So it is a Sunday and you are deciding to make a big batch of hot cross buns. While the family could possibly eat them all off in one sitting, you are being smart and actually wanting to store them for another time. So what is the best way to do this? If you keep them out, they are going to get dried out and disgusting. What about the freezer? Is that even a viable option?
If you ended up on this page, I am pretty sure you want to know if you can freeze hot cross buns? The answer is yes and below I am going to show you how to do it. The process is very simple and it should only take you a couple of minutes to have everything packed and ready to go.
Why It’s A Good Idea to Freeze Them
Freezing hot cross buns is not only a time saver, but you can also make a really big batch and have them later on, when you have that sweet/savory craving. You find that that the buns hold up really well in the freezer and if packaged properly, they taste the same as when they first went in. The good thing is if you follow the directions below, you can enjoy your hot cross buns for possibly 1-3 months, without it losing the taste or freshness.
How to Freeze Hot Cross Buns?
The freezing process is pretty simple and all you need to ensure is that the buns are wrapped up properly, before placing them in the freezer.
Step 1
The first thing you are going to need are fresh hot cross buns. If you are baking them, you are going to want to allow them to cool off before you consider getting them ready for the freezer.
Step 2
Once they have fully cooled, you can now wrap them in plastic cling wrap. You are going to want to ensure each bun is fully covered.
If you have plans to glaze the buns it may be easiest to pack the buns into boxes, with layers of baking parchment (parchment paper) in between the buns.
Step 3
Once you have a layer of plastic wrap around the buns, it might be a good idea to wrap them again with aluminum foil. This will to give them extra protection against the low temperatures in the freezer also make sure that they do not get dried out.
If they are glazed, you can use the aluminum foil and wrap the box that the buns are in.
Step 4
Once everything is wrapped, you can now place them inside a freezer bag. Try and squeeze out as much air as possible before you seal the bag.
If dealing with the glazed options and the box that they are in is too big for the freezer bag, you could take the box and place it in an airtight freezer container.
Step 5
It is always a good idea to label the container/freezer bag with the date. This will help you, as you can have an idea as to when they first went in. Remember, you can store the hot cross buns in the freezer for up to 3 months if packaged properly.
Thawing and Reheating
When you are ready to dig in and enjoy your frozen hot cross buns, you are going to have to let them defrost before you prep them to be reheated.
Thawing
Ideally you are going to want to let them reheat at room temperature. So you take them out the freezer, but let them sit with the plastic wrap still on them. This process is going to take possibly up to an hour or longer, depending on how many buns you are defrosting at a given time. But once the buns have been fully thawed out, you can eat them as is or reheat them
Reheating
I have a pretty thorough guide on reheating hot cross buns. Here you can look at the many options available. However, if you really want to get them warmed up the right way, the best options is to use the oven. This is a process that can take up to 20 minutes, but it is definitely worth the wait, especially for them to come out piping hot.
