Love to bake scones but live in a household that can't always get through a whole batch at once? Or maybe you just prefer them fresh from the oven at all times (I'm right there with ya). Either way, learning how to freeze scones is an invaluable skill to add to your baker's toolkit-and it's super easy to do! This post covers two different methods, so whether you're working with dough or leftover scones that have already been baked, you'll get all of the information you need!
Of all the many breakfast pastries to choose from, scones easily make my list of top favorites. They're deliciously flaky and buttery, pair beautifully with coffee and tea, and run the whole gamut of flavors from sweet to savory.
Think about it: there's the perfect simplicity of fluffy buttermilk scones, just begging to be slathered with jam, fruit compote, or whipped cream. And then there's the many seasonal options, like cherry scones and blueberry scones for summer, pumpkin spice scones for fall, and gingerbread scones for winter. Honestly-what's not to love?!?
But as much as I'm obsessed with them ALL, I'm very picky about how scones are served, and always recommend eating them fresh from the oven whenever possible. That doesn't mean you have to wake up early to make them though! It just means you need the lowdown on freezing scones for later, and I'm here to give you that!
P.S. What's your favorite scone flavor? Let me know in the comments below!
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Can you freeze scones before baking?
Absolutely! I actually prefer to freeze scone dough, since freshly-baked scones always have the best texture. In fact, one of my favorite kitchen "tips" is to bake a large batch of scones and freeze half the dough for later. It becomes such a convenient option you can turn to in a pinch!
Here's how it's done:
- Shape the scone dough into a round disc, place on a sheet of parchment paper set on top of a plate or baking sheet (to provide a stable surface), and freeze for 1 hour. This initial chilling period will help give you cleaner slices than you'd get if you try to slice the dough at room temperature.
- Slice the round into individual scones, separate them slightly so they're not touching, and freeze for one more hour. This helps ensure the scones are frozen enough to avoid sticking together.
- Transfer the now fully frozen scone dough wedges to a zip-top bag, label with the recipe/current date, and return to the freezer! Your scone dough should keep for up to 3 months. Easy, right? Note: You can also keep the dough in a freezer-safe container, but I've found that a zip-top bag uses less freezer space!
Scone Baking Tip!
All of my scone recipes call for freezing the dough for at least 1 hour prior to baking. The idea behind this is to keep the butter in the scones as cold as possible before it hits the oven. This way, you'll have pockets of butter in the dough that melt and create that perfectly flaky texture a good scone should have! (This is the same basic technique that keeps pie and galette crusts nice and flaky too.) As a bonus, this also helps with baking taller scones that don't spread as much in the oven.
When you're ready to bake off some breakfast-y deliciousness, simply follow these steps:
- Briefly defrost the frozen wedges at room temperature while the oven is preheating. You can also bake frozen scones directly, but defrosting them slightly first gives you a closer baking time to the original scone recipe, especially if the dough has been frozen for a while.
- Bake according to the original recipe's instructions, noting that the baking time may need to be increased by a few minutes - usually up to 5. If your recipe calls for brushing the unbaked dough with milk, cream, or an egg wash first, don't forget this step!
- Garnish with any post-bake icing or glaze once the scones have cooled.
Can you freeze scones after baking?
You sure can! Scones freeze well, so it's a great way to extend their shelf life if you made (or bought) too many.
Here's how to freeze baked scones - keep in mind they're best frozen while they're as fresh as possible!
- Transfer. Once scones have been baked and COMPLETELY cooled to room temperature, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container in a single layer. For extra protection against freezer burn, I recommend you wrap the scones individually in plastic wrap first.
- Label the container with the type of scone and the date they were baked and bagged.
- Freeze for up to 1 month.
How do you defrost frozen scones?
If you've frozen your scones after baking them, the best way to defrost them is to simply take them out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature. Make sure they're unwrapped and uncovered to prevent them from getting soggy.
In order to enjoy them while they're still fresh, you can defrost one scone at a time, or whatever amount you plan on eating within a few days.
What's the BEST way to freeze scones?
I personally think that freezing scones before baking is best, because the ideal way to eat scones is when they're fresh from the oven. That said, both methods can definitely be used!
Having frozen scones on hand - either baked or unbaked - is amazing if you have unexpected guests over for breakfast or afternoon tea. And if you follow either set of instructions above, your scones should taste great no matter which method you choose to use.
Reheating previously frozen scones
In my experience, the best way to reheat scones - whether previously frozen or not! - is with a toaster oven. Warm scones on the "toast" setting at 450ºF for roughly 5 minutes. Not only will this heat them up, it'll also bring back those slightly crisp edges for that fresh-from-the-oven texture, without making them soggy.
Keep in mind that if your scones were frozen, you should defrost them fully before reheating them using this method. Also note that reheating works best for scones without icing, since any icing will melt when exposed to heat.
Can you freeze scones twice?
You can freeze the scone dough once, and freeze the baked scones once, so technically yes! That said, just like with all other types of food, it's not recommended that you defrost and re-freeze either unbaked scones or baked ones. Here's why:
When scones are frozen, ice crystals form and break down the structure, leading to a dry and crumbly texture upon subsequent thaws. Additionally, the staling process is only slowed, not stopped, by freezing. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles can make scones taste stale more quickly than just keeping them frozen.
Flavor loss (or flavor absorption from other frozen goodies) is another concern. All in all, it's best to simply keep your scone dough frozen until you're ready to bake (and eat!) And if you do have more baked scones than you know what to do with, you can freeze them and defrost as needed.
Quick FAQs
Yes and yes! You can freeze basically every type of scone too, including fruit scones, cheese scones, and traditional scones. If your scones are store-bought, follow the instructions for freezing baked scones above.
You can freeze unbaked scones for up to three months, while baked scones shouldn't be frozen for longer than one month for the best flavor.
I wouldn't recommend it, since the texture of the icing will change with the process of freezing and defrosting/reheating. Instead, I'd suggest following the instructions above for freezing unbaked scones, and then baking/icing the scones whenever you're ready to serve them. Alternatively, you can freeze them after baking, defrost, and then add icing.
Yes! Either of the methods outlined above will work for drop scones. If you decide to freeze them prior to baking, portion them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm (about 2 hours) before transferring to a freezer bag for long-term storage.
Once baked, I find that scones are best stored in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag at room temperature. They're typically best eaten within 2-3 days.
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