Brioche buns are a delicious French delicacy. They are buttery and light and can be enjoyed at any time of day. Have them for breakfast with lashings of butter and a hot cup of chocolate or coffee.
For lunch, dip them in a bowl of steaming soup or use them as a burger bun for your dinner. You can even make delicious bread and butter pudding out of them, just substituting the bread with brioche.
However, what if you buy a big bag of brioche and can’t eat them all at once? How can you store them? They only last for a couple of days at room temperature even if you put them in an airtight container, and they lose their freshness rapidly if they are put in the fridge.
So, what’s the answer? That’s simple. Freeze them. They freeze well and, in this article, we will tell you how to freeze brioche buns and how to defrost them (see also How To Freeze Crescent Rolls). You will find that there is only a little deterioration in texture when they are frozen, and they will taste almost as fresh as freshly baked buns.
How To Freeze Brioche Buns
1. Bake and cool down the brioche buns.
Put the brioche buns on the countertop and leave them to cool completely. It shouldn’t take longer than two hours. Don’t put the brioche buns in the freezer while they are still warm as they will become soggy. In addition, they will bring up the temperature in the freezer and other food may start to defrost and could even spoil.
2. Wrap the brioche buns in tin foil.
Wrap the buns individually so that you can only defrost as many as you need. If you wrap them together, they may stick to each other and you will have to defrost all of them. This could lead to wastage. Wrap the buns tightly so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn will destroy the taste and texture of the buns.
3. Put the brioche buns in a freezer bag or airtight container.
If you are using a freezer bag, squeeze out all the air to prevent freezer burn. Put a label on the bag or container with the date and the contents.
4. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing Brioche Buns
- Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bag so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
- Don’t put the brioche buns in the fridge. Freeze instead. They get stale very quickly in the fridge, even in just a day. If you are going to eat the buns within two days, keep them at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Once you have defrosted your brioche buns, warm them up as they taste much better when they are heated up. All you have to do is heat them in a preheated oven at 300 F for six or seven minutes.
- You can add toppings or fillings to your brioche buns before you freeze them. Sprinkle poppy seeds or sesame seeds on top of the buns, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, oats, or flax seeds. If you have a sweet tooth, throw in some chocolate chips. Just avoid dairy as it doesn’t freeze well. It can split or become grainy. You can add custard or cream when you come to defrost and eat the brioche buns.
For How Long Can You Freeze Brioche Buns?
You can freeze brioche buns for around three months. After this time, the taste and texture of the buns will begin to deteriorate. If you are going to eat them within two days, you can keep them in an airtight container and you don’t need to freeze them but if you’re not, put them in the freezer. Don’t refrigerate them as they will dry out very quickly.
How Do You Defrost Brioche Buns?
It is easy to defrost brioche buns. Take them out of the freezer and leave them at room temperature for around an hour. Then, unwrap them and put them in the oven to warm up. It should take around six or seven minutes at 300 F. Alternatively, if you want crispy brioche, slice them and put them in a toaster. Keep an eye on the brioche buns if you do this as they can burn very quickly.
Can You Refreeze Brioche Buns?
We don’t recommend that you refreeze brioche buns. Every time you freeze an item of food, ice crystals are formed. If this happens for a second time, you will find that the brioche buns will become soggy and virtually inedible. If you freeze your brioche buns individually as we have described, you can take out only as many buns as you need so there will be no need to refreeze them.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Brioche Buns?
Yes, it is. Brioche buns freeze extremely well and there will only be a little change in texture. No, they won’t be quite as good as freshly baked brioche buns but they will still be tasty and buttery. Once you reheat them, you will hardly notice the difference between fresh and frozen.
If there is a sale and you buy your brioche buns in bulk, it is a good idea to decide which ones to freeze and do this straight away. They will taste better the quicker you freeze them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing brioche buns but in case you are still curious, we have answered a few questions here.
Yes, you can and, as they are similar to brioche, you can freeze them in the way we have described for brioche buns.
Yes, you can. Use the method we have described for plain brioche buns. The only filling you should avoid freezing is cream. It is safe to freeze cream but you may find that it splits and becomes grainy.
Yes. You must cook it first and then divide it into meal-size portions. Put these in separate airtight containers. It will keep for up to three months in the freezer.
