Scones are a delicious, buttery, and fresh breakfast food. They’re also the ideal treat for brunch or afternoon tea. If you find yourself short on time or possess extra scones, you might be thinking if freezing them is an option.
I have also been asked this question multiple times: “Can you freeze scones?”
Yes, you can preserve the exceptional quality of store-bought, homemade, or unbaked scones for up to three months by freezing them.
I will describe in this post the reasons and optimal method for freezing freshly baked scones.
Contents
What Are Scones?
Scones are a type of baked item that are often made using cold butter, flour, baking powder, and heavy whipping cream. They are gently sweetened and frequently served with clotted cream or jam. They have a multitude of flavors. On top of some is a delicious glaze.
Scones can be cooked in triangle shapes or formed into circular rounds that resemble American biscuits. Their crumbly texture makes them suitable for brunch, afternoon tea, or breakfast.
Why Freezing Scones is a Good Idea
During the week, I’m too busy working and assisting the kids with their schoolwork after school to have much time for baking. On the other hand, I enjoy cooking large quantities of different recipes on the weekends to use during the week.
If your family is busy, scones are great for batch baking and freezing. Freezing scones allows you to enjoy them at a later time without compromising their taste or texture. It’s a convenient way to have a delicious treat on hand whenever you need it.
You can defrost one or two when unexpected guests arrive or when you need something for the kids. Freezing them will keep them considerably fresher than putting them in a container.
How to Freeze Scones
A versatile fast bread, scones are available in a wide variety of tastes. They were traditionally prepared buttery and served with jam or clotted cream. Scones are now available with frosting, glazing, or flavorings like chocolate or blueberries. They go well with tea or coffee or on its own as part of a dessert platter.
Sadly, freshly baked scones are only good for a day or two. Freezing is an excellent approach to increase the shelf life of them if you want to create a batch at home or purchase them in bulk. Scones thaw with great taste and texture, thanks to their remarkable freezing quality. The techniques for freezing cooked and unbaked scones are listed below.
Freezing Baked Scones
The same procedures apply whether freezing store-bought or homemade baked scones:
Cool Completely: Make sure your homemade scones are completely chilled to prevent condensation in the container. It can cause the scones to become soft upon thawing.
Flash Freeze (Optional): Scones should be placed on a baking sheet in a single layer and frozen for a few hours. They won’t adhere to one another and squish in the freezer. You can omit this step if you want to wrap your scones.
Wrap (Optional): To preserve the texture and richness of each scone for long-term storage, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Package: Scones that have been wrapped or flash-frozen should be put in an airtight container or freezer bag. By doing this, you can be sure they won’t have freezer burns.
Seal and Label: After sealing the bag or container, expel any remaining air. To keep track of how long they’ve been frozen, mark it with the date.
Freeze: The bag or container should be placed in the freezer.
Freezing Unbaked Scone Dough
Freezing the dough is a great way to make a large amount of dough and bake the scones later. Though the scones may not rise as much when using frozen dough, they will still taste great.
Fresh is Best: Freeze the uncooked dough immediately, as it does not last long in the fridge.
Prepare Dough: Use your favorite scone recipe to make the dough.
Portion Dough: Cut the dough into scone shapes or portion it into balls, making it easier to thaw and bake later.
Flash Freeze: Place the portioned dough on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for several hours. This step is crucial if you are not wrapping the dough to prevent it from sticking together.
Wrap (Optional): For dough that will be frozen for more than a month, wrap each scone or dough ball in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to maintain quality and texture.
Package: Place the wrapped or flash-frozen scone dough into a freezer bag or an airtight container, taking care not to mash it.
Seal and Label: Seal the container or bag, remove any excess air, and label it with the date.
Freeze: Place the container or bag in your freezer.
How to Bake Frozen Unbaked Scones
Here’s what to do when the unbaked frozen scones are ready to be baked! The unbaked scones can be baked straight from the freezer to the oven. They don’t require thawing. In actuality, letting your unbaked scones thaw is not a good idea.
For a fluffy texture when making scones using butter, the butter must be chilled. You’ll get a dense texture if the butter melts while the food is thawing. I suggest baking unbaked scones straight out of the freezer in this manner.
- Set the oven’s temperature to 350°F.
- Use aluminum foil or parchment paper to line a baking tray. This will prevent the sticking of the scones.
- The frozen, unbaked scones should be placed on the baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between them to allow for expansion during baking.
- Arrange the baking sheet on the oven’s center rack.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Read also: Can You Freeze Naan Bread?
What Is the Shelf Life of Scones?
Scones must be eaten the day they are baked for optimal quality. As a matter of fact, it’s better to eat them shortly after baking. Freshly prepared scones are served right before afternoon tea, a major event in England’s finest hotels. Nothing is worse than receiving a scone that has been hanging around for the entire day, or even worse, one that is leftover from the previous day.
It should be noted that there aren’t many ingredients in both handmade scones and the ones you’ll get at a café or hotel afternoon tea. The preservatives, colorings, and stabilizers found in mass-produced scones from supermarkets are absent from them.
Wrap Up
Scone defrosting is as easy as taking them out of the freezer and putting them in the microwave for a few minutes on the defrost setting.
Make sure they are completely cooled before beginning if you are baking them at home. If not, condensation will accumulate within the package. Additionally, make sure to store them in a section of the freezer that will prevent crushing. If not, when they defrost they will be firmer and more compact.