How to Freeze Bread (and Keep It Fresh Longer)

Here’s the situation: You’ve had a full afternoon of baking fresh bread. You’ve put your heart and soul into proofing, kneading and babysitting it to tender baked perfection. The last thing you want is for a loaf to go stale before you can share it with friends and family. Bread really only lasts two or three days before it will start to get stale—or even turn moldy.

When you need to make each loaf last as long as possible, turn to the freezer. Can you freeze bread? The answer is yes!

How to Freeze Bread

When you freeze bread correctly, you really can maintain its freshness. In fact, it can last for months before you use it. This tip works with great homemade loaves (like this basic bread recipe) or any type you picked up at the store.

Step 1: Prep Your Bread

If baking, let your bread cool completely. This will prevent it from becoming soggy or moldy. Wrap each loaf tightly in plastic wrap. Then wrap it in foil or freezer paper. The double-wrap is your secret weapon for freshness.

Test Kitchen tip: Slice your bread before freezing so you can remove only the slices you’d like to use each time, rather than having to thaw the entire loaf.

Step 2: Pop It in the Freezer

Always write the date on your bread before freezing. It’s best to use frozen bread within six months. Any longer and you’ll find the bread may have freezer burn.

Here are more than a dozen other foods that freeze well—including a handful of surprises.

Thawing Your Bread

Frozen especially great to use for making toast. You can simply grab frozen slices from the freezer and pop them in the toaster. You may have to turn your toaster setting up a little higher than if you were toasting regular bread, though.

You can also take out the frozen bread you’d like to use and thaw it overnight right on the countertop. It should be ready for breakfast the next day!

If you find your frozen bread has overstayed its time in the freezer, don’t worry. Bread that’s a bit dry or stale makes for great French toast, bread pudding and croutons. Don’t let it go to waste!

5-Ingredient Bread Recipes to Make Right Now

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Crusty Homemade Bread

Crackling homemade bread makes an average day extraordinary. Enjoy this beautiful crusty bread recipe as is, or stir in a few favorites like cheese, garlic, herbs and dried fruits. —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Country White Bread

Anytime is the right time for a comforting slice of homemade bread. These loaves are especially nice since the crust stays so tender. This white bread recipe is my husband Nick's favorite. He makes most of the bread at our house. —Joanne Shew Chuk, St. Benedict, Saskatchewan

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Feather-Light Biscuits

I usually used a glass as a cutter so the biscuits are bigger than average size, and I always baked some extras to send home with the kids. They liked to split them and fill them with cheese or peanut butter and strawberry jam. —Eleanore Hill, Fresno, California

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Big-Batch Dinner Rolls

Here’s a home-baked roll you can make for every holiday. Just mix, knead, shape and par-bake, then pop 'em in the freezer. They’re ready to finish baking when guests are on their way. —Mary Jane Henderson, Salem, New Jersey

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Pull-Apart Bacon Bread

I stumbled across this recipe while looking for something different to take to a brunch. Boy, am I glad I did! Everyone asked for the recipe and was surprised it called for only five ingredients. It's the perfect treat to bake for an informal get-together. —Traci Collins, Cheyenne, Wyoming

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Hurry-Up Biscuits

When I was young, my mom would make these biscuits with fresh cream she got from a local farmer. I don't go to those lengths, but the family recipe is still a real treat. —Beverly Sprague, Baltimore, Maryland

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Pull-Apart Caramel Coffee Cake

The first time I made this delightful breakfast treat for a brunch party, it was a huge hit. Now I get requests every time family or friends do anything around the breakfast hour! I always keep the four simple ingredients on hand. —Jaime Keeling, Keizer, Oregon

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Garlic-Cheese Crescent Rolls

Upgrade your basic crescent roll recipe! Here's a recipe that just couldn't be much quicker or easier and is sure to add a nice touch to any dinner. The garlic and Parmesan flavors really come through. Enjoy! —Lori Abad, East Haven, Connecticut

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Savory Party Bread

It's impossible to stop nibbling on warm pieces of this cheesy, oniony bread. The sliced loaf fans out for a fun presentation. It's one of the best savory appetizers I've found. —Kay Daly, Raleigh, North Carolina

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Basic Homemade Bread

If you'd like to learn how to bake bread, here's a wonderful place to start. This easy white bread recipe bakes up deliciously golden brown. There's nothing like the homemade aroma wafting through my kitchen as it bakes. —Sandra Anderson, New York, New York

