Banana bread is a favorite sweet snack, a dessert, or an addition to a delicious packed lunch. Kids and adults alike love this sweet, moist bread. But, can you freeze it?
Can You Freeze Banana Bread?
Yes, you can freeze banana bread for up to 4 months. You can freeze whole loaves, banana bread leftover as well as banana bread dough. (Full Instructions Below – Sliced, Loaf, Batter)
Do Does Banana Bread freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Banana Bread? No
How To Freeze Banana Bread
Freezing banana bread is similar to freezing any kind of bread, and it is just as easy. You can either freeze whole loaves or portion it out into slices and freeze them separately.
How to Freeze Whole Banana Bread Loaves
Having a loaf of banana bread in the freezer is a great idea for those occasions when you have guests popping around for a cuppa but don’t have the time to bake. It couldn’t be simpler to freeze a loaf of bread.
- Wrap
Once your banana bread has completely cooled after baking, wrap it in foil or parchment paper. - Prepare Bag
Prepare a freezer bag by writing the contents and the date on the bag. - Bag Up
Pop the wrapped loaf of banana bread into the bag. - Freeze
Squeeze out as much excess air as you can, and then pop the whole thing into the freezer.
How to Freeze Slices of Banana Bread
This method is perfect if you like to add banana bread to packed lunches or only need a slice or two at a time.
- Slice Up
Allow your banana bread to cool completely and then cut into slices. - Wrap
Take each slice and wrap it in tin foil. - Wrap Again
Add an extra layer of tin foil to ensure no air can get to the banana bread and dry it out. - Bag Up Grab a large freezer bag and write the contents and date on the bag in a permanent marker. Pop your slices into the bag.
- Freeze
Place the bag of banana bread slices into the freezer.
How to Freeze Banana Bread Dough
If you love freshly baked banana bread but don’t always have time to make the dough, then you can have the best of both worlds! You can make up batches of banana bread dough in bulk and store it in the freezer for baking at a later date.
One thing to note is that it will take longer to thaw out banana bread dough compared to a slice or two of cooked banana bread, but if freshly baked bread is your goal, then this shouldn’t be a problem.
If you are wondering how to freeze dough, then we have the answer.
- Make Dough
Make your dough according to your favourite recipe and pop it into the pan you intend to freeze the bread in. Make sure your pan is freezer-safe before freezing. - Wrap and Bag
Wrap the entire tin in foil and then pop it into a freezer bag. - Freeze
Label the bag with the date and the contents and then pop it into the freezer.
When it comes to defrosting, take the whole thing out of the freezer and thaw out for a few hours, then bake as normal.
3 Tips for Freezing Banana Bread
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing banana bread to have the best results:
Freeze Dough for Fresh Bread
If you still want to enjoy the smell of freshly baked banana bread, try freezing dough. You still get the satisfaction of baking it fresh without the prep.
Keep the Air Out
Air is the enemy of banana bread. It will ruin the texture and dry it out. Make sure you wrap it tightly. This is especially important for slices as the outer crust is no longer there as protection.
Consider Portions
You need to think about the portions you eat banana bread in and store it in the freezer accordingly. Don’t freeze a full load if you’ll only eat a couple of slices at a time.
How Long Can You Freeze Banana Bread?
Baked banana bread can be kept in the freezer for up to four months without it going bad.
After this, it will start to develop freezer burn, and the taste will degrade. This shouldn’t be a problem, though. Banana bread never lasts that long before people eat it anyway!
You Can Freeze Banana Bread for Around 4 Months
How Do You Defrost Banana Bread?
To thaw out banana bread, you need to allow it plenty of time to defrost slowly. The time this takes will depend on how you decided to freeze your banana bread. Loaves might take a few hours, whereas a slice will take only twenty to thirty minutes.
When it comes to defrosting simply take your banana bread out of the freezer and pop it onto the kitchen side (Keeping it covered) for as long as it needs.
If you need your bread a little quicker, you can always pop it into the microwave on a defrost setting for a few seconds to give it a helping hand. This may result in your bread going a little soggy, so it might need toasting afterwards.
You can always bypass all of this and if you have frozen your banana bread cut into slices, then pop the slices directly into the toaster and toast! Perfect for a quick and easy snack.
Can You Refreeze Banana Bread?
You shouldn’t refreeze banana bread once you have frozen it and already thawed it out. This can cause the bread to deteriorate, and it will change the texture.
Not only can it deteriorate the texture and taste of the bread, but refreezing food items can also make you sick!
Does Banana Bread Freeze Well?
Banana bread is like most other bread in that it does freeze very well. You shouldn’t notice too much of a difference between frozen and fresh banana bread, especially if you choose to toast your banana bread once it has thawed out.
FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing banana bread or bananas in general, then these may help:
No, refreezing banana bread is not advised. The only exception to this rule is if you have frozen banana bread dough, defrosted it, and baked it. The resulting loaf can be placed into the freezer with no problems.
Yes, you can freeze banana bread batter. Once you’ve made your dough, pour it into a good-quality bag, seal it up and then place it into your freezer. Make sure you label it clearly, of course!
Properly stored (wrapped in foil and/or an airtight container), banana bread can last 7 to 10 days in the fridge.
One of the best ways to freeze banana bread is as a dough. This means that you can still experience that freshly baked bread smell and taste without the hassle of making the dough.
