Consider this your complete guide to make-ahead baking! Here I include all my freezing & thawing tips, tricks, and how-to’s, plus my favorite baked goods to freeze.
Today I’m sharing everything I know about make-ahead baking: freezing baked goods, thawing them, and serving them with a huge smile.
(Because you didn’t freshly bake them! Ha!)
Why Make Ahead?
Because there is ALWAYS a welcomed opportunity for homemade cookies, cakes, quick breads, muffins, and more. In fact, I can name about 5 instances in the past month where I needed a last minute treat and didn’t have time to rush around and make something. My freezer was stocked because I took time to bake some items the month before, so I served previously frozen no bake cookies and orange cranberry bread (pictured above).
There’s always an instance where you need a baked good:
- New neighbors move in?
- Friends just have a baby?
- Kids need an after school snack?
- Homemade teacher gift?
- Hosting a last minute girls night?
By freezing baked goods ahead of time, you will always be prepared with homemade treats. Simply thaw and serve. Serving previously frozen treats? None will be the wiser.
Have a couple hours one weekend? Make cake batter chocolate chip cookies and biscuits, then cool and freeze them.
How to Wrap, Freeze, & Thaw Most Baked Goods
… to preserve freshness!
No matter what you’re making, the make-ahead baking process is pretty much the same. Wrap items in plastic wrap or Press & Seal, place in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw inside the wrapping so the condensation forms on the wrapping, not the baked good. You can thaw in the refrigerator for a slower thaw or thaw at room temperature. It usually doesn’t matter.
For any recipes with icing, frosting, or glaze, it’s best to freeze plain and add the icing/frosting/glaze fresh right before serving.
How to Freeze Cakes
I receive a lot of specific questions about freezing cakes, so I made a complete How to Freeze Cakes guide.
How to Freeze Quick Bread
Freezing quick breads, such as banana bread, apple cinnamon bread, or cinnamon swirl quick bread, is a lot like how to freeze cakes.
- Step 1:Bake and completely cool quick bread.
- Step 2:Once the bread cools completely, wrap it inPress & Sealor plastic wrap. From one baker to another, Press & Seal is the best product for wrapping baked goods. I find regular plastic wrap too thin, clingy, and frustrating. It definitely works, but Press & Seal is easier to use and I’ve honestly found that it keeps my food fresher. (Not working with this brand, just really love it.)
- Step 3:Write the type of bread and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. For best taste and texture, don’t freeze quick bread for longer than 3 months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, but the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes.
- Step 4:Wrap the bread in the aluminum foil and place in the freezer. You could place the wrapped bread in a freezer container or freezer-friendly zipped top bag, but I often just freeze it after wrapping in aluminum foil.
- Step 5:Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer the frozen bread to the refrigerator one day before serving. Sometimes I forget and just let the bread thaw at room temperature for several hours, but it’s better to thaw at a slower rate in the refrigerator. Make sure you thaw bread while it’s still in the wrapping. Don’t unwrap before thawing.
Baker’s Tip:Two layers of wrap is key! The first layer keeps the bread fresh and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. Double layer = maximum freshness and no freezer burn. Moisture is the enemy, so don’t be afraid to add another layer of Press & Seal or aluminum foil.
How to Freeze Muffins, Cupcakes, & Scones
Like cakes and quick breads, muffins, cupcakes, and scones freeze beautifully. Bake them, cool them, wrap individually in plastic wrap or Press & Seal, then place in a large zipped-top bag or freezer container. No need to wrap twice—just 1 layer of wrap for these small items is fine. You can freeze these with icings, frostings, or glazes on top, but they thaw (and taste) much better when you add the icing/frosting/glaze right before serving. (It’s best to make the icing fresh.)
I especially love freezing healthy muffins because it’s so convenient to just grab one when I’m running out the door. I also love having them on hand for quick, convenient, and easy snacks for my toddler.
Favorites to Freeze:
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Banana Muffins & Pumpkin Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Scones
How to Freeze Cookies & Cookie Dough
Freezing cookies means that you essentially have prepared cookies at your fingertips any given day. And freezing cookie dough means that you have fresh-baked cookies permanently in stock. I freeze cookies and cookie dough all the time, so I actually prepared a whole separate page for this. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for all my tips, tricks, and how-to’s. This page also includes how to freeze and thaw baked cookies, too.
I freeze these healthy breakfast cookies on a monthly basis. Bake them, then let them cool completely. You can freeze them in a freezer container or zipped-top bag or wrap individually and freeze if you’re taking them to work.
Best Cookie Doughs to Freeze
- Any cookie dough with a lot of butter or fat.
- Drop cookies are best. For example: chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, etc.
- Shortbread also freezes beautifully.
- Icebox cookie dough is great. (I’m referring to slice and bake cookies.) Just tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap, then into freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months, then let it thaw in the refrigerator for an hour or two before slicing.
- Delicatedoughs don’t hold up well in the freezer—avoid freezing French macaron, pizzelle, ormadeleine cookie doughs.
- Tip: For cookies rolled into cinnamon or sugar, like snickerdoodles or peanut butter blossoms,freeze the cookie dough balls without the topping. When you are ready to bake, remove the balls from the freezer, let sit for 30 minutes, pre-heat the oven, then roll into topping. No need to bake for an extra minute or two since the cookies have defrosted a little.
How to Freeze Other Recipes
Need more help with make-ahead baking? Most of my recipes include specific freezing instructions. My favorites to freeze are pizza dough, baked oatmeal, pie crust, homemade bagels, and black bean burgers. For the burgers and bagels, I bake, cool, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze.
Bonus: 8 Freezer Meals
Since we can’t only survive on baking (wait, we can’t?), I have a list of freezer meals that I put together a couple years ago when my daughter was born. In addition to a list of freezer meal recipes, I include specific directions for freezing and thawing too.
More Baking Tips
- How to Prevent a Dry or Dense Cake
- How to Prevent Cookies from Spreading
- Baking with Yeast Guide
- Best Way to Ship Cookies
- 14 Best Baking Tools That Every Baker Needs
