How Long Do Croissants Last?
Croissants last 1–2 days at room temperature, up to 1 week in the fridge and about 2 months in the freezer. Croissants filled with ham, cheese, egg or pastry cream must be refrigerated and eaten within 3–4 days.
Croissants — fresh
shelf life- Fresh, savory or cream filled: 3–4 days in the fridge
- Raw dough, store-bought: 1–2 weeks in the fridge
Fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below · freezer at 0°F (−18°C). Freezer times are for best quality; frozen food stays safe longer.
Croissants are crescent-shaped pastries made from yeast dough folded repeatedly around butter to create dozens of thin, flaky layers. That shattering crust depends on being dry, and it begins soaking up moisture from the air and the soft interior within hours of baking, so croissants lose their texture much sooner than they become unsafe.
How to store croissants
- Keep same-day croissants in a paper bag on the counter; plastic traps moisture and turns the crust leathery overnight.
- For a second day, move them to an airtight container or wrap them in foil, then re-crisp before eating.
- Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes, or 7–10 minutes from frozen. The microwave makes croissants soft and chewy.
- Freeze croissants the day you buy them, wrapped individually in plastic wrap inside a freezer bag, rather than waiting until they are already stale.
How to tell if croissants have gone bad
- Mold spots, usually on the underside or around an almond or chocolate filling.
- A sour or cheesy smell from rancid butter.
- A tough, leathery or rock-hard pastry is stale; it can be revived in the oven if there is no mold.
- Savory fillings that smell off or feel slimy.
Bacteria that cause food poisoning usually do not change the look, smell or taste of food. Go by the time limits first, and the signs above second.
Croissants shelf life chart
| State | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh | 1 week | 2 months | 1–2 days |
| Plain, chocolate and almond croissants. Best on the day they are baked. | |||
| Fresh, savory or cream filled | 3–4 days | 1–2 months | Not safe |
| Ham and cheese, egg sandwiches, and custard or cream fillings. | |||
| Raw dough, store-bought | 1–2 weeks | Not recommended | Not safe |
| Canned crescent dough: the use-by date governs. Bake opened dough the same day; do not freeze the pressurized can. | |||
Not safe = perishable: no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended = possible, but quality suffers or it serves no purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Should croissants be kept in the fridge?
Only if they are filled with something perishable, or you need them to last beyond 2 days. Plain, chocolate and almond croissants keep their texture best at room temperature for 1–2 days. The fridge extends safe storage to about a week but makes the layers firm and dull, so always reheat refrigerated croissants in the oven.
Can you freeze croissants?
Yes, baked croissants freeze well for about 2 months. Wrap each one in plastic wrap, put them in a freezer bag and press out the air. Reheat them straight from the freezer at 350°F (175°C) for 7–10 minutes; there is no need to thaw, and they come out closer to fresh than day-old croissants do.
How long do ham and cheese croissants last?
Ham and cheese croissants last 3–4 days in the fridge and should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. The meat and cheese make them as perishable as any sandwich. Reheat them until hot all the way through, to 165°F (74°C), before eating leftovers.
How do you freshen up a stale croissant?
Heat it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–5 minutes. The heat drives moisture out of the crust and re-melts the butter between the layers, which brings back most of the flake. Croissants that are too far gone are ideal for croissant French toast, bread pudding or twice-baked almond croissants.
Related foods
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donuts Fresh |
1 week | 1 month | 1–2 days |
| Cinnamon Rolls Fresh |
1 week | 2 months | 1–2 days |
| Bagels Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Bread Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Butter Opened |
1–3 months | 6–9 months | 1–2 days |
| Muffins Fresh |
1 week | 2–3 months | 1–2 days |
Reviewed 2026-09-20. Times follow published USDA FoodKeeper / FSIS, FDA and CDC storage guidance; where sources differ we use the shorter time. How we compile this data.