Freezing sourdough bread is a great way to extend the shelf life of your bread and reduce food waste. It’s the best way to make sure that every bit of your hard work is ultimately enjoyed! Maybe you’re struggling to finish a loaf before it gets old. Or you simply want to get ahead of your baking and love the idea of having bread stashed away.
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Nothing beats a fresh from the oven loaf of sourdough bread. The crisp crust, the smell of fresh bread, the way the butter melts perfectly on the first slice. Sourdough baking, though, is a labor of love. And when you’ve devoted 15 plus hours to creating something so delicious and nourishing, you want to make sure not a slice of it goes to waste!
Can You Freeze Sourdough Bread?
Yes! Freezing sourdough bread is an excellent way to preserve your bread bounty. There’s nothing better when you’re in a pinch for time, than discovering a loaf of bread hiding in the freezer, ready to go. When preparing to have my babies, one of my biggest priorities was always to make sure I had plenty of bread baked and, in the freezer, ready to feed us through the coming months!
When we freeze sourdough bread, we do lose that crisp, artisan crust. It’s difficult to replicate or preserve that perfect fresh from the oven crust. However, I’m content to let this be a pleasure reserved for baking day. Frozen bread when reheated has a wonderful crumb that remains soft and chewy. Instead of letting the bread dry out on the counter, we halt time and keep our bread at its peak freshness. Once reheated, it’s ready to make delicious sandwiches or toast.
How Long will Sourdough Bread Stay Fresh?
Homemade sourdough bread lacks the preservatives that allow a loaf of store-bought bread to sit endlessly in the pantry. Sourdough bread will stay fresh at room temperature for 3-5 days. During this time, the crust will soften, and the crumb will start to dry out. After five days you may start to see mold on your bread. At this point, it’s time to say goodbye.
How to Store Fresh Sourdough Bread
How you choose to store your sourdough bread can determine how long it stays fresh. Here are some of the best ways to store your bread for longevity.
Linen Bread Bag: The golden standard is to place your bread in a linen bag. Linen allows plenty of air flow during storage which prevents any moisture being trapped. As a result, your crust stays crisper and mold is less likely to grow.
Bread Box: Similar to the Linen Bread bag, a bread box allows air to circulate around your loaf. They can also look nice on your counter and add a homey touch to your kitchen.
Brown Paper Bag: A paper bag is a great disposable option for storing bread. It can keep your bread from drying out as quickly on the counter and is more breathable than plastic.
Plastic Bag: I only use plastic bags when storing bread in the freezer. A gallon Ziplock bag works perfectly here.
Beautiful ways to store your bread: Some more aesthetic options for storing sourdough on the counter include placing it in a basket covered with a pretty tea towel. Alternately, try putting your loaf on a wooden board and covering it with a cake dome. What a pretty addition to your kitchen!
Why Would I Want to Freeze my Sourdough Bread?
To Extend the Shelf Life
You may have a smaller family or you just don’t go through that much bread. Freezing sourdough bread is a great way to get more mileage out of your efforts. If you know you will only go through half a loaf of bread at a time, go ahead and throw the other half in the freezer and you’ll have bread for next week.
To Prep Ahead
Sometimes it works better for me to have one big baking day. I can get my bread making done for a while by getting several loafs going at once. Then, I simply store the extra loaves in the freezer. Next time I need bread, it will be so easy to pull it out.
Something Unexpected Comes Up
While I prefer to freeze my sourdough the day I make it, you can also freeze bread that has been sitting out for a couple of days. If something comes up and I can see that we’re not going to be able to finish a loaf, I throw it in the freezer. This older bread is perfect for things like croutons, bread crumbs, or French toast.
Freezing Sourdough Bread
Whole Loaf
Best for long term storage
- Allow the loaf of bread to cool completely at room temperature.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If you want to store the bread longer than three months, I recommend wrapping first in plastic wrap, and then adding a second layer of aluminum foil.
- Place the wrapped loaf in a gallon sized plastic bag.
- Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Freezing Sliced Sourdough Bread
Best for short term storage
- Allow the loaf of bread to cool completely at room temperature.
- Cut your loaf in half down the middle.
- Place each half cut side down and slice with a serrated bread knife.
- Transfer each half to a gallon sized plastic bag. Optional: Place a sheet of deli paper between each slice to make them easier to pull apart while frozen.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat Frozen Sourdough Bread
The easiest way to thaw a loaf of sourdough is simply to take it out of the freezer the night before you want to use it. Let it set out on the counter at room temperature and it will be ready to use in the morning. However, letting bread thaw at room temperature can dry the crumb out a little. For best results, you want to reheat your sourdough bread and there are a few tricks for how to do this successfully.
Reheating a Whole Loaf
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Take your sourdough loaf out of the freezer and remove any plastic packaging.
- Wrap the bread in aluminum foil.
- Place in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
- After the loaf is warm through, remove from the oven and unwrap it. Place it on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Reheating Sliced Sourdough Bread
To reheat multiple slices in the oven: Place frozen slices of bread onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until warm through. Enjoy!
To toast: Place frozen sourdough bread slices directly in the toaster. Top with butter and jam and enjoy!
You can also reheat frozen sourdough bread slices in a microwave. Thaw a bread slice in 15 second intervals until it is warm through.
Can You Freeze Sourdough Bread Dough?
Yes! Freezing sourdough bread dough can be very helpful. This is useful when you’re trying to prep ahead. It’s also helpful when something unexpected comes up in the middle of bake day. Freeze your dough instead of letting it go to waste. Next time you need bread you’ll have your dough ready to go!
To freeze sourdough bread dough, make your dough and let it complete the bulk fermtation process. This first rising period usually lasts 8-12 hours and is when the bread dough does most of its “growing.” After the bulk rise, you will shape your dough and place it in a proofing basket.
Instead of allowing your dough to complete the final rise, we are going to freeze it and halt the process. Double wrap your dough in the proofing basket with plastic wrap. Place the whole thing in the freezer and freeze until solid, about 8 hours. The dough can remain in the freezer for up to 8 months.
When you’re ready to bake your bread, transfer the proofing basket from the freezer to the refrigerator. Allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours up to 3 days. At that point you will bake your bread loaf directly from the refrigerator. Pull it out of the fridge, score it, and place it in the preheated oven to bake according to the recipe!
Can You Freeze Sourdough Starter?
Sourdough starter is easy to freeze. Take about a half cup of starter and place it in a freezer safe container or a plastic bag. Place the starter in the freezer and freeze until solid. Your starter will not need to be fed when it’s frozen. You’ve essentially put pause on it’s activity. Starter can stay in a deep freezer for up to a year without a problem.
To wake up your starter, the first step is to thaw it out. Place it on the counter at room temperature and allow it to sit until you can stir it easily with a fork. Feed your starter as you normally would, making sure to double its volume. Continue to feed your starter once a day until it becomes active and bubbly. You should see that it doubles after its fed within 8-12 hours. This may take a couple of days of feeding or as long as a week. Once it’s doubling reliably, you’re ready to bake bread!
Learning how to put your freezer to work for you is so helpful! Let us know what you think and if freezing your bread is helpful in your weekly routine!
