How To Store Scones (and How Long They Last)

Scones are delicious and relatively easy to bake, so people sometimes make them in big batches. Suffice to say that leftovers are pretty common for scones. Whether baked or unbaked, scones must be appropriately stored to preserve all the sweet and savory goodness.

You can store your scones at room temperature, in the fridge, or the freezer. They can last up to 2 days on your kitchen counter, a week inside your fridge, and up to 3 months when frozen. Proper storage will ensure that you’ll eventually enjoy your scones as if you baked them on the same day.

We’ll talk about different ways to store your scones, whether they’re already baked or still unbaked. I’ll also share some tips on storing them so that taste and consistency are well preserved. Let’s start!

What Are Scones?

Scones are baked goodies originally from Scotland typically enjoyed with breakfast or afternoon tea. They are made from wheat or oatmeal, then glazed with egg wash, and can be both sweet and savory. Unlike American biscuits, scones are sweeter and often contain dried or fresh fruit.

Popular Kinds of Scones

There are different kinds of scones, all of which evolved based on people’s preferences and cultures. However, certain types of scones have stood the test of time simply because they are undeniably fantastic. The recipes for these scones have been passed on from generation to generation and are still treasured today.

Here are a few of them:

Scottish Scones

This is where it all started. Scones are thought to have originated from Scotland, where they were traditionally made using potato flour or oats. Back then, they were fried on griddles over an open fire. Scottish scones are flat and thin, much like small pancakes. They may include dried fruit or cheese.

Today, Scottish scones are fried on griddles over a stove. This process makes the scones golden and crispy on the outside and creamy inside. They are best enjoyed with cream or jam, and enjoyed with coffee or tea.

British Scones

British scones can be sweet or savory, depending on the ingredients used. They are well-loved because they’re light and fluffy. The most popular elements include cheese, raisins, currants, and dates. British scones are best enjoyed with some clotted cream and strawberry jam smeared on top or the bottom of the scones.

American Scones

American scones are well-loved for their richness and ultra-buttery flavor. They’re soft and fluffy yet crumbly and dense. American scones are usually made with heavy cream, chocolates, nuts, and fresh or dried fruits. Some are also glazed on the outside, like doughnuts.

Irish Scones

Irish scones are known for their softness and fluffiness with just a hint of sweetness. They are loved for their bold flavors and the crumbiness that makes them even more appealing. They’re best enjoyed with whipped cream, butter, strawberry jam, or lemon curd.

How Long Do Scones Last?

Freshly baked scones will last for 1-2 days at average room temperature, provided they are correctly stored. Keep them wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. You may also place your scones inside an airtight container to keep them from drying out.

If you don’t think you can consume your scones within 2 days, consider other storage options to lengthen their shelf life. Scones can be stored in the fridge or freezer. When appropriately refrigerated, they can last for up to a week. When properly frozen, scones can last for 2-3 months.

How To Store Scones

There are several ways to store freshly-baked scones. The method you choose depends heavily on when you intend to consume all the scones. Prepare them properly for storage to preserve freshness, flavor, and flakiness.

You can also store unbaked scones in the freezer. This is an excellent option for when you’ve cooked a big batch and would like to save some for later. Storing unbaked scones in the freezer will allow you the luxury of always having scones on hand.

Here are the different ways to store your scones:

Store Freshly-Baked Scones at Room Temperature

If you’re optimistic that you’ll be able to enjoy all of your scones within the next 2 days, it’s safe to keep them at average room temperature (20 – 25 °C / 68 – 77 °F). This method is acceptable if your scones don’t contain highly perishable ingredients. Otherwise, consider other ways of storage.

Here’s how to store your scones at room temperature:

Wait for your scones to cool down completely. This will take anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour. If you store scones that are still warm, the moisture will build up, and your scones will turn mushy.
Get an airtight container and layer the bottom with 2-3 layers of paper towels. You could fold paper towels over to fit the bottom of the container. The paper towels will help absorb moisture from the scones during storage.
Place your scones gently inside the airtight container and on top of the paper towels once they have reached room temperature. Don’t compress or squish the scones together. Consider placing a paper towel between scone layers if you’re stacking them one on top of another.
Place a paper towel on top of your scones. This will help further absorb moisture and keep your scones from drying up.
Seal the airtight container. Make sure air can’t escape from the container. Otherwise, your scones will become dry and stale.

Serving Your Room Temperature Scones

One of the benefits of storing your scones at room temperature is enjoying a buttery, flaky, delicious scone anytime you wish. You will also have something sumptuous to serve if guests stop by your home. This is also handy if you have kids since you’ll have a yummy snack always ready for them.

Here’s how to serve room temperature scones:

Take the required number of scones out from the airtight container.
Sprinkle a little bit of water over them with your fingers. This helps put some moisture back into the scones while reheating.
Place your scones inside the microwave. Set the heat on high and leave the scones in for about 10-20 seconds.
Serve and enjoy!

Store Freshly-Baked Scones in the Fridge

Storing scones in the fridge is essentially placing your room temperature stored scones into your refrigerator. If you miscalculated and find yourself with still a few scones left after 2 days, whisk your airtight container with scones straight into the fridge. Don’t let scones stay at room temperature for more than 2 days. Scones stored in the fridge can last for up to a week.

If you’ve baked a huge batch and intend to store some in the fridge, here’s how to do it:

Wait for your freshly-baked scones to cool down to room temperature. This will typically take 30 minutes to an hour.
Grab an airtight container and layer the bottom with 2-3 paper towels. These will help absorb moisture and keep your scones from turning mushy while in storage.
Place your scones into the lined airtight container. Remember not to compress the scones. It might be a great idea to place a paper towel between scone layers if you’re stacking them on top of each other.
Place a final layer of paper towel on top of your scones. This keeps your scones from drying up.
Seal the airtight container.
Store your scones inside the fridge.

