutes. This allows the liquid to distribute evenly throughout the dough and soften up any dry, crusty areas.

If you over-hydrate, you should refrigerate the dough so it can firm a lil before baking. You’ll know you added too much moisture if your dough is too soft or sticky. Opt for a rest before adding any thickener like flour because this can throw your whole cookie ratio off & result in undesirable cookies.

Finally, remember to adjust the baking time. Refreshed dough might bake up just a leeeeetle bit differently than fresh dough. So keep an eye on the cookies on that baking tray & girl, snatch ’em out when they’re golden brown around the edge. Right before the chocolate chips really start to melt. Always remember they’ll keep cooking for a second or two on the tray too so transfer immediately!

Are there any types of dough that don’t fare well in the fridge & should be used immediately?

It’s important to note that while most doughs can stand a lil short-term storage in the fridge, there’s some that won’t do so well.

Dough with a high dairy content (like homemade cookie dough) might not do as well and should be used immediately or frozen for longer storage.

Similarly, dough with a high fat content, like puff pastry dough, could become too soft or lose its flakiness if stored in the fridge for too long.

So the next time you think about making either of those, think of a creative way to juggle storage with baking for the best finished product.

How does the type of flour used in the dough affect its shelf life in the fridge?

Alright so here it is. Cold-storage shelf life has a few factors: protein content, yeast & storage container type. 

• Storage time depends on the right balance between yeast activity & fermentation. The amount of yeast in the dough dictates how quickly the dough will ferment. The more yeast, the quicker the fermentation process & the shorter a dough’s shelf life. And on the opposite side of that, dough with less yeast will ferment more slowly. So you’ll get it to last longer in the fridge. 
• Bread flour, which has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, tends to produce a dough that’s more resilient. So, it has a better shelf life in the fridge.
• Lastly, the temp of the fridge & the airtightness of your chosen storage container will impact how long dough can be kept in the refrigerator. So keep that in mind so your dough is always ready when you are.

Can you prep dough in advance & refrigerate it before baking?

Yes! The best part of preparing dough in advance is the ability to store it in the fridge. If you’re an up & coming home baker or have dreams of running a little cottage food business, you should check this out. Doing just this will get you a head start on your baking projects so you can save time on game day. Just be sure your dough comes to room temperature and rises before baking for best results.

With proper storage & these tips, you can have your homemade dough (or store-bought) lasting in the fridge for several days. So girl break out that rolling pin & some King Arthur baking flour & get to it! Make a 5-star rating pizza pie or something & enjoy! 

You’ve got this, lovely.

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