Can You Freeze Baklava?

3 minutes

Baklava is a hugely popular sweet treat in Middle Eastern cuisine and has become exceedingly popular in cultures all around the world. But what’s the best way to keep a batch of baklava long into the future? Can you freeze baklava? 

How to Freeze Baklava

There are several ways of freezing baklava, but we’re going to keep things simple. We’re assuming that you’ve prepared and baked baklava yourself, as opposed to store-bought (although the same method applies for both!).

So, below are the steps you need to follow to freeze baklava successfully.

1. Cool
   Once baked, you will need to leave baklava standing at room temperature until it has cooled sufficiently. This can take an hour or so, but it’s really important that you don’t put baklava that is still warm in the freezer, as it will go soggy. 
2. Wrap
   As promised, we’re trying to keep things as easy as possible. So, leave the baklava in the tray or pan it was baked in and wrap it tightly once it has cooled. Feel free to wrap it three or four times to be sure. 
3. Place in a Freezer-Safe Bag
   Slide your wrapped baklava into a freezer-safe bag and seal. 
4. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date as well as the use-by date on the bag, and place your baklava on a flat surface in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze baklava for around four months. 

3 Tips for Freezing Baklava

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing baklava to have the best results:

Portion it
If you prefer, you can slice your baklava into individual portions before you freeze it. While this makes your life easier when you’re ready to defrost it, it makes your life more difficult in the short term! Either way, you will need to wrap each portion before freezing them.

Consider Baklava’s Shelf Life
Baklava will last for at least two weeks after you have baked it without going bad. Therefore, if you think you will enjoy it within this timeframe, you don’t need to put it in the freezer. Instead, slice it up and keep it in a Tupperware box in the fridge. 

Warm it
Lots of people enjoy eating baklava warm. If you’re keen to try it like this, pop a portion in the oven once it has defrosted and allow it to warm for a few minutes. It’s important not to leave it for too long, or it will dry out. 

How Long Can You Freeze Baklava?

You can freeze baklava for around four months. But you can also keep it for at least two weeks without freezing it, meaning you should only put it in the freezer if you want to keep it for longer than this.

However, it’s a good idea to get your baklava in the freezer as quickly as you can because it will start to dry out ever so slightly when it’s kept at room temperature for too long.

You Can Freeze baklava for up to 4 Months

How Do You Defrost Baklava?

To thaw baklava, remove it from the freezer and place it directly in the fridge. You don’t need to unwrap it, and it should thaw within 8-10 hours. Once it has fully defrosted, you can then slice and serve it as desired.

As mentioned, if you want to serve your baklava warm, pop it in the oven for 5 minutes or so, but be careful not to overheat it. 

Can You Refreeze Baklava?

You should only freeze baklava once. Although we’ve advised you to freeze baklava whole before slicing it, if you’re concerned about wastage, consider cutting it into individual portion sizes before you place it in the freezer.

This will enable you to take smaller pieces of baklava out of the freezer as and when you need it, meaning you’re less likely to waste any. 

Does Baklava Freeze Well?

Baklava is a dessert that has a long shelf life without being frozen and will last several weeks without deteriorating in quality.

But if you decide to freeze it, you will find that it remains in great shape for up to four months, so it’s fair to say that this delectable treat freezes extremely well.   

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing baklava or baklava in general, then these may help:

How to Tell If Baklava Has Gone Bad?

There are a few things all baklava should be: Crispy and syrupy. If you notice either the texture of the filo pastry has softened or the syrup has begun to clump then these are the signs that the baklava is turning bad.

Can You Freeze Baklava Cheesecake?

Yes, baklava cheesecake is a thing! But no, we would avoid freezing it. Unfortunately, the combination of creamy cheesecake filling and a crispy baklava crust and topping will not freeze well. You’ll find everything loses its texture.