Can You Freeze Pillsbury Dough Crescents?

Pillsbury dough crescents are one of those indulgent foods that can be enjoyed at breakfast, for a mid-morning snack, or anytime you are craving something delicious.

But is there a way to extend the shelf life of this scrumptious food? If you freeze Pillsbury dough crescents, will they lose their scrumptious flavor profile and gorgeous texture?

In this article, we will explore the possibilities of extending the shelf life of Pillsbury dough crescents and find a process that does not degrade the product.

Let’s get into it.

Can I freeze Pillsbury crescent roll dough?

Good news, yes, you can. You can freeze all of Pillsbury dough products, but the crescents need a little more attention when you are freezing them.

Tossing the Pillsbury dough crescents in the freezer may be tempting. What could go wrong? Well, your packaging could explode! If your Pillsbury packaging explodes, your freezer will be a mess.

Unravel the packaging and set the Pillsbury crescent rolls out individually. Palace in individual ziplock bags so you can defrost what you need when you need it.

Expel as much air from the ziplock bag as possible and then mark the freezing date on the bag. If many crescent rolls are freezing, you can rotate the stock of crescents for defrosting.

It is important to note that if you intend to freeze many Pillsbury dough crescents, they will expand before they freeze, so ensure you have adequate room in your freezer.

Preparing and packaging the dough for freezing

Thawing and baking instructions for frozen Pillsbury crescents.

When freezing Pillsbury crescent dough, it’s important to prepare and package it properly. Start by separating the rolls and placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they are well spaced out and not touching each other.

Freeze the rolls for about an hour or until solid. Once frozen, transfer the rolls to a resealable freezer bag or airtight container and return them to the freezer. To thaw and bake the frozen crescents, remove them from the packaging and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Allow them to thaw at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before baking as directed on the package. Keep in mind that the baking time may be slightly longer for frozen crescents.

How long will Pillsbury dough crescents last in the freezer?

If you have packed the Pillsbury dough crescents individually and expelled the air from the bag, it is reasonable to expect the dough crescents to last twelve months.

If for some reason, your freezer defrosts, you will have the option to cook the dough crescents and then refreeze but not to refreeze the raw dough twice.

Thawing and re-baking instructions

When freezing Pillsbury Dough Crescents, it’s important to properly prepare and package the dough. First, make sure the dough is tightly sealed in its original packaging or in a sealable plastic bag. Then, place the dough in the freezer.

When ready to use, thaw the dough in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Follow the baking instructions on the package, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if the dough is not fully thawed.

Keep an eye on the crescents as they bake to ensure they do not burn. Enjoy your freshly baked crescents straight from the oven!

What’s the shelf life of Pillsbury crescents?

It’s pretty long when the product comes from production. Pillsbury dough crescents have a five-month shelf life, which is impressive alone.

The actuarial best before date is not an expiry date for the product, it’s the way the manufacturers of the product say that after this date, the product could start to degrade, and we are not responsible for an imperfect Pillsbury product, which is fair.

How about an opened package of Pillsbury dough presents? Stored in a cooled fridge, the Pillsbury dough crescents will last around five days, give or take a day. They should taste exactly the same as the day you open the packaging.

If you go beyond four or five days, the product will dehydrate, lose its beautiful texture, and crumble when you bite the crescent. The taste will be the same. Just the texture has altered.

Can you use Pillsbury crescent rolls after the expiration date?

Pillsbury dough crescents have a total shelf life of around five months, a couple of months after they expire. However, if they have been opened, the shelf life reduces significantly.

At this point, you could place the crescent in the fridge and gain another couple of weeks or freeze your Pillsbury dough crescents. That will extend the life up to twelve months. Will they taste as good?

There is no substitute for fresh Pillsbury dough crescents, the buttery, flaky pastry is hard to beat when fresh, but it is not going to be far away from the fresh product, so don’t be deterred.

Can you save leftover Pillsbury dough?

Yes, of course. If you have lots or a little, save the dough in a zip lock bag and freeze it. You can add to it the next time if needed to make a new batch of Pillsbury dough products.

Don’t be embarrassed about being frugal. With the economy set to slide further down, keeping dough leftovers for a rainy day is not only a thrifty move but also makes perfect sense.

Do you need to take any precautions when using frozen Pillsbury dough crescents?

If Pillsbury dough crescents are a staple in your home, you will use them for meak=ls and snacks throughout the day.

