There's nothing like eating a warm and freshly baked loaf of bread. Usually, in order to enjoy a loaf straight from the oven, you need to spend most of the day making the dough. But if you plan ahead and stash some homemade bread dough in the freezer, you can cut some steps and save time.
Can You Freeze Bread Dough?
Yeasted bread dough can be frozen once it is shaped after the first rise. Making bread dough in advance and freezing it for later use saves time and space in the freezer—a ball of dough takes up less room than a baked loaf.
To plan ahead, make a few batches of bread dough, shape them into loaves, and freeze them for whenever you want freshly baked bread. You can also consider giving frozen dough loaves away as gifts to family and friends. That way, they can enjoy a fresh loaf without having to make homemade dough themselves.
How to Freeze Bread Dough
When making bread dough for freezing, make sure to mix the bread according to the recipe’s instructions but add twice as much yeast. This is to compensate for the yeast that will die off in the freezing process. Additionally, you want to ensure that you use onlyactive dry yeast—not fast-acting yeast.
You don't need any special supplies to freeze bread dough. Simply gather the dough, the pans you'll bake it in, and some plastic wrap.
After making the bread dough, follow these six steps to freeze it:
- Let the bread go through its first rise, as most yeast bread goes through two rises. Allow the bread to rise in a greased bowl as per recipe instructions.
- After the first rise, punch down the dough and knead. Then, shape the bread dough into a loaf or loaves.
- Place the loaf (orloaves) in a bread pan lined with greased plastic wrap to prevent sticking. This also allows the dough loaves to hold their shape when frozen.
- Place the bread pans in the freezer and let the dough freeze for about 10 hours.
- Remove the frozen bread dough from the pans. Wrap it in plastic wrapand place it in a resealable plastic freezer bag.
- Date the bag(s) of dough and place it in the freezer immediately. Your dough can be frozen for up to four weeks.
Using Frozen Bread Dough
Your dough still needs to go through a second rise before baking, so don't put a frozen loaf of bread dough directly in the oven. Plan a night ahead for the second rise—since it's handsoff, it's still easier than spending a whole day making bread dough.
To use a frozen loaf of dough, remove it from the freezer the night before you want to bake it. Keep the loaf wrapped in the plastic and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Place the thawed dough in a greased bread pan, cover, and let it rise on the counter. Bake the bread at the temperature and length of time described in the recipe.
How to Freeze Pita and Pizza Dough
It's imperative that pita bread and pizza dough made using yeast goes through at least one rise prior to freezing. Add a little bit of extra yeast to the mix to ensure a good rise after freezing. You can keep pita and pizza dough for six months to one year in the freezer as long as it's wrapped very well.If you cut the dough into smaller portions, simply wrap each section tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.The dough will last the best if you put your freezer to -10 F (in comparison to the usual 0 F). A deep freezer will store frozen doughs nicely.
When you're ready to use your dough, defrost and put it through the second rise before baking as normal in the oven. Do not thaw your dough in a microwave oven, as the yeast can easily be killed.
FAQs
Consider recipes high in yeast and sugar, and low in salt, which are best for freezing. After kneading the dough, place it in a freezer-safe package and freeze. Dough can be frozen up to four weeks. Thaw frozen dough at room temperature, shape, let rise and bake as directed.
What is the best way to freeze bread dough? ›
Consider recipes high in yeast and sugar, and low in salt, which are best for freezing. After kneading the dough, place it in a freezer-safe package and freeze. Dough can be frozen up to four weeks. Thaw frozen dough at room temperature, shape, let rise and bake as directed.
Can you freeze dough without killing yeast? ›
If you have to freeze yeast dough, try increasing the yeast by about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per 3 cups (360 grams) of flour. As MaryJane explains, "Some yeast will naturally die off in the cold, so adding a little more at the beginning will help ensure you have enough living, working yeast in the end."
