Can focaccia be frozen?

Purchased or baked your first focaccia and aren’t sure how to store it for the long term? Can focaccia be frozen?

the short answer

You can freeze the focaccia whole or sliced. Before placing it in the freezer, make sure it is well wrapped to prevent freezer burn. A freezer bag is good enough for short-term freezing, but if you expect it to stay in the freezer for more than a couple of weeks, consider wrapping it in plastic wrap first.

Want to learn more? Here’s what we cover next:

• how freezing affects focaccia bread (does it freeze well?)
• freeze focaccia step by step
• defrost focaccia
• freeze the focaccia dough

Can focaccia bread be frozen?

You can freeze the focaccia bread and it freezes well. Just like regular bread, all you need to do is wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, a freezer bag, or both (if you’re freezing your focaccia long-term).

Like many other baked goods, including bagels or bread, focaccia freezes perfectly without additional preparation. You wrap it up, put it in the freezer and that’s it.

While focaccia will keep for a couple of days, freeze your focaccia the same day it is baked for best results.

Related: How to store focaccia?

How to freeze focaccia?

This is how you freeze focaccia bread:

1. Let the focaccia cool to room temperature.
2. Cut it if necessary. You can freeze it all or cut it into smaller meal-sized portions, it’s up to you.
3. Wrap it. If you’re only going to freeze the focaccia for a couple of days, maybe 1-2 weeks, placing it in a freezer bag as-is is good enough. But if you suspect it might stay frozen longer, double wrap it. Use something that will stick firmly to the bread for the first layer, like plastic wrap or freezer wrap. For the second layer, a freezer bag works perfectly fine (remember to squeeze out any air).
4. Freeze it. Place all bags in the freezer.

As you can see, the whole process is super simple and takes just a couple of minutes.

Now, if you’re wondering how long you can freeze focaccia bread, there’s no definitive answer. At least a couple of recipe sites mention that you can freeze it for 2 months but I see no reason why it shouldn’t last 3 months or even longer.

That being said, the longer the focaccia sits in the freezer, the worse its quality will be. Especially if you haven’t wrapped it well.

So you should try to use it within 2-3 months after freezing.

How to defrost focaccia?

When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen focaccia, you have a couple of defrosting methods to choose from:

• In the fridge. Place the frozen focaccia bread in the refrigerator the night before you need it. Consider placing a paper towel underneath to absorb moisture. This way, you won’t end up with a soggy bottom.
• On the counter. Leave the bread on the counter for 1 to 2 hours until thawed. Again, placing a paper towel underneath can help a bit. Or you can turn the bread over after 30 to 60 minutes of defrosting so that any moisture still inside is distributed more evenly. I suggest the same trick when defrosting hamburger buns.
• In the microwave. Set the microwave to defrost or 50% power and blitz the frozen focaccia for one minute. Continue to microwave in 15 second intervals until thawed.

Once your focaccia is thawed, it’s ready to eat, but you should probably consider reheating the bread to get the most out of it. I cover reheating focaccia in my article on storing it.

Now, if you prefer fresh focaccia over a thawed and reheated one, freezing the dough might be the way to go. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Can focaccia dough be frozen?

Focaccia dough freezes well, similar to pizza dough. That means you can make the dough for a couple of batches, bake just one, and freeze the rest of the dough for later use.

This is how the focaccia dough is frozen:

1. Mix the ingredients and let the dough rise for the first time.
2. Pound the raised dough down to release all the air inside.
3. Divide the dough into portions.
4. Coat each part with a little olive oil and place in a separate freezer bag or wrap in freezer paper.
5. Freeze the focaccia dough for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to use the dough, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator (still covered) and let it rest in an oil-brushed pan at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before continuing with your recipe.

If the dough doesn’t start to rise within the mentioned half hour, it simply needs more time on the counter. Therefore, take it out of the fridge early so you are not in a hurry.