Yes, you can easily freeze bagels to keep them fresh for longer. Freezing helps bagels retain their freshness better since they tend to go stale easily in the fridge. Apart from freezing, bagels also retain their freshness better at room temperature. Therefore, for short term storage, simply store your bagels in a paper bag on your kitchen counter for not more than 5 days after which they start to go stale.
To freeze bagels, cut them into half then wrap them individually with a plastic bag to prevent freezer burns. Put the wrapped bagels in a paper bag and seal then put in the freezer for up to 6 months. To use frozen bagels, simply pop them in the toaster until crispy and enjoy them with a cup of coffee.
How to freeze bagels
The fresher the bagels the better the end product. Bagels retain their quality better in the freezer if frozen fresh from the bakery. Therefore once you bring bagels home or bake your own, simply freeze immediately the ones you don’t intend to use in the near future.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Sort bagels according to flavor if you have variety.
- Slice them into half. Slicing bagels before freezing makes it easy to pop them into the toaster right from the freezer saving you the time to thaw first when you decide to use them.
- Wrap the sliced bagels individually with a plastic bag to help minimize freezer burns
- Put the wrapped bagels in a freezer bag
- Seal the bags ensuring to remove any air inside
- Label the bags to avoid over freezing and to easily reach for the flavor of your choice.
- Put them in the freezer.
Bagels will remain fresh in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.
See also: How to Store Croissants
Can you Freeze English Muffins?
How to thaw bagels
There are three simple ways that you can easily use to thaw bagels.
One, pop your bagel in the toaster direct from the freezer. This method works perfect if you had sliced it before freezing.
Two, leave the bagel at room temperature for 30 minutes to thaw. Alternatively, you can defrost your bagels in the fridge overnight so that it will be ready for slicing and toasting in the morning.
Three, preheat your oven to 200°c and spray a little water on the bagels to give them a crispy feel when baked. Place the bagels on a cooking tray then bake for 4-5 minutes. Give them 2-3 minutes to cool off and you are good to go.