Bagels are a tasty treat that’s cheaper by the dozen. But, you may not want to eat them all in one go. Can you freeze bagels? Yes! You absolutely can.
Whether you bulk buy a baker’s dozen or even make your own bagel dough and bake your own bagels, having a stash of frozen bagels in the freezer is a great play! Enjoy bagels for breakfast with flavored cream cheese, as one of the best breads for sandwiches, or the start of a fantastic bagel pizza.
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I love to serve bagels. They seem to make everyone happy! For my son’s second wedding reception at home, I served a Budget Brunch Party Menu that included fresh bagels and homemade schmears. It was so tasty!
And since I didn’t want to run out during a celebration, I made sure to buy extra bagels. Thankfully, we didn’t need to worry about too many leftovers. I could just store them in the freezer for later.
Why Do This
You’ll save money. When you store bagels in the freezer the right way, not only are you preventing food waste, but you’re also saving money. You’ll see a cost benefit to bulk buying or bulk baking bagels and storing them in the freezer for later.
You’ll save time. Whether you stand in line at the local shop or bake your own, freezing bagels at home will save you time since you’ll have one whenever you want one.
Ingredients
All you need are bagels. These can be bagels from the store, from a bakery, or those you bake yourself.
Make sure your bagels are as fresh as possible, or plan to toast them or turn them into bagel chips if they’re a bit on the dry side to start with.
If you’re freezing homemade bagels, be sure to cool them completely to room temperature before proceeding.
Step-by-Step Instructions
If you’re going to use your bagels sliced after freezing, then you’re going to want to slice bagels prior to storing them in the freezer. It’s super dangerous trying to slice a frozen bagel, so don’t freeze your bagels whole if you can avoid it.
You can slice them with a bread knife or use a bagel guillotine. We’ve had ours for 12 years and it works super well. It’s great to use with kids and give them some independence!
Slice the bagels in half and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer. Remove as much air as possible. You can even suck it out with a straw!
This can be a plastic bag or a reusable silicone bag.
This method works great if you’re going to use them up in the next couple weeks.
If it’s going to be several weeks before you use the bagels, you can wrap each sliced bagel in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped bagels in the bag.
Thawing & Serving Instructions
To serve, remove however many bagels you want from the bag and allow them to thaw at room temperature. You can toast bagels from frozen if you like or wait until thawed completely.
Top with butter, jam, cream cheese, or your favorite bagel toppings. Alternatively, use the bagels in recipes such as making pizza, bagel boats, bread pudding, croutons, and bagel chips. Be sure to include them in a Bagel Box (DIY Adult Lunchables)!
FAQs
Yes, if bagels come in plastic bags, by all means, reuse that packaging. Slice the bagels, if they aren’t already sliced, and then store them in their original packaging. However, for long freezer storage, you will want to double bag to give them an extra layer of protection against freezer burn.
You should freeze bagels whenever you realize that you won’t eat them all before they start to go stale. If you’ve purchased or baked more than you need for the next day or two, store them in the freezer.
You can extend their shelf life and preserve their freshness if you store them in the freezer properly. There is a risk of their drying out if not well wrapped.
I have been known to hand one of my babies a frozen bagel to gnaw on when they were teething, but generally, frozen bagels aren’t great for eating straight from the freezer. Allow them to thaw before prepping a sandwich or toasting to serve.
What else can you freeze?
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How to Freeze Bagels
Equipment
- ziptop freezer bags
- plastic wrap
- bread knife
- bagel guillotine
Ingredients
- 4 bagels
Instructions
- If baking the bagels yourself, cool them completely on a wire rack.4 bagels
- Slice the bagels if they didn't come already sliced.
- Place the bagels in a ziptop freezer bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible and store in the freezer.
- If storing in the freezer for a long period of time, you can wrap each bagel in plastic wrap for extra insulation.
- Label the package well with the date and the name of the recipe. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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