Serving Your Fridge-Stored Scones

Storing scones in the fridge will preserve all their goodness while making them ready for enjoyment within just minutes. In less than an hour, you can enjoy your scones as if they were newly baked. Nobody would even guess that they’ve been sitting in your fridge for days.

Here’s how to serve your fridge-stored scones:

Take the appropriate number of scones out of the fridge.
Place them on your kitchen counter and allow them to warm up to average room temperature. This usually takes an hour or so.
Reheat your scones in a preheated oven at 300 °F (150 °C) for 5 minutes.
Check the scones and heat some more for 3-5 minutes if necessary.
Serve and enjoy!

Store Freshly-Baked Scones in the Freezer

Freezing your freshly-baked scones is a great way to preserve their flavors and texture. This is also a way to ensure that they don’t dry up. If you’ve correctly stored your scones, you can look forward to enjoying their buttery flakiness as if they were baked on the same day.

Scones can last up to three months in the freezer and still keep their tasty goodness. Depending on the storage and environment conditions, scones can also last longer than three months but may not be as tasty as they would have been when served fresh from the oven.

Here’s how to store your scones in the freezer:

Wait for your scones to cool down until they’ve reached room temperature. This will take about 30 minutes to an hour.
Place your scones on a freezer-safe tray.
Place the tray inside the freezer and leave it there for at least an hour. Leave the scones uncovered, so that excess moisture dissipates as the scones begin to freeze.
Take the scones out of the freezer and transfer them into a freezer-safe airtight container. It’s okay to layer the frozen scones one on top of another. Consider sliding a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer of scones so they don’t stick together.
Store your scones inside the freezer.

Serving Your Freezer-Stored Scones

Storing scones is a great way to save time and energy baking. You can whip up a big batch, enjoy some, place the others in the fridge, and store the rest in the freezer. You can enjoy delicious scones for months without breaking a sweat.

Here’s how to serve your freezer-stored scones:

Take the desired number of scones out of the freezer.
Place them on your kitchen counter at an average room temperature, and allow them to defrost. This usually takes at least 2 hours.
Warm your scones in a preheated oven (set at 300 °F / 150 °C) for 5 minutes, adding 3-5 minutes when necessary.
Serve and enjoy!

Can You Freeze Unbaked Scones?

It’s a great idea to freeze unbaked scones. This is a great way to save time and energy, especially if a party or get-together is coming up. Storing unbaked scones in the freezer will save you a lot of time on the big day.

This strategy will come in handy if you’re like me, who loves saving time by preparing big batches at once. You can go ahead and bake some of the scones good enough for a week’s consumption. Set some aside on your kitchen counter at room temperature and store the rest in the fridge. Make sure to consume them within the week.

Store the remaining unbaked scones in the freezer for later consumption. Unbaked scones can last for up to three weeks in the freezer. Ensure that they are properly stored so they’re still delicious and flaky when you finally enjoy them.

Here’s how to store unbaked scones in the freezer:

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and arrange your unbaked scones neatly on top. Make sure that there is space between the scones.
Place the scones inside the freezer and leave them for at least an hour. This should give the scones enough time to freeze so they don’t stick to each other.
Take the frozen scones out of the freezer and transfer them into a freezer-safe airtight container. You may also place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper between layers of frozen scones if you’re stacking them on top of one another.
Seal the container. Ensure it is airtight so the scones won’t suffer from freezer burn and they don’t absorb odors and other flavors from inside the freezer.
Label the container. Write the type of scone inside (if you’ve prepared different kinds) and the freezing date.
Store your unbaked scones inside the freezer.

Baking Your Freezer-Stored Unbaked Scones

It may come as a surprise, but you can bake frozen scones straight from the freezer. It’s unnecessary to thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature. This is because scones are supposed to be on the cooler side before baking. The butter, in particular, should be cold to produce the flakiness that scones are known for.

Here’s how to bake your freezer-stored scones:

Preheat your oven to 350 °F (176 °C).
Place parchment paper over your baking sheet. This will help prevent the scones from sticking to the pan.
Take your frozen unbaked scones out of the freezer.
Arrange the scones neatly on top of the parchment paper. Make sure to leave space between the scones since they expand while baking.
Place your baking pan on the middle shelf of your oven.
Bake the scones for about 20 minutes or until they’re golden.
Serve and enjoy!

Additional Scone Storage Tips

Things don’t always go as planned, so you should always be ready with a backup plan. This is especially true with storing food, particularly those that may go bad quickly. In the case of scones, leftovers from storage may pose a problem since these baked goodies may quickly become stale when not consumed within the ideal time frame.

Here are some handy tips:

Wrap Baked Scones Individually

Consider doing this if you have leftover scones stored at room temperature and in the fridge. Store them in the freezer if the ideal consumption time has gone by (2 days for room temperature-stored scones and a week for fridge-stored scones).

Securely wrap individual scones in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. This helps keep them safe from freezer burn and ensures that they do not dry up. Store them in the freezer for at least a week more.

Brush Unbaked Scones

If you want to make sure that your frozen unbaked scones are delicious and not dry after baking, consider brushing them with cream, milk, or egg wash. Make sure to defrost them a bit first so that they can absorb the additional elements. Then you can pop them straight into the oven for baking.

Final Thoughts

Properly storing scones is a great way to always have a delicious snack on-hand. Store some on your kitchen counter and some in your fridge. Whether they’re baked or unbaked, you can also keep some inside your freezer. Prepare different kinds of scones at a time so you’ll always have flaky, buttery, delectable scones for breakfast or afternoon tea.