I’ve made my own garlic bread in the past and it’s to die for, but when do I ever need a whole loaf at once? While I probably could eat a whole loaf, I know deep down that it’s probably not a good idea (look at me being a responsible adult!). This Homemade Freezer Garlic Bread fixes that problem. Prepare the slices of garlic bread ahead, freeze them (unbaked), and then they’re ready and waiting for you whenever you get the craving, just like the kind you buy in a box at the store.
Originally posted 3-4-15, updated 8-28-18.
What’s So Great About Freezer Garlic Bread?
EVERYTHING. J/k, almost. It’s super fast to prepare and then you have a whole stockpile of single serving slices that are ready to pop into the oven on a moments notice. Bake two slices or ten, it’s up to you! Plus, since you’re mixing up the garlic butter topping, you know exactly what’s in there (and what isn’t), which always makes me feel good.
How Long Can You Keep Garlic Bread in the Freezer?
I usually try to use my garlic bread within three months of freezing. But if we’re being honest, it never lasts that long because it’s too good! Frozen foods undergo a slow decline in quality and flavor while frozen, so you don’t want to keep them too long, even if technically they are still safe to eat.
Homemade Freezer Garlic Bread
Servings 12 to 16 slicesIngredients
- 8 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature ($1.04)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced ($0.32)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley ( $0.30)
- 1 loaf French bread ($1.00)
Instructions
- Add the butter, olive oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, salt, and parsley to a bowl. Mix the ingredients together until they form a fairly smooth mixture.
- Slice the French bread into 1-inch thick slices (12-16 slices, depending on the size of the loaf). Add 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of the garlic spread to each slice of bread and spread it from edge to edge. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and then place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes to allow the butter to firm up. Once firm, transfer the garlic bread to a gallon-sized freezer bag for longer storage. Store in the freezer up to three months.
- To cook the frozen slices of garlic bread, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the oven is heated, take as many slices out of the freezer as you'd like, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.* If you prefer a softer garlic bread without crispy edges, wrap the slices in foil before baking.
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How to Make Freezer Garlic Bread – Step by Step Photos
In a bowl, combine 8 Tbsp room temperature salted butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves garlic (minced) 1 Tbsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt.
Mix them all up until it forms a fairly smooth mixture (a few chunks of butter are a-okay).
Take a loaf of French bread and slice it into 1-inch pieces (12-16 pieces, depending on the length of your loaf).
Place your bread slices on a baking sheet. Divide the garlic spread between your slices (about 1/2 to 1 Tbsp per slice) and spread it from edge to edge of the bread. Freeze the bread flat on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until the garlic spread is firm (if you forget at 30 minutes and come back to it hours later, that’s okay. Just don’t leave it for more than a day or it could start to dry out or absorb rogue flavors.
Transfer the frozen garlic bread to a gallon-sized freezer bag for long term storage. Always make sure to label and date your frozen goods!
To bake the frozen garlic bread, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place your frozen slices on a baking sheet and once the oven is fully preheated, transfer the slices to the hot oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the garlic bread are golden brown. If you prefer a softer garlic bread rather than one with crispy edges, you can wrap the slices in foil before baking.
Love this! It’s so good and so convenient to have a slice with my soup or whatever. The last time I made it, I used the last of the fresh parsley from the garden and it tasted great and looked so pretty. I often give homemade soup to neighbors and adding a couple slices of this garlic bread has been a big hit.
Made this and now it’s all I want to eat. Have been heating it up in the air fryer at 300°F for 7 mins and it’s perfect. Will have to make a new batch soon.
Made these for the first time last night. Delicious! It tastes just like the Texas toast my family often had growing up. Plus I’ve got a whole stash of it in my freezer! I’m definitely excited to pull some out and toast it up after a work day.
So yummy and convenient. I pop a slice in the air fryer and after about 3 minutes hit the broil button. I love how the bread gets a bit crunchy and the raw garlic has been mellowed by the broil.
Simply brilliant!
Literally salivating while reading this post. I love all of your content, keep it up!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! We love garlic bread and it never dawned on me that I could make it up in advance like this. Since it’s just hubby and I at home, buying and eating a whole loaf of French/Italian bread means we’re either over eating or some bread goes to waste. I was so excited to buy a whole loaf yesterday, knowing it would all be used for the easily prepped Homemade Freezer Garlic Bread. We had it tonight with the Classic Baked Ziti! Delicious!
I have been making garlic bread like this for a good five years now. I have never frozen any. What a great idea!!! Once you make your own you will never be able to stomach the store bought in a box again. I made the mistake of buying a box of it a couple years ago. I took one bite and it was awful tasting! I guess I spoiled myself. LOL
I have loved this recipe for many years and even adapted vegan butter with success. Thank you for this excellent technique. I love freezing things to be used in smaller portions and two slices of garlic bread is perfect.
Thank you for this recipe! I just picked up 4 packs of 8/buns, through the Flash Food app..so cheap, for doing exactly this! Just needed a recipe for the perfect garlic butter that didn’t include parmesan cheese as i rarely ever have that on hand. The recipes i have tried of yours have all been so successful, i am definitely using this one! Thank you!!!
But if you did have some parm to use up, adding it to this recipe would be perfect.
Have you tried using the air fryer instead of the oven to heat from frozen?
Unfortunately, I don’t have an air fryer, so I haven’t tried that.
I have! I haven’t put them in the oven. I loved it this way. Unfortunately I don’t remember what time and temp I cooked in air fryer. I have the instant pot air fryer if that’s helpful.Â
Could you add cheese? Would you add it before you freeze it or before you bake it?
Cheese would be great on this. :) I would probably add it just before baking just because it might be kind of difficult to make it stick when frozen, although you might be able to make it stick with the garlic butter as a sort of glue.
I finally made this tonight, after saving it months ago. It turned out so good! I might do a little less salt next time, but I didn’t measure it exactly, so I might have just added too much.Â
I love your recipes! Thank you!
This is is a staple in our household. I love that you can make a batch, and just take slices out as needed. I’ve made this over and over again for years. Thank you!
I love garlic bread and could eat a whole loaf by myself. So this freezer recipe is a life saver! Helps me portion out the slices and only make a couple at a time. It also helps my wallet since I can stretch this garlic bread out over several meals instead of just one.Â