Is there anything better than a delicious shortbread alongside a cup of tea on a cold day? The rich, butteriness of shortbread is difficult to replicate, and many shop-bought biscuits donāt live up to the hype. But how do you make sure you have a year-round supply of shortbread?
Can You Freeze Shortbread?
Yes, you can freeze shortbread for up to 3 months. Most baked biscuits keep well in the freezer and retain their crisp and moreish texture. This is great news if youāre a batch baker.
How to Freeze Shortbread
The good news is that freezing shortbread is a pretty straightforward process. You need to make sure you keep it well-wrapped to avoid freezer burn, but other than that, itās easy.
Below are the simple steps that you need to follow to freeze shortbread:
- Allow to Cool
When youāve taken your shortbread out of the oven, let them sit and cool before freezing. The shortbread usually takes a couple of hours to cool to room temperature. - Separate Into Portion Sizes
Unless you want to defrost the shortbread all in one go, itās better to slice the baked shortbread into individual portions before it cools. - Wrap in Cling Film
When your shortbread is cut, you need to wrap each in cling film. Some people like to double-wrap their shortbread to protect it from freezer burn. As long as itās totally covered with cling film, itās okay to put it in the freezer.Ā - Place in Freezer Bags and Label
Place your individually wrapped shortbread slices in a freezer bag. You should then label each bag with the date they were baked and a use-by date before placing them in the freezer.
Yes, shortbread dough can also be frozen if you don’t want to bake shortbread beforehand. Wrap the dough in cling film, place it into a freezer bag, label and freeze. That’s all there is to it.
Yes, shortbread cookies and biscuits can both be frozen. It doesn’t matter what shape or size the shortbread is – it can be frozen!
Freezer-Friendly Cookie Recipes
Try out one of these delicious recipes that are perfect for freezing:
How Long Can You Freeze Shortbread?
You can freeze shortbread for around three months.
This is an ideal amount of time if youāre planning your baking in advance of the holidays or if youāre looking to use up some leftovers. If you leave shortbread in the freezer any longer than that, both the taste and texture will begin to deteriorate.Ā
Properly stored in an airtight container, shortbread cookies can last in the cupboard for about 4 to 6 weeks. Keep them in a cool, dry place, away from strong odours or heat.
How Do You Defrost Shortbread?
The best way to defrost shortbread is to take out the desired portion from the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator.
Leave it wrapped in cling film when it is defrosting, so it doesnāt take on any of the odours in your refrigerator.Ā
Itās not a good idea to put shortbread in the microwave to defrost it, although it wonāt harm you if you do this. You risk ruining the texture, as not everyone enjoys soggy biscuits!
Can You Refreeze Shortbread?
Technically you can refreeze shortbread after it has thawed.
This is true for most biscuits. However, because of the crystals that form on the food during the process of freezing, you risk affecting the texture of your biscuits.
The best way to avoid having to refreeze shortbread is to separate them into individual portion sizes before you freeze it in the first place, as this will ensure you only take out what you need from the freezer.
Does Shortbread Freeze Well?
Shortbread is one of the best biscuit mixtures to freeze, and you will enjoy delicious shortbread biscuits whenever you decide to defrost them.
If you are to notice any subtle changes, you may find that the biscuit seems a little bit crumblier than when it is fresh, but this is unlikely to affect the overall taste.
If youāre planning a holiday batch of shortbread, you can rest assured that it will freeze really well, and you can save yourself a lot of baking time!Ā
Sources
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If you freeze raw shortbread dough do you bake from frozen or defrost it then bake it?
They do well if you leave them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw until chilled, then bake. That said, I’ve never had any problems when I place them frozen in an oven that has NOT been preheated and use the slow heating of the oven as a thawing process.