What is more delicious than a warm croissant for breakfast? You can get plain ones and spread them with butter and jam. Chocolate-filled croissants are a real luxury, but you can also get them filled with apricot or cherry jam. For nut fans, try a croissant filled with almond paste.
Croissants originate in France, so why not follow their lead and dunk your croissant in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate (see also Can You Freeze Doughnuts?)? However, you probably don’t have time to go to the bakery every day so can you buy them in bulk and freeze some? The simple answer is yes, and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze them and how to defrost them.
How To Freeze Croissants
1. Flash freeze the croissants.
The first step is to flash freeze the croissants. This helps stop the croissants from sticking together. By doing this you only have to remove as many croissants as you need for each breakfast (see also How To Freeze Crumpets) and this avoids food waste. To flash freeze the croissants, put them on a baking tray, making sure that they don’t touch each other. Freeze them for two to three hours.
2. Wrap each croissant individually.
Once the croissants are frozen, get some cling film and wrap each croissant individually. Make sure that the croissants are tightly wrapped.
3. Put the croissants in freezer bags.
Put the croissants in freezer bags and put a label on them with the date and the type of croissant. It is important to know what type of croissant is in each bag so that you can choose the one you want. They all look the same inside the bags. Remember to squeeze as much air as possible out of the bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. The croissants will still be safe to eat, but they will lose taste, texture, and may even go a strange color.
4. Freeze.
It is important to remember that croissants, like most dough products, can spoil quickly so it is best to freeze them on the day you buy them. Always check for any signs of mold before freezing.
Can You Freeze Croissants After Heating?
If you have heated up too many croissants, you can freeze them once they have cooled down. Don’t put warm croissants in the freezer as they may bring up the temperature and other food will start to defrost and possibly spoil.
Tips For Freezing Croissants
- Freeze the croissants on the day of purchase while they are still fresh.
- Flash freeze the croissants so that they don’t stick together, and you can take out only as many as you need.
- Squeeze as much air as possible out of the bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur.
- Put labels on the bags with the date frozen and the type of croissant.
- Croissants can go a bit soft after they have been defrosted so it is a good idea to crisp them up in the oven. Croissants taste better anyway if they are warm.
For How Long Can You Freeze Croissants?
You can keep croissants in the freezer for up to a year but, although they will still be safe to eat, they will lose flavor and texture the longer they are left in the freezer. We suggest that you defrost them within one to two months.
How Do You Defrost Croissants?
It isn’t a good idea to defrost croissants quickly as they will lose their texture. The best thing to do if you like to have a croissant for breakfast is to take it out of the freezer the night before and put it in the fridge. Croissants have a low moisture content, so this means that they keep a lot of their flavor and texture when they are defrosted. They can be a little softer than before they were frozen so pop them in the oven for ten minutes and they will crisp up.
Can You Refreeze Croissants
It is safe to refreeze croissants but we don’t advise it. The texture will be ruined and when you come to defrost them for a second time, they will probably be quite mushy, and not even heating can restore their flaky texture.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Croissants?
Croissants do freeze well (see also Can You Freeze Croissant Dough?) and because they contain little moisture, they retain most of their taste and texture. Yes, they are slightly better if you eat them fresh on the day you have bought them, but not that many people have the time or even the inclination to go to the bakery before breakfast. If you are working all week, freezing croissants is an excellent solution and once you have warmed them up in the oven, they will taste almost as good as fresh. Just imagine having warm chocolate oozing out of your croissant or alternatively, spread a plain croissant thickly with butter and strawberry jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing croissants, but if you would like to know more, we have answered a few questions here.
Is it possible to freeze croissant dough?
Perhaps you enjoy baking and decide to make your own cookie dough (see also Can You Freeze Cookie Dough?). It will probably work out to be more economical than buying fresh croissants from the bakery. However, can you freeze cookie dough? The simple answer is yes. All you need to do is wrap the dough with a couple of layers of foil. This stops freezer burn from happening. When you want to defrost it, put it in the fridge overnight.
Are there any interesting fillings I can add to my defrosted plain croissants?
Yes, there are. In fact, you can add sweet or savory fillings which will make them taste delicious. Why not add pastry cream or pumpkin pie filling? A delicious filling for warm croissants is ice cream. It will be a bit messy but it’s definitely worth it. When it comes to savory fillings, add cheese and ham (see also ‘Can you Freeze Ham?‘) to the defrosted croissant and warm it up. You will have lovely gooey cheese which will melt in your mouth. If you want a savory breakfast croissant, fry an egg and some bacon and add them to the warmed-up croissant. For a healthy option, cook up some spinach. Meanwhile, put feta slices in the defrosted croissant and put it in the oven. Add the spinach when the croissant is warm.
Can you freeze fresh buttery croissants from your local bakery?
Yes, of course, you can as long as you follow our instructions. They might not taste quite as buttery when defrosted, but they will still be delicious.