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Bacon-Wrapped Breadsticks

I first tried this at a restaurant and the owner was kind enough to share the recipe. The first time I made this for my family, not a crumb was left and everyone was asking for more! —Wendy Domres, West Bend, Wisconsin

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Quick and Easy Bread Bowls

Impress all your friends by serving cream soups or dips with this bread bowl recipes. It's one of the most popular recipes on my blog, yammiesnoshery.com. —Rachel Heidenreich, Marshall, Michigan

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Rustic Cranberry & Orange Bread

Studded with cranberries, slices of pretty bread make the perfect holiday brunch treat. Don't forget to dust the top with flour for artisan look! —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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No-Fuss Rolls

These four-ingredient rolls from Glenda Trail of Manchester, Tennessee are ready in no time. And they taste great with herb butter or jam. —Glenda Trail, Manchester, Tennessee

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Bacon Crescent Rolls

The mouthwatering aroma of warm bacon from these three-ingredient rolls will draw folks to the table. These are fun for children to prepare and such a cinch to assemble with ready-cooked bacon. —Jane Nearing, Indianapolis, Indiana

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French Loaves

My kids love to help me make this delicious bread recipe. It's quite easy, and they enjoy the fact that they can be eating fresh bread in less than two hours! —Denise Boutin, Grand Isle, Vermont

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Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

People go wild over this golden, garlicky loaf whenever I serve it. There’s intense flavor in every bite. —Carol Shields, Summerville, Pennsylvania

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Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

The recipe for these four-ingredient biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina

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Potato Pan Rolls

My family loves these rolls and requests them often. They don't take long to make because you use quick-rise yeast. —Connie Storckman, Evanston, Wyoming

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Monkey Bread

Both of my boys really enjoyed helping me make this butterscotch monkey bread when they were young. It seemed to taste twice as good when they helped fix it. It's one of our favorites for breakfast or as a snack. —Carol Allen, McLeansboro, Illinois

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Monkey Bread Biscuits

I came up with an easy, savory—instead of sweet—dinner version of monkey bread featuring garlic and Italian seasoning. —Dana Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona

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Scottish Oatmeal Rolls

My family likes rolls that can hold up to scooping gravies, sauces and more. This recipe is a favorite. The oatmeal in the dough gives it a Scottish touch. —Peggy Goodrich, Enid, Oklahoma

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Savory Biscuit-Breadsticks

I love to experiment in the kitchen with simple ingredients like refrigerated biscuits. The results usually are a big hit, as was the case with these super fast breadsticks. —Billy Hensley, Mount Carmel, Tennessee

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Grandma's Biscuits

Homemade biscuits add a warm and comforting touch to any meal. My grandmother makes these tender biscuits to go with her seafood chowder. —Melissa Obernesser, Utica, New York

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Mom's Italian Bread

I think Mom used to bake at least four of these tender loaves at once, and they never lasted long. She served the bread with every Italian meal. I love it toasted, too. —Linda Harrington, Windham, New Hampshire

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Mom's Buttermilk Biscuits

These fluffy biscuits are so tasty slathered with butter or used to mop up every last drop of gravy off your plate. I can still see Mom pulling these tender gems out of the oven. —Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming

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Parmesan-Ranch Pan Rolls

Mom taught me this easy recipe, which is perfect for feeding a crowd. There is never a crumb left over. Mom used her own bread dough, but using frozen dough is my shortcut. I make a wheat bread dough version with poppy and sesame seeds that’s popular, too. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

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Home-Style Yeast Bread

Everyone likes the tender texture and slightly sweet taste of this homemade bread. When I'm in the mood to bake, I usually double the recipe and share loaves with friends. The dough also makes lovely rolls. -Launa Shoemaker, Landrum, South Carolina

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Easy Parmesan Biscuits

This recipe is simple but a delicious addition to any meal. The children love to dip the ready-made biscuits in butter and coat it with the cheese. Warm from the oven, one biscuit per person usually isn’t enough. —Linda Becker, Olympia, Washington

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Extra Quick Yeast Rolls

Making homemade rolls usually takes a lot of ingredients and time, but this recipe makes it so simple. They come together quickly and they freeze well too.—Eleanor Paine, Junction City, Oregon

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The post How to Freeze Bread (and Keep It Fresh Longer) appeared first on Taste of Home.

Kristin George