Learn how to freeze bagels so you can have your favorite bagels ready to go in the freezer. Plus how to defrost frozen bagels.
I grew up eating bagels and when you find a bagel place you love and then try any other bagel place, it just doesn’t compare. That’s what happened, we moved 2 hours away and the bagels, they’re just not the greatest.
So we end up buying 2-3 dozen bagels from our favorite bagel place and end up freezing them. Now we can enjoy our favorite bagels whenever we want a bagel!
Why freeze bagels?
We typically freeze bagels so we can always have our favorite bagels at home. If you made some good homemade bagels or purchase too many bagels this is a great way to keep them for a longer period of time.
How to freeze bagels
There are 2 methods for freezing bagels, one is the easy way and then there’s the more tedious way.
Now for how to freeze bagels without plastic, this is our favorite method, but we’ll also share the plastic method as well.
- Use a freezer safe ziploc bag or stasher bag and load it up with the bagels. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for 3 to 4 months for the best quality. We recommend freezing in small batches per bag to keep the bagels air tight as much as possible. This reduces the amount of time the bag is opened. We go for up to 6-8 per bag as we’re a family of 4 and we’ll eat them quickly after defrosting.
- Slice the bagels in half lengthwise and then tightly wrap each half in plastic wrap and then place into a freezer safe bag.
Freezing pros and cons
Keeping the bagels whole and using a reusable silicone bag cuts down on waste.
If you know your bagel place well enough you can tell them to not brown them too much. This way when you go to brown them you can bake them until crisp without browning too much more.
We prefer keeping the bagels whole as it keeps the interior of the bagel fresh. You risk more freezer burn by slicing the bagels. Keeping it whole keeps it fresh on the inside.
Slicing the bagels makes it more convenient when it comes to enjoying them as the slicing is already done.
How to defrost frozen bagels
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
OR
Spritz the frozen bagel with a bit of water and bake at 475 degrees F for 3-5 minutes.
Cut open and then schmear with your favorite toppings.
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