Can I freeze yeast dough after first rise? ›
Yes, risen dough can be frozen but some adjustments have to be made to get the best loaf possible. You will want to put your dough in the freezer either after the first rise, or if the bread has more than two rises then after the shaping. This is because frozen dough will need to rise/proof again before baking it.
What is the frozen dough procedure? ›
The Frozen Dough Procedure is the prcedure that the dough or semi-finished bread is obtained through a process interruptione of the normal production process, the dough or semi-finished bread being processed is conducted rapid freezing ( at 30℃ or less), and then stored at -18 ℃.
What is the secret to freezing bread? ›
How to Freeze Loaves of Bread. Both store-bought and homemade bread should freeze well, says Lisa Brooks, the chef and owner of Heart & Soul, a personal chef service. Her go-to method involves wrapping the bread in two layers of plastic wrap and then storing the loaf in a resealable plastic freezer bag before freezing.
What do you wrap dough in to freeze? ›
Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap. This helps protect the dough from freezer burn. Once wrapped, place the dough balls into a freezer bag for an extra layer of protection. Make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag before sealing it.
Can you freeze dough without yeast? ›
Freezing bread dough requires no extra yeast, no extra kneading, and no extra active time. Read on to learn how to freeze bread dough properly and how to use frozen bread dough.
How do you store yeast dough in the freezer? ›
Place flattened dough on baking sheets and freeze for 1 hour. Once dough is frozen, remove from the freezer and wrap tightly with either plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then place in resealable plastic bags and return to the freezer. Store the dough in an airtight freezer container for up to four weeks.
Does frozen bread dough need to rise? ›
Using Frozen Bread Dough
Your dough still needs to go through a second rise before baking, so don't put a frozen loaf of bread dough directly in the oven. Plan a night ahead for the second rise—since it's handsoff, it's still easier than spending a whole day making bread dough.
Working with Frozen Bread Dough
That being said, you need to allow the bread dough to thaw and proof before placing it in the oven. The first step is to defrost the dough by placing it in a lightly greased pan and leave it in a cooler overnight to allow it to completely thaw. This is called retarding the dough.
Why do you let yeast dough rise twice? ›
The second proving has given the bread more elasticity, and made it harder to deflate the air. Second rises may add significantly to the total time it takes to complete a loaf of bread, but the step can be essential to achieving the taste and texture inherent to a number of popular breads.
Can I refrigerate bread dough after the first rise and bake it later? ›
You can refrigerate the dough after almost any step, but after the first rise (or a little before) works best. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for 1-3* days. Allow room for the dough to expand as it will continue to rise.
What is the quick method for frozen bread dough? ›
Speed Thaw Method – Use with Caution
Preheat oven to 200°F. Then turn the oven off. Boil 2 quarts water and put in a pan on the lowest rack. Put rolls in the oven and let thaw and rise until double in size.
Do bakeries freeze their dough? ›
Bakeries will make huge mounds of dough and scoop portioned balls out onto a sheet pan. A few of them might actually get baked fresh, while the majority stay tightly packed on a sheet tray. The whole tray gets shoved in a giant plastic bag and transferred to the freezer.
What is the cold rise dough method? ›
directions
- Mix yeast in warm water until dissolved.
- Add rest of ingredients and enough flour to make clean away from bowl.
- Cover and place in refrigerator (dough should be a little sticky).
- Let rise 2 hours before using.
- Dough will keep a couple weeks in refrigerator.
All stored dough should be stored in a sealed container, like a bowl or an airtight bag. The bowl or bag should be two to three times larger than the size of the dough. This is so because the dough will continue to rise before it's completely cooled. A plastic food storage bag like a ziplock may be used.
Can I refrigerate bread dough after it has risen? ›
Most bread recipes have two rises, a first rise (also called bulk fermentation), and a second or final rise. You can chill your dough during either the first or second rise. Your yeast won't give you much love if it's asked to do both rises in the fridge, so it's best to do one or the other at room temperature.
