Does Cheesecake Need to Be Refrigerated? (2024)

We've got the answers for just how long cheesecake lasts at room temperature.

Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 17 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital.

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Updated on January 16, 2024

Reviewed by

Julie Lopez, RD

Reviewed byJulie Lopez, RD

Julie Lopez, RD strikes a balance between her work as an expert dietitian and chef.

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Fact checked by

Marcus Reeves

Fact checked byMarcus Reeves

Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Why Does Cheesecake Need to Be Refrigerated?

Whether you made it yourself or took home leftovers from dinner, we don't recommend eating cheesecake that's been left out for a long time. Creamy foods made with eggs and milk, such as pumpkin pie, custard pie, and cheesecake, must be safely baked to a safe internal temperature between 150ºF and 160°F. Then, they must be cooled at room temperature (about 1 hour) to set and refrigerated.

Eggs and milk have high protein and moisture content, and they're the primary ingredients in cheesecake, so when cheesecake is left at room temperature, conditions are ripe for bacteria to multiply. According to the USDA's Food Keeper App, cheesecake should be consumed within 5 to 7 days of refrigeration.

Test Kitchen Tip

It's unnecessary to refrigerate most other cakes, cookies, or bread unless they have a perishable filling or frosting.

While we wish we had better news, if you accidentally went to bed and left your cheesecake cooling on the counter, it's best to not risk illness by consuming it. When you have cheesecake that's already baked and chilled, the absolute max time you could let it sit out to avoid the USDA's "danger zone" is two hours. Save yourself the stress of wasting that by putting it in the fridge as soon as everyone's grabbed a slice or it's cooled enough after baking to chill.

How to Store Cheesecake the Right Way

If you've been practicing to perfect a rich and creamy homemade cheesecake, it's important to know exactly how to store your cheesecake so it stays fresh. Since cheesecake can absorb other odors, wrapping it correctly is key to ensuring the best flavor possible. We recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap and then placing it in a storage container.

Use our Test Kitchen's complete guide to making cheesecake to know the proper times and temperatures for every step of the process.

How to Tell if Cheesecake Is Done, According to Our Test Kitchen

Food Storage Tips

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