Recipe: Making Yeast Dough Ahead - Tips for Refrigerating or Freezing Dough

Hi Darian,

While freezing the dough should work well, another option is to bake the rolls, cool, wrap well and freeze them. You can defrost them early in the day and heat them, covered loosely with foil in a 350 degree F oven just before serving (if they seem too dry, wrap them in foil for warming). You can also pre-bake the rolls without fullly browning and finish the baking just before serving.

If you'd rather shape and bake the buns on the day you serve them, you can store the yeast dough in the refrigerator. Here are tips for storing yeast dough in the refrigerator:

Refrigerating Yeast Dough
"Yeast dough made with water (except plain bread dough) can be refrigerated up to 5 days. However, if milk and at least 1/4 cup sugar was used, refrigerate for no longer than 3 days; the milk could sour. Mix dough as usual, place in bowl. Grease top well. Cover with moisture-proof wrap, then a clean, damp cloth. Keep cloth damp during the storage time. (my note: I like to stir down the dough if it rises too high during this time.) When ready to bake, shape the dough, let it rise until double (approximately 1 1/2 hours). Bake as recipe indicates." - Perdue University

Here is some info I previously posted regarding freezing yeast dough:

Tips for freezing yeast dough
Msg ID: 0215988

Happy Holiday Baking!

Betsy