The Best Way To Thaw Frozen Bread

Freshly baked bread can be one of life's most pure and ephemeral joys. The feel of a pillowy, tender loaf of brioche between your fingertips or the rough, rigid crust of a sourdough boule is so specifically satisfying that it's difficult to reproduce. Yet sadly, this window of delight is often fleeting with bread, as the freshness factor can start to decline mere hours after it leaves the oven.

If you've ever stared longingly at a loaf of artisanal bread in a bakery but didn't purchase it for fear of half of the bread eventually going to waste, fear not, we have a better option for you than making croutons at home yet again. Bread is easy to freeze for later uses, as long as it's properly stored before freezing. But, when it comes to thawing it out, placing it on the counter isn't the best way. 

Instead, let your frozen bread defrost in the refrigerator overnight. A longer defrost in the fridge is ideal so the temperature change is more gradual and will be less likely to cause sogginess, especially if you're defrosting a whole or half loaf, rather than slices.

If you buy a loaf of bread but aren't able to use the whole loaf while it's at peak quality, fear not, as we have a surefire method for keeping bread fresh long past those first days. On the day you buy the loaf, slice as much bread as you think you won't use in the next few days into individual slices. Cut squares of parchment paper slightly larger than the bread, and place them in between each slice. Tightly (but gently) wrap the stacks of slices in two layers of plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer-safe storage bag, labeling, and freezing.

If you don't want to thaw out your frozen bread in the fridge, you can remove a slice or two from the freezer as needed and put them directly into the toaster oven, flipping halfway through. This method gives you crisp yet tender slices on demand. Try this method so you'll be ready anytime to make one of our best sandwiches. 

Thawing the frozen bread at room temperature is always an option if you're in a time crunch, too. For bread with a crusty exterior, you can bring it back to its former glory with our unexpected tip for saving a stale baguette: Getting it wet. Run water all over the thawed bread, then place it onto the rack of an oven preheated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about five minutes, until the outside feels crispy and revived.