How to Freeze Bread Properly: Freeze and Thaw Without Ruining the Crust

The freezer is the best place for bread you cannot finish in time, but only if you freeze and thaw it properly. Done wrong, you get a dry crumb and a crust that never comes back to itself. Here is the method for freezing bread, from wrapping to refreshing.

When is freezing the right choice?

The rule of thumb is simple: bread you will eat within the week belongs on the kitchen counter, read more about how long homemade bread stays fresh. The rest belongs in the freezer, where both drying out and mould stop almost completely. The fridge is never an option, as the bread turns dry and crumbly in a single day.

Slice before freezing, or freeze whole?

For most people, the answer is: slice first. You take out frozen slices one by one, a slice is ready in the toaster in a couple of minutes, and you never thaw more than you eat. A whole loaf keeps its moisture a little better and suits the times when everything goes on the table at once. A good middle option is half loaves: large enough to feel freshly baked after refreshing, small enough to be eaten up in a couple of days.

The right wrapping for the freezer

In the freezer, air is the enemy: air against the surface of the bread causes freezer burn, the white, dry patches that ruin flavour and texture. Wrap the bread airtight in a freezer bag with as much air pressed out as possible, or in a sealed box, and write the date on the bag.

An honest clarification from us who make bread bags: a Bivoks™ bread bag does not belong in the freezer. It is sewn from cotton and linen to breathe at room temperature, and in freezing cold the beeswax layer turns stiff and the bag is not airtight. Use a freezer bag in the freezer and the bread bag on the counter.

Thawing: room temperature or straight in the oven?

Slices go straight from the freezer into the toaster, and after a couple of minutes they are as good as fresh.

Whole and half loaves thaw best at room temperature: leave the bread in its wrapping on a rack for 2-3 hours. The crust feels soft afterwards, which the oven puts right.

Refreshing is the step many people skip: 5-10 minutes on a rack in the oven at 200 °C drives the moisture out of the crust, and the bread comes out crisp on the outside and soft inside. If you are short on time, a fully frozen loaf can go straight into the oven at 175 °C for 25-35 minutes.

The most common freezing mistakes

Freezing the bread warm. The steam freezes into ice crystals and makes the crumb clammy when thawed. Cool the bread completely on a rack first.

Poor wrapping. Air in the bag dries the bread out week by week, so press the air out and seal it well.

Skipping the oven after thawing. The condensation makes the crust soft, and a few minutes in a hot oven rescues it.

Refreezing. The crumb turns dry and the flavour flat, so freeze in slices and you avoid the problem.

The freezer handles long-term storage, the bread bag handles the week

Freezing and good counter storage complement each other: the freezer takes everything you will not eat within a week or so, while storage on the counter decides whether the crust on today's bread stays crisp.

This is where the beeswax bread bag comes in. It is made from cotton and linen with natural beeswax and jojoba oil on the inside: the fabric breathes so condensation escapes, while the wax layer slows the drying out, and the bread stays fresh for 7-10 days, against 2-3 days in a plastic bag. The bag closes with a clip and can be reused for 12 months or more. You will find more pitfalls in the guide to common bread storage mistakes.

Frequently asked questions