Can the buns be frozen? The ultimate guide

Scones are easy-to-make, plain-serve bakery items often eaten with jam and cream. They are simple to prepare and there is nothing better than warm breakfast scones served with a cup of tea. But can you make scones in one batch and save them for later use?

Can the buns be frozen?

Yes you can freeze buns. You can store both baked and unbaked scones in the freezer. Baked scones keep for 3 months in the freezer and you can reheat them in just a few minutes in the oven or microwave. No-bake scones, on the other hand, will last about 3 weeks in the freezer. You do not need to thaw them before baking. Uncooked scones go from the freezer directly to the oven. 

This article is the ultimate guide to freezing scones, whether you consider them baked or no-bake.

What are buns?

Scones are bakery products originating in the United Kingdom and highly appreciated in many other countries for their ease of preparation. They are single-serving cakes made with flour and baking soda, which is the leavening agent in the recipe.

The scones are usually lightly sweetened as they are not meant to be eaten plain.

The buns can be simple or contain raisins, nuts, dates, etc. Savory buns made with cheese or bacon are also popular in some countries.

The scones can be egg glazed to give them a nice golden color once baked. If you bake sweet buns, you can also decorate them with a vanilla cream frosting.

Texture wise, the scones are crumbly and light.

The buns also have different shapes. They can be round or triangular in shape.

As part of the afternoon tea tradition in England, which is also known as cream tea, scones are served with jam and clotted cheese.

Can the buns be frozen?

The buns are quite simple in terms of the ingredients and the cooking process.

Since they contain very little moisture , freezing buns is not a problem. Unlike many other baked goods, they do not undergo major changes in texture and flavor.

The only thing you may notice when baking frozen buns is that they don’t rise as much as fresh ones. However, this shouldn’t stop you from making scones ahead of time and storing them in the freezer for when you need a quick treat.

Why You Should Consider Freezing Scones

Scones are a very easy and delicious breakfast. If you are a person who misses breakfast for the sole reason of not being able to prepare it, then you should try to make buns in advance and store them in the freezer.

Whether you freeze baked or no-bake scones, you’ll have a delicious breakfast ready in no time.

If you are a person who is not on a restricted diet, you can also enjoy the buns for lunch.

Considering how easy it is to bake scones and the variety of ways you can make them, freezing scones is something to consider.

Can you freeze baked scones?

If you’ve accidentally made too many scones, you can easily freeze them for later use. Here’s how to freeze baked scones:

• Place the buns in a resealable plastic bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag.
• Lay the buns side by side so the bag lays flat in the freezer and doesn’t take up too much space. This will also prevent the buns from getting squashed and falling apart.

There are three ways to defrost baked buns:

1. If you’re in a hurry, you can defrost them in the microwave. Defrost the buns on the low setting so they thaw slowly and completely. This will reheat the buns at the same time.
2. If you have time, you can let the scones thaw on your kitchen counter for about an hour. Once thawed, reheat the buns in the oven or microwave.
3. You can also thaw the baked buns in the fridge. If you are a person who decides on their breakfast the day before, move the buns from the cold room to the fridge. Let the scones thaw in the fridge overnight. In the morning, reheat the scones in the oven or microwave.

When using the microwave to reheat the buns, be careful not to overheat or hold them too long. Microwaving the buns for too long will make them tough.

Is it better to freeze the buns cooked or raw?

You can freeze both cooked and uncooked buns. Depending on how much time you are willing to spend reheating the buns and preparing them for your breakfast or lunch, one of these options may be better for you.

If you can spare a few more minutes to bake uncooked scones, it’s much preferable to freeze them unbaked. In this way, you will enjoy the feeling of freshly baked buns.

If you don’t want to bake the scones after freezing them, then freezing pre-baked scones is a better option. Defrosting and reheating them in the microwave takes a few minutes. 

Baked scones can take about 8 minutes to fully reheat in the oven, and even less if you use the microwave.

No - bake scones , on the other hand, will take at least 15 minutes to bake. If you bake them without defrosting, the baking time will be extended by an additional 5 minutes.

The best way to freeze buns

The best way to freeze buns is to do it uncooked. This way, when you reheat the scones, you will enjoy them as freshly made and baked.

Here’s a complete guide on how to freeze scones, from making the dough to storing the uncooked scones in the freezer. 

Preparation of buns suitable for the freezer

Any bun freezes well. However, if this is your first time freezing scones, it’s best to start with a simple scone dough recipe.

For the easiest scone dough to freeze

• Mix 3 cups of all-purpose flour with half a cup of sugar and 5 teaspoons of baking powder. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt.
• Add 170 grams of butter (3/4 cup)
• Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 beaten egg and add the mixture to the rest of the ingredients. Remember not to over mix the batter. This will make the buns chewy and dense when you bake them.

And here is a simple bun recipe that you can customize by making it sweeter or more savoury. No matter what flavors you add to this basic recipe, you can freeze the scones for later use.

