Do Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls Expire?

Like almost all foods (with the notable exception of honey), Pillsbury cinnamon rolls do expire. However, these rolls include numerous preservatives that ensure that they stay good for a long time.

You can check the best-by date on the package if you haven’t yet baked the rolls. If you have baked the rolls, you can check them for signs that they have gone bad. Of course, proper storage will help Pillsbury cinnamon rolls last longer. 

Keep reading to learn more about the shelf life and expiration date of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls.

Shelf Life and Expiration Date of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls

Uncooked

Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, like many food products these days, have a best-by date rather than an expiration date. Pillsbury cinnamon rolls use special ingredients to ensure that their shelf life is as long as possible. Pillsbury has not publicly released information about how long uncooked cinammon rolls will keep after they are made.

This makes it difficult to determine how long the shelf life of uncooked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls is. Most cans of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that you will find in a grocery store have best-by dates roughly 6-8 months in the future.

It is important to note that the best-by date is not a strict expiration date. Almost all food products, including Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, can be consumed safely after the best-by date. To be conservative, it is best not to consume Pillsbury cinnamon rolls more than a week after the best-by date.

Cooked

Of course, cooked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls will not stay good for as long as an unopened package of rolls. Cooked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls will stay good for roughly two days at room temperature. If you refrigerate them, they will stay good for a week or so. Freezing cooked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls can keep them good for as long as a month. However, reheated Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that were frozen won’t be as tasty as fresh rolls. It’s a good idea to simply refrigerate any rolls that you do not eat immediately, as this provides a middle ground between preserving flavor and keeping the rolls good for as long as possible.

How to Tell If Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls Have Expired

There are several indicators that Pillsbury cinnamon rolls are no longer safe to eat. These include mold, a foul odor, and a bad taste. Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that have become stale are still safe to eat. However, they likely will not taste very good.

Mold is perhaps the most obvious indication that a cinnamon roll is no longer safe to eat. Eating moldy food can make you sick, so you should avoid doing so. If you notice mold on one cinnamon roll but do not see mold on another roll that you’d stored in the same container, it’s a good idea to throw away both rolls. The roll without visible mold could still have mold inside the roll.

If you notice a foul odor, it’s best not to eat the roll. This could be an indication that bacteria or mold is growing on the roll. Even a taste test could make you sick.

If you aren’t sure whether a roll is still good and it does not smell, you should take a small bite. If it tastes bad (or even a little strange), it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw the roll away. This could be another sign of bacteria or mold.

What Is the Best Way to Store Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls?

The best option for storing Pillsbury cinnamon rolls depends on how long you need to keep the rolls. If you need to keep the rolls good for a week or less, storing the rolls in the fridge is your best bet. This will preserve most of the flavor.

If you need to keep the rolls good for up to a month, you will need to freeze them. They will not be as moist when you reheat them because the dry environment inside your freezer will suck out some of the moisture.

There are a couple of things that you can do to preserve the flavor of your rolls and extend their shelf life. These methods can be employed whether you put them in the freezer or in the fridge.

It’s best to wrap up your rolls individually and store them in plastic baggies. You can even put the baggies inside an airtight plastic container, which will keep them good for a little longer.

Putting your rolls in a vacuum-sealed bag can further extend their shelf life. However, most households do not have a vacuum sealer.

Are Expired Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls Still Safe to Eat?

A package of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls is still safe for at least a week after its best-by date. Cooked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that have gone stale are still safe to eat as long as they don’t have any mold, smell normal, and taste normal. If you have any doubts, it’s best to err on the side of caution to avoid any potential for food poisoning.

You should never eat rolls with mold on them, even if you scrape the mold off. It is almost impossible to remove all mold by scraping it off the surface of the roll. Eating a roll with mold on it could make you very sick.