If your crescent rolls have been in the freezer for a long time, you may want to consider enhancing the crescent rolls with some sauce, say a cheese sauce, which will counteract the lack of crispy texture, but the taste will be almost the same as a fresh product.

How do you defrost Pillsbury crescent rolls?

This subject can be controversial with two schools of thought that oppose each other so let us give you both options to try so you have the best of both worlds.

  1. Remove the Pillsbury dough crescents from the freezer, and preheat the oven to 250℉. Place the dough crescent on a baking tray and let them cook slowly and gently until they are brown and crisp.

You may want to check the inside of the dough crescent to ensure it’s cooked through.  Cooking slow and low should give you a near-perfect product from frozen.

  1. Thaw your Pillsbury dough crescents, and then cook. The crescents should be thawed at room temperature (not for more than two hours) and then cooked in accordance with the instructions.

This way of cooking frozen Pillsbury dough crescents is said to give a superior product.

The decision is yours. They both seem viable but follow Pillsbury baking instructions of 8 to 9 minutes for the best product.

Can you freeze-baked Pillsbury crescents?

Yes. If you have baked Pillsbury crescent rolls left over, stick them in the freezer! It’s a simple process, bag each baked crescent when cooled to room temperature and place it in a zip lock bag. It is a great way to create a fast, delicious meal.

Remember that a lot of air in the bag may cause some contamination of the product, so try to get as much air from the gag as possible before sealing the dough crescents.

Mark the bags with the date you put them into the freezer so you can use a FIFO method, first in, first out.

If you have cooked Pillsbury crescent, you could be eating them a few months later with hardly any difference in texture and taste.

How do you defrost baked Pillsbury crescents?

The quickest way is from the freezer to the microwave. Just place some cling film across the dough crescent and microwave it warm through.

Microwaves are never great at giving crispy baked finishes to dough crescent, but they will still taste buttery and delicious.

You could leave the baked crescent s to defrost overnight in the fridge and then bake again on low heat until warm and crispy. It depends on time and how you intend to serve the dough crescent.

How can you tell if the dough crescents have expired in the freezer?

If you do exceed the twelve months for raw frozen Pillsbury dough, it is unlikely it will expire, you may get some freezer burn, but nothing more, and maybe a slight change to texture as the product degrades slightly.

It is difficult to tell if a frozen product has expired, but when thawed, it will smell funky and slimy. It is straightforward to tell, and your nose will protect you from spoiled products.

What happens if you freeze Pillsbury crescent dough?

You have two options for freezing Pillsbury crescent dough:

  1. Freeze the crescent dough raw, increasing the dough’s life to twelve months.
  2. Freeze-cooked crescent rolls extended their life by two months.

Considering that the expiration date of unopened crescent dough is five months, you have plenty of time to consider tour choices.

If you find a deal on Pillsbury crescent dough, then take advantage of the deal and buy what you can store. Keep in mind you can freeze raw Pillsbury dough for a year without the product degrading in texture or taste.

Getting caught out making food for the family is easy, so more is often better than less. If you have too many crescent rolls, let them cool, place them in a ziplock bag, and freeze them. They will last for two months in the freezer and a week in the fridge.

If you go beyond the expiry date and the products are less than edible as they are hard, you can still utilize the crescents. They will make perfect croutons for soup or even as the base of your bread pudding.

Alternative uses for frozen crescent dough

Freezing Pillsbury dough crescents is a great way to have them on hand for a quick and easy meal or snack. To prepare the dough for freezing, simply roll it out and shape it as directed in the package instructions. Then, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Label the container or bag with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to use, thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, the dough can be re-baked according to the package instructions. The dough can also be used in alternative ways such as breakfast pastries, savory appetizers, or even as a pizza crust.

Keep in mind that thawed dough may not rise as high or have the same texture as fresh dough, but it can still be a delicious and convenient option.

Final thoughts

Are you aware that Pillsbury has a range of frozen dough crescents? Pillsbury understands customers’ needs and responds accordingly to sell more of their glorious products.

However, nothing prevents you from freezing your own products; you know they are fresh and yummy when you buy them and that freezing them yourself will potentially give you the same product in texture and taste twelve months after your purchase.

You can freeze easily from raw or frozen, extending the life of both products. 

If you are an average family, being frugal will make life easier for you, so save a little wherever possible and make those doughboys a part of your daily diet.

Similar Posts