Can you freeze buttermilk is a question often asked by bakers everywhere – for good reason too! Buttermilk only seems to come in large portions and it is rare for any baking recipe to require the whole carton. So does it freeze ok?
Can You Freeze Buttermilk?
Yes, you can freeze buttermilk for up to 3 months. You can either freeze it in good-quality freezer bags or you can use a muffin tray depending on the quantity you would normally use in your cooking and baking.
Do Does Buttermilk freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Buttermilk? No
How To Freeze Buttermilk
There are a couple of methods of freezing buttermilk and both work absolutely fine. The method you choose is down to your personal preferences and the amount you want to have in each portion.
The first method we have outlined below is perfect in large quantities. If you know you’ll only need a little at a time, then the second method using a muffin tray is perfect.
How to Freeze Buttermilk In Freezer Bags
The first method is perfect for larger portion sizes of buttermilk – great for those times when you have lots of baking to do.
- Label Bags: Label some freezer bags so you know exactly what is in the bag. You will want to add the date too so you know when you need to use it by.
- Portion Out: Measure out a portion of buttermilk. Choose a portion size you use regularly in your recipes. Ladle the portion into the freezer bag.
- Seal: Squeeze out any excess air and seal the bag so that it is airtight.
- Place Onto Baking Tray: Lay the buttermilk and freezer bag flat onto a baking sheet and flatten. Do this with every portion of buttermilk you have.
- Freeze: Once you have all of your buttermilk in bags and laid flat on the baking sheet, pop the whole thing, including the baking sheet, into the freezer. Make sure you have space to keep the baking sheet flat and allow the buttermilk packets to freeze for a few hours.
- Remove From Tray: Once they have frozen you can remove the baking sheet and pop the frozen buttermilk back into the freezer.
How to Freeze Buttermilk In Muffin Trays
If you only use small amounts of buttermilk in recipes then you can freeze them in handy portions that you can grab out whenever you need.
Each section of a deep muffin tray will hold about a quarter of a cup of buttermilk – the perfect amount for most recipes.
- Ladle Portions Into Muffin Tray: Grab a silicone muffin tray and ladle a portion of buttermilk into each section. Make sure you leave a gap at the top to allow for the buttermilk to expand as it freezes.
- Freeze: Put the muffin tray onto a baking sheet so you can easily keep it flat and then pop it into the freezer.
- Remove from the Freeze: Allow the buttermilk to freeze for a few hours then remove them from the freezer.
- Bag Up: Pop the frozen buttermilk portions out of the muffin tray and into a freezer bag.
- Freeze Again: Date and label the bag and put it back into the freezer. You can grab out a portion from the bag any time you need.
How to Freeze Buttermilk Biscuits
If you have already used your buttermilk to bake some delicious biscuits or scones then you can freeze these too! Baked goods freeze well for a few months so you always have a tasty treat to hand.
Simply wait for your biscuits to cool after baking and pop them into the freezer in a labelled and dated freezer bag.
Most baked goods can be frozen in the same way so no matter what recipe you use buttermilk in you can pop them into the freezer for a great packed lunch addition or sweet treat.
3 Tips for Freezing Buttermilk
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing buttermilk to have the best results:
Consider Your Use
Think about the ways in which you use buttermilk and then freeze it in appropriate containers.
Label It Clearly
Once frozen, buttermilk can look like cream and milk. Make sure you label it clearly so you know exactly what it is you’re defrosting.
Whisk After Thawing
Once thawed, you may notice a change in the texture of the buttermilk. You can rectify this by giving it a quick but vigorous whisk to incorporate the separated fats.
How Long Can You Freeze Buttermilk?
Buttermilk can be kept in the freezer for up to three months. After this, the texture and taste might start to deteriorate too much to be tasty. So make sure you label the buttermilk well so you donāt forget to use it in time.
Opened buttermilk will keep in the fridge for around 14 days or until the expiry date, whichever comes sooner.
How Do You Defrost Buttermilk?
Defrosting buttermilk is easy to do but you do need to be patient because the slower you thaw it out the better. There are a couple of methods you can use when defrosting.
The first method is to take your frozen buttermilk out of the freezer, pop it into a bowl and then put it in the fridge overnight to thaw out slowly. This works well for whichever method you used to freeze the buttermilk.
If you need your buttermilk a little faster then you can pop a bag of frozen buttermilk into a bowl of cold water. Make sure you keep it in the bag or the buttermilk will mix with the water and become a little too watery to use.
If you have frozen the buttermilk flat this shouldnāt take too long to defrost and you can start baking
Can You Refreeze Buttermilk?
We wouldnāt recommend that any food is refrozen in its original state so once you have thawed out your buttermilk make sure you use it within a few hours. If it has been defrosted over a day then it is best to throw it away.
However, not refreezing only applies to the buttermilk in its uncooked state. Once you have used it in your baking you should be able to freeze the baked results with no problems at all.
Does Buttermilk Freeze Well?
Buttermilk isnāt one of those items that freeze perfectly. When it is frozen it does change the texture and might even separate out. A quick blend with a blender or whisk should sort this out and you can mix it up again.
Unfortunately, it will never quite have the same texture again once it has been frozen.
Although buttermilk doesnāt freeze perfectly, once you have blended it and added it to a recipe you shouldnāt be able to tell the difference at all. So make sure you pop any leftover buttermilk you have in the freezer ready for the next time you bake.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing buttermilk or buttermilk in general, then these may help:
Although it would freeze, freezing chicken in buttermilk is not a good idea. The buttermilk can slightly cook the chicken and you’ll find that ruins the texture of the chicken.
Yes, generally, you can freeze buttermilk in the carton. However, if the carton has been filled to the brim then there is a minor risk it’ll split once frozen.
