Freezing Rolls/Biscuits

[mrscompgeek]

I am interested in making some rolls and biscuits and freezing them for when baby comes. My question is how well does it work to make the dough and shape rolls and biscuits and freeze them uncooked? Do they hold up well? How long do they last in the freezer like this and how long do you have to bake them? Do they bake ok if they are frozen?
If I go ahead and bake them now and freeze them already baked I didnt think they would last as long and from what I have experienced they are harder when you eat them if they are already baked and froze.
Any hints? Tips?

[Magelet]

I would think that it would not work, but I'm not sure that is correct.

Logically, they would not work if using on baking soda, because the baking soda would likely react in the freezer with the acid, right, and lose all its power. Maybe this is not a problem if you use baking powder.

I also work in a kitchen where we have occasionally sold raw frozen bisquits, so it must work. I suspect baking powder is key.

[cristeen]

Well, you can always freeze a yeast dough - you'd need to let it thaw and rise before baking, but with a roll (or a few) that might take only an hour or two. Or you can parcook them - cook them until they're about 5-10 minutes from done, cool them, freeze them, and then you take them out of the freezer and pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes. That's how the frozen ones I've seen at WF are done.

Not sure how you'd do a biscuit though... probably just easier to mix up some packages of "biscuit mix" (flour, leaveners, fat), pop that in the freezer, and just add water/milk/egg. Biscuits don't actually take a whole lot of work if you don't roll them out.

[LemonPie]

I've never done biscuits, but I do it with yeast rolls all the time.

I make my batch of dough, do the first rise, then shape them. I flash-freeze them, then transfer to a freezer safe bag. When I want to use them, I pull them out and let them thaw and do the second rise (this takes at least 3-4 hours on the countertop), then bake.

IME, they need to be used up within 3-6 months. I pulled some out the other day that were about 9 months old and they didn't rise.