Easy Recipes Using Frozen Bread Dough (2024)

FAQs

Should frozen bread dough be thawed before baking? ›

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.

Warmth and moisture hasten the thawing process. You can use the microwave method, but be very careful not to overheat the yeast in the dough. The bread dough thaws best in the microwave. Microwave 5 minutes on the defrost setting for one loaf of frozen bread dough.

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.

This is because frozen dough will need to rise/proof again before baking it. There's also the issue of the yeast. There is a chance that freezing the dough will kill about 30%-50% of the yeast in the dough.

First of all, the bakeries that bake pre-made dough don't reheat baked bread. The dough comes frozen having been proofed once, punched down, and formed into loaves or rolls or whatever. The dough is let thaw and then rise, usually taking 12 hours or overnight before it's baked in the morning.

Frozen doughs can be immediately baked (without undergoing thawing) or they can be proofed prior to baking (a thawing cycle is required to temper dough).

Refrigerator thaw (8-16 hours): Prepare dough as directed in step 1, then thaw in refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Dough may need to continue to rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours if not 1 inch above the top of the pan.

Wrap the dough around and place seam-side-down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Cover with a dish towel or greased plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Brush with milk, and bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

If you don't have that much time, setting the dough out on a counter and allowing it to defrost at room temperature for two hours should also be plenty of time. No matter how you're defrosting your pizza dough, it's extremely important to make sure that it's always covered, either with plastic wrap or with a tea towel.

Should frozen bread be thawed? ›

Bread that's frozen for longer periods may get freezer burn or lose some taste and texture (4, 5). To thaw your bread, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw on the counter for 1 to 3 hours. You can also store your frozen bread in the refrigerator overnight to thaw it slowly.

Dough can be thawed in one of two ways. Overnight in a fridge or cool room. You can tray the product up in the way you intend to bake it, cover it with a plastic sheet or cling film (this prevents the dough drying out) and leave for up to 20 hours.