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How to Freeze Biscuit Dough
I really enjoy a freshly baked, homemade biscuit with my morning or afternoon tea. Unfortunately I don't really enjoy making them. It's not the time it takes to make them, biscuits bake pretty quickly. But they need to be rolled and cut into shapes or scooped, rolled and pressed, and that is fiddly and takes time.
Then a few years ago, well more than a few actually, I discovered that biscuit dough can be frozen. Win!
And then I discovered that biscuit dough can be baked straight from the freezer - win! win!
Ever since I've enjoyed making biscuits, freezing the dough and baking them as they are needed.
I like to spend a couple of hours making different biscuit doughs and flash freezing them. It is one way to stay ahead of the baking, thus reducing the urge to just buy a packet of biscuits. And your visitors think you are amazing when you can offer them a freshly baked, straight from the oven biscuit with their cuppa. I did I mention how having a supply of biscuit dough in the freezer saves you a fortune on last minute gifts too?
Freezing the dough is easy. Just make your recipe (and remember it is just as easy to double, triple or quadruple the recipe - you only have one mess to clean up!) as per the instructions. Then prepare to freeze.
Now there are two ways to freeze your dough:
1. In logs
2. As biscuits ready to bake.
To freeze biscuit dough logs:
This is great for slice and bake biscuits. Line a biscuit tray with foil and then clingwrap. Shape the dough into logs about 5cm round. Place the log of dough in the centre of the biscuit tray. Wrap the clingwrap around the log (or logs if you've increased the recipe) and twist the ends to close. Then wrap the foil around the plastic wrap, making sure you seal the ends. Label with a permanent marker. Freeze. Biscuit dough will freeze for up to three months.
To bake slice dough into biscuits and bake as per the recipe. If you are baking from frozen add 2 - 2-1/2 minutes to the baking time.
Freezing biscuit dough balls:
Just scoop out a small ball of dough (the recipe should tell you the approximate size i.e. two teaspoons of dough) and place onto a piece of baking paper on a biscuit tray. Flash freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer dough balls to a ziplock bag or airtight container. You could also lay the balls flat in a plastic freezer baggie and freeze them in a “tray form.” Freeze up to 3 months.
To bake take out the number of dough balls you need and place them on a baking paper lined biscuit tray. Let them sit while the oven pre-heats (remember: always pre-heat your oven when baking or you may end up with a flop) then bake as per the recipe. If you are baking straight from the freezer add 2 minutes to the baking time, but watch very carefully so the biscuits don't burn,
My top tip for baking biscuits is one I learned from a friend who is a Home Ec teacher: let the dough rest in the fridge for 24 hours before baking! Trust me, your biscuits will brown more evenly, have a much nicer texture and taste nicer. I don't know why, they just do. Try it and see if you aren't impressed.
Biscuit Doughs that Freeze Well
All these recipes are in the Biscuit Recipe File.
Then a few years ago, well more than a few actually, I discovered that biscuit dough can be frozen. Win!
And then I discovered that biscuit dough can be baked straight from the freezer - win! win!
Ever since I've enjoyed making biscuits, freezing the dough and baking them as they are needed.
I like to spend a couple of hours making different biscuit doughs and flash freezing them. It is one way to stay ahead of the baking, thus reducing the urge to just buy a packet of biscuits. And your visitors think you are amazing when you can offer them a freshly baked, straight from the oven biscuit with their cuppa. I did I mention how having a supply of biscuit dough in the freezer saves you a fortune on last minute gifts too?
Freezing the dough is easy. Just make your recipe (and remember it is just as easy to double, triple or quadruple the recipe - you only have one mess to clean up!) as per the instructions. Then prepare to freeze.
Now there are two ways to freeze your dough:
1. In logs
2. As biscuits ready to bake.
To freeze biscuit dough logs:
This is great for slice and bake biscuits. Line a biscuit tray with foil and then clingwrap. Shape the dough into logs about 5cm round. Place the log of dough in the centre of the biscuit tray. Wrap the clingwrap around the log (or logs if you've increased the recipe) and twist the ends to close. Then wrap the foil around the plastic wrap, making sure you seal the ends. Label with a permanent marker. Freeze. Biscuit dough will freeze for up to three months.
To bake slice dough into biscuits and bake as per the recipe. If you are baking from frozen add 2 - 2-1/2 minutes to the baking time.
Freezing biscuit dough balls:
Just scoop out a small ball of dough (the recipe should tell you the approximate size i.e. two teaspoons of dough) and place onto a piece of baking paper on a biscuit tray. Flash freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer dough balls to a ziplock bag or airtight container. You could also lay the balls flat in a plastic freezer baggie and freeze them in a “tray form.” Freeze up to 3 months.
To bake take out the number of dough balls you need and place them on a baking paper lined biscuit tray. Let them sit while the oven pre-heats (remember: always pre-heat your oven when baking or you may end up with a flop) then bake as per the recipe. If you are baking straight from the freezer add 2 minutes to the baking time, but watch very carefully so the biscuits don't burn,
My top tip for baking biscuits is one I learned from a friend who is a Home Ec teacher: let the dough rest in the fridge for 24 hours before baking! Trust me, your biscuits will brown more evenly, have a much nicer texture and taste nicer. I don't know why, they just do. Try it and see if you aren't impressed.
Biscuit Doughs that Freeze Well
All these recipes are in the Biscuit Recipe File.
- Cranberry Hootycreeks
- Lunchbox Cookies
- 5 Minute Choc Chip Cookies
- Apricot & Oat Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Christmas Snickerdoodles
- Crunchy Coconut Cookies
- Ginger Nuts