Donuts (or doughnuts) are a sweet, delicious treat best consumed shortly after baking. The butter, fats and sugars that typically give donuts their great taste and moist goodness can provide a haven for fast-growing bacteria if the cakes are allowed to sit uncovered at room temperature for more than two days. Exposed donuts dry out quickly, losing their flavor and texture as they become stale.
Allow donuts to cool if you're baking them fresh. Wrap extra donuts in foil or plastic wrap. Donuts that are not consumed right away --- fresh-baked or store-bought --- will keep their flavor and texture up to two days at room temperature, between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep donuts wrapped in foil or plastic up to one week in a refrigerator. Check your refrigeration settings to maintain a steady temperature between 35 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Store extra donuts in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to three months in a freezer. Expect flavor and texture losses after three months of freezer storage. Keep freezer temperature set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.