Cornbread may not be as popular in the UK, but in the US, it is a dinner staple, especially in the South. You can get as creative or as bare as you want with your cornbread so long as it uses a cornmeal base.
The crumbly, slightly grainy consistency can take some people years to perfect. Most are not willing to let their hard work go to waste, so it is likely rare that you would find yourself with leftover cornbread. However, if you want to save yourself time, you can always double up your recipe and freeze some for later.
To freeze cornbread, wrap the cornbread loaf in plastic, then pop it into a freezer bag before freezing for around 3 months. You can also freeze cornbread muffins.
How to Freeze Cornbread
As the cornbread recipe is versatile and adaptable, you must account for different factors the more you change the recipe when you are planning to freeze cornbread. Despite that, there are two ways that cornbread is popularly saved:
How to Freeze Cornbread Loaves
Traditionally, cornbread is cooked in a circular cake pan and cut into thick slices to serve.
We are going to go over the best way to freeze a whole pan of cornbread, but this method can also be applied to however much of the pan you have left over after dinner:
- Leave To Cool
To prevent your cornbread from turning mushy and soggy in the freezer, ensure it has cooled to room temperature before freezing. - Remove From The Pan
While you can freeze cornbread directly in the pan, that will take up a lot of space in your freezer. Carefully remove the bread from the pan and set it aside. - Wrap In Plastic
Next, you need to use some quality plastic wrap to cover the whole of your cornbread loaf. Pull the wrapping as tightly as possible without damaging the loaf itself for the best chance of preventing freezer burn. - Place In Freezer Bag
Using a spare plastic carrier bag or a large freezer bag, place the wrapped cornbread load in the bag for extra protection against the cold. - Remove The Air
The less air trapped in the bag storing your cornbread, the better. Push all of the air out before securing it tightly shut. - Freeze
Place the cornbread into your freezer and leave it to freeze. Cornbread loaves can last in your freezer for up to 3 months.
To defrost your cornbread, leave it on the counter to warm up or in your fridge for a few hours. Either way, do not unwrap the cornbread until it is fully defrosted to stop it from turning soggy.
How to Freeze Cornbread Muffins
Another common way to present cornbread is to turn it into sweet or savoury muffins. Freezing cornbread muffins requires a little more effort than freezing a whole load of cornbread, but it is just as simple a task.
Be warned, you will need a lot of plastic wrap on hand to properly freeze cornbread muffins:
- Allow To Cool
To prevent freezer burn, remember to allow your cornbread muffins to reach at least room temperature before freezing. - Individually Wrap
Each cornbread muffin should be wrapped individually in cling film to ensure they retain the right texture once defrosted. Make the wrapping as tight as possible without squashing the muffin. - Move To A Container
Once all of your muffins are securely wrapped in plastic wrap, transfer them to either an air-tight container or a freezer bag. You may need more than one bag. - Secure
If you use an airtight container to freeze your muffins, ensure no breaks in the seal and secure it shut. Or, if you are using a freezer bag, push all of the air out of the bag, then shut it. - Label
Make a note of the flavour of your muffins on the freezer bag or container and a use-by date. Cornbread muffins can last in your freezer for 3 months. - Freeze
Place your muffins into your freezer and allow the cold to work its magic.
You will need to allow the cornbread muffins to defrost slowly in the fridge overnight or on the worktop. Don’t let them sit in a pool of water for long, though!
How to Freeze Cornbread Successfully
If you are still unsure about freezing your cornbread, here are a few tips to ensure success:
- Use Kitchen Foil Instead – Plastic wrap is not always the cheapest or most accessible kitchen accessory to have on hand. Instead, you can use kitchen foil to wrap your cornbread load or individual muffins.
Keep in mind that kitchen foil is less valuable than plastic wrap and will not cover the bread as tightly, so you may need to do more than one layer to protect the bread from freezer burn. - Portion The Loaf – Depending on how much cornbread you have, you may want to portion out your cornbread loaf before freezing it. This way, you will not need to defrost and waste a whole load of cornbread when you get peckish. You can wrap a few slices together or wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap to freeze, like the muffins.
- Wrap Muffins Together – If you enjoy more than one cornbread muffin at once or run short on plastic wrap, you can wrap 2 or 3 muffins together. You will have to defrost the muffins all at once, so do not wrap too big of a portion together to prevent waste.
Does Cornbread Freeze Well?
Yes, cornbread can freeze very well, both as a loaf or as muffins.
The main thing that may prevent cornbread from freezing well is if it develops freezer burn, which is why wrapping the bread tightly in plastic wrap is a must.
Freezing Cornbread FAQs
If you have more questions about cornbread and freezing it, then check out these FAQs or drop a comment at the end of the article:
Cornbread dressing (or stuffing) can be frozen for around 3 months once cooled to room temperature. Wrap it in a dish with foil and cling film and then pop it into the freezer.
Cornbread batter can be frozen for 2 to 3 months in a freezer bag. When you want to bake the cornbread, allow it to thaw, then pour it into a loaf tin before baking as you usually would.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.