Once the dough is ready, cut it into circles. If you prefer triangular-shaped buns, pat the dough to make a large circle and cut into wedges.

Freeze the no-bake buns

Once the buns are shaped and ready, it’s time to prepare them for the freezer. Here’s what you need to do to freeze no-bake scones: 

1. Line the baking tray with parchment paper or transparent paper. Place the buns on the tray leaving some distance between them.
2. Leave the buns in the freezer for an hour or more. Buns need to be frozen until hard enough. This will ensure that the buns don’t stick to each other once you put them together.
3. Transfer the uncooked frozen buns to a plastic bag or container. If you have too many buns, you can layer them using baking paper between them.
4. Make sure the container or bag you store the buns in is airtight. If necessary, secure it with transparent paper. If the container or plastic bag is not tightly closed, the buns will not only get freezer burn, but they will also absorb odors from other items in the freezer.
5. Label the container or plastic bag with the date. If you are freezing multiple types of buns, be sure to list that as well.
6. Use the uncooked ones within 3 weeks or a month.

Once you have uncooked scones stored in the freezer, you can have a hearty breakfast or meal ready in a matter of minutes.

How to thaw and bake frozen scones

You may think that to thaw and bake frozen scones you’ll need to thaw them for hours in the fridge or at room temperature before popping them in the oven to bake.

You can thaw uncooked buns for a while before baking . However, it’s not the easiest or fastest way to get your frozen buns ready.

Also, it is recommended to keep the buns somewhat cool before baking. This way, the butter in the dough doesn’t melt, which produces a better result once the buns are cooked.

Follow these steps to successfully bake frozen buns.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the buns from sticking. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, use cooking spray.
3. Take the buns out of the freezer and place them on the baking sheet. Leave space between the buns, as they expand during baking.
4. Place the cookie sheet on the center shelf.
5. Bake the buns until they reach a golden color. This can take 15-20 minutes or longer if the buns are larger.

Cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of the buns. Therefore, it is best to keep an eye on them and take them out when they are ready.

How long can the buns be kept in the freezer?

The shelf life of buns largely depends on the conditions in which you store them. The most important preservation rule for buns is that they should be stored in a dry place.

• If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the scones will only keep for a couple of days.
• If they are kept in the fridge, you can extend their shelf life up to a week.
• If you’ve made a large batch and don’t want to eat scones for breakfast for 7 days in a row, storing them in the freezer will give you the freedom to enjoy them in a few months.

Scones baked in the freezer will last up to 3 months. They will keep indefinitely in the fridge if the temperature is 0°F.

No-bake scones will last about 3 weeks in the freezer if the right conditions are met and they are packaged properly.

No air should get into the buns. Otherwise, you run the risk of freezer burn. 

Unbaked scones may still be safe after 3 weeks. However, you may notice that they don’t rise as much as they should once baked.

In either case, if you notice an unpleasant odor or mold, discard the buns.

3 tips for freezing and thawing buns

Here are some tips to apply when freezing and thawing scones.

Tip #1: Wrap the buns individually

If you only have a few baked scones left and you don’t want them to go to waste, wrap them individually with a few layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer.

You can also use aluminum foil to keep the buns safe from air and freezer burn.

Tip #2: Brush the buns with an egg wash after thawing

If you’re willing to spend a little extra effort baking frozen scones, there’s a way to elevate your pre-made scones.

Once the no-bake scones are slightly thawed and ready to go in the oven, brush them with an egg wash, cream or milk, and sprinkle a little sugar on top.

If you like your scones on the sweeter side, you can also make an easy vanilla frosting using powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract . Drizzle the buns with the glaze only when they have cooled. Otherwise they will absorb it quickly.

Tip #3: Defrost buns while the oven is preheating

If transferring frozen scones from the freezer directly to the oven seems weird to you, here’s what you can do to quickly thaw frozen scones and bake them.

Place the frozen scones on the baking sheet and put them in the oven when you finish turning it on. As the oven heats up, the buns will defrost and are ready to bake.

Related questions

Can Homemade Cheese Scones Be Freezed?

All buns can be frozen.  No matter what kind of scones you make, whether they’re plain, with nuts, raisins, or cheese, you can freeze them just fine.

To store the cheese buns in the fridge, place them on a cookie sheet and let them freeze individually first. Once they are all frozen, transfer them to a resealable plastic bag. Do not overfill the bag with buns so as not to crush them.

You can keep the cheese buns in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them and reheat them in the oven when you want to eat them.

Freezing cheese scones significantly extends their shelf life, otherwise they will only keep for a few days if stored in an airtight container.

Can buttermilk scones be frozen?

You can freeze buttermilk scones both before and after baking.

If you want to bake and freeze buttermilk buns, be sure to let them cool before putting them in the fridge.

If you put hot buns in a plastic bag or container and put it in the freezer, the steam from the buns will create moisture. This will make the buns of poor quality when you thaw them.

Thaw the buttermilk buns at room temperature for one hour. To warm them up, place the buns in the hot oven for up to 10 minutes.