There is nothing better than a freshly made bagel for breakfast, especially if it's a homemade bagel!
Did you know that bagel dough freezes very well and can easily be saved for later use? That means you can make a big batch of homemade bagels at once, freeze some of the dough then have freshly made bagels whenever you'd like!
Looking to make homemade bagels? New York bagels are the famously crispy, yet perfectly chewy bagels you can have without leaving home. And these Jerusalem Bagels are way better than store-bought bagels or the ones from the bagel shop.
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How long does bagel dough last in the freezer?
There are some instructions you will want to follow to be sure that your bagel dough retains its quality and flavor. Find all of the tips and tricks you'll need below.
If you prepare bagel dough and don't have time to bake it to make fresh bagels, or made more than you needed, you're in luck. Bagel dough is super easy to freeze.
When properly stored, unbaked bagel dough will last in the freezer for up to three months. After three months, the dough will still be safe to prepare and eat. However, the texture and taste may be compromised by freezer burn.
How to freeze bagel dough
There are a couple of simple steps involved in the freezing process that you will want to take to make sure your bagel dough is properly packaged before storing. This can help prevent freezer burn and the development of ice crystals on your dough.
- After you have let the yeasted dough rise, push out the air as instructed by the recipe, and roll it into a ball.
- Next, tightly wrap your ball of dough in plastic wrap, ensuring that it is entirely covered.
- If you want to be extra careful, you can cover your wrapped dough ball in aluminum foil or saran wrap (cling film) to give an added layer of protection. Place the dough in a freezer bag, such as a ziplock bag, or airtight container, and make sure that you have removed as much air as possible.
- Label the outside of the plastic bag or container with the date of freezing. The best way to store the dough is in the back of the freezer to be sure that it is not impacted by temperature fluctuations when the door is opened.
- When you bake up a batch, be sure to try toasting one in your air fryer. Want to know more? Check out all the details about toasting a fresh bagel in the air fryer.
How to defrost bagel dough
If you froze your bagel dough before baking, you will need to defrost it prior to shaping into the traditional bagel shape.
To do this, remove the dough from the freezer the night before, and defrost in the refrigerator. Once it is entirely thawed, remove it from its wrapping and press out the air.
If the thawing process is taking too long in the refrigerator, you can remove the dough from the fridge to finish defrosting at room temperature on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Once the dough is malleable, you can now shape the bagels and bake.
FAQs
Can you store bagel dough in the fridge?
You can prepare bagel dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge to prepare the next day. Again, be sure to carefully wrap it with plastic wrap, or parchment paper so that it doesn't dry out.
Baked bagels can also be stored in the fridge to extend their shelf life and texture of the bagels. And bagels also store really well in the freezer!
A frozen bagel makes for a super convenient breakfast to pop in the toaster or microwave oven on busy mornings. Tip: frozen individually wrapped bagels make it super easy to grab one whole bagel at a time for a quick breakfast.
Check out this guide on storing bagels to get all the tips and tricks you need for properly refrigerating and freezing bagels. Tip: remove those bagels from the paper bag they come in and store them properly to make them last a long time.
Is bagel dough different than bread dough?
Most bagel dough calls for bread flour instead of all purpose flour, as it has a high protein content and gives bagels their signature chewy texture.
You will find that bagels have a stiffer dough than traditional bread dough because bagel dough is made with less water. Many bagel recipes also contained barley malt syrup, to give a mild sweetness and a nice crust.
Homemade bagel recipes
1
New York Style Bagels Recipe
2
Jerusalem Bagels Recipe
3
Easy homemade everything bagels
4
Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
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