Can You Freeze Icing?

If you’re a home baker, you probably like the idea of having a supply of icing on hand, so you don’t have to constantly prepare a fresh batch each time you go to make your signature cookies or cakes.

And with this in mind, what’s the best way to store icing? Can you freeze icing or not?

How to Freeze Icing

If you’re looking to get ahead with your baking, preparing your icing ahead of time is a good way to go about it. And while you can freeze icing once it has already been topped on a cake, it’s much better to bag it up and freeze it individually, as we explain in detail below:

How to Freeze Royal Icing 

Royal icing is typically made from egg whites or meringue powder, and it’s perfect for flooding and intricate piping work. Most royal icing recipes yield more icing than you need, so popping it in the freezer is a good way of preventing wastage.

Here’s how to freeze royal icing the right way: 

1. Separate Into Colours
   If you have several colours of royal icing, separate each colour and set it to one side. 
2. Bag up
   Place the icing in freezer-safe bags – it’s up to you how you portion it, but the smaller, the better. 
3. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date and the use-by date on your bag of icing and place it in the freezer. 

How to Freeze Fondant Icing 

Fondant icing is made with sugar and gelatine and is ideal for cutting into shapes and topping various baked goods. It has a different texture to royal icing, but you can still freeze it by following the steps below:

1. Slice
   If you have prepared a block of fondant icing, you should slice it into smaller sizes before freezing it, as this makes it easier to defrost whatever portion you need. 
2. Wrap
   Place each slice of fondant icing on a piece of cling film and wrap tightly. It’s best to double wrap your icing to protect it from freezer burn. 
3. Bag up
   Place each of your wrapped pieces of fondant icing in a freezer-safe bag. 
4. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date and the use-by date, and place your bag of fondant icing in the freezer. 

How to Freeze Glace Icing 

Glace is a glossy, smooth type of icing that is usually created with a range of flavours, including orange, chocolate, and coffee. It’s perfect for icing biscuits and cookies and goes hard when it has set.

Here’s how to freeze it:

1. Portion
   While it’s still runny, split your glace icing into portion sizes and place each in an individual cutting of plastic wrap. 
2. Bag up
   Drop each of the wrappings of icing into a freezer-safe bag and seal. 
3. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s fate and the use by date on the front of your freezer-safe bag and place it in the freezer.

3 Tips for Freezing Icing

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

Separate Colours and Flavours
If you’ve made several types of icing, including those with different flavours and colours, you will need to freeze them separately, as opposed to in the same bag. 

Protect it From Freezer Burn
The biggest issue you are likely to face when freezing icing is that it deteriorates when it’s exposed to frozen air. As such, you need to take care when you’re sealing your bags of icing and press out as much air as possible.

Also, make sure there are no air holes in the freezer-safe bags, as they will affect the quality of your icing. 

Freeze it Separately
In most instances, it’s best to freeze icing before topping your cakes or cookies. That isn’t to say that you can’t freeze cookies or cakes that have been iced; it’s just better to top them with icing or frosting after they have been frozen, so you don’t ruin the decoration.

How Long Can You Freeze Icing?

You can freeze icing for around three months, providing it is tightly wrapped. Icing should also be good in the fridge for 3-4 days without going bad.

Most types of icing will freeze with very little issue, which means you should never worry about wastage when you’ve prepared more icing than you actually need for your current crop of baked goods.

In fact, icing freezes so well that many home bakers make it in batches and defrost it as and when required. 

You Can Freeze Icing for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Icing?

The best way to defrost icing is to remove it from the freezer the night before you plan to use it. While it’s safe to thaw icing at room temperature, we’d advise you to leave it in the fridge until it has thawed.

You can always soften it by placing it in the microwave for 20 seconds or so, which will enable you to top your cake or cookies easily.

Can You Refreeze Icing?

Yes, you can refreeze icing, providing you defrosted it in the fridge the first time around. While the texture of your icing might change slightly, it shouldn’t be too noticeable.

However, we wouldn’t recommend refreezing icing more than once, as the ice crystals that form during the freezing process may begin to affect its quality.

Does Icing Freeze Well?

Royal, fondant, and glace icing all freeze really well. The only problem you’re likely to face when freezing icing is that it can deteriorate in quality when exposed to freezer burn.

As such, just make sure it is well wrapped, and you should encounter any issues during the freezing process. 

Related FAQs

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