Yeast freezes somewhat decent while jelly freezes moderately good, so in short, you can freeze jelly-filled donuts with a bit of good planning. If you’ve prepared a decent batch, but for whatever reason can’t manage to eat them all with your friends and family, freezing jelly donuts is a great idea.
The process is slightly different in comparison to freezing poultry, meat, vegetables, or bare yeast products, so stick with me for a while, and we’ll talk about everything you need to know to freeze jelly donuts.
Do Jelly Donuts Freeze Well?
Although jelly donuts can be frozen for some time, they don’t freeze too great. There are certain benefits to doing this, but there are just as many drawbacks. So let’s have a quick look at both.
Benefits of Freezing Jelly Donuts
- Pretty simple process
- Extend the fridge life of your donuts tenfold
- If done correctly, taste and texture will remain the same
- Perfect and even more straightforward for store-bought jelly donuts
Drawbacks of Freezing Jelly Donuts
- They can’t last too long in the freezer
- Will occupy a significant portion of your freezer storage space
- Limited thawing options
How to Freeze Jelly Donuts
The steps to freezing jelly donuts are simple. Unless you have a particular way of doing it that works for you, stick to this guide, and you’ll freeze your jelly donuts and keep their taste, texture, and freshness at optimal levels:
Step 1: Wait for Donuts to Cool Off
You don’t need to wait if you want to freeze store-bought donuts (like Dunkin Donuts, for instance), in which case you should place them in the freezer in the original packaging. Wait for your jelly donuts to cool off before proceeding to the next step.
Step 2: Place Your Donuts in Individual Airtight Containers
This may sound like bad news for your freezer storage, but it’s the best way to do it. Once thawing begins and jelly starts melting, it may find its way out of one donut and stick to the next. It can easily get messy here, so consider keeping them separated.
Alternatively, wrap donuts in freezer-friendly film paper individually and place them in airtight containers.
Step 3: Put Donuts at the Back of Your Freezer
This is where the temperature is the lowest since that’s where the fans are. The cooler the place is, the faster both ingredients will freeze together. This is done to ensure jelly doesn’t go bad mid-process.
How Long Can You Freeze Jelly Donuts?
Empty donuts can last in the freezer for roughly two months, and I’ve heard some people say that’s the time during which you can keep jelly frozen too. I disagree, as in my experience, jelly becomes too solid and exposed to freezer burn after a month and a few weeks.
Consider pulling your jelly-filled donuts out of the freezer after about a month.
How To Defrost Jelly Donuts?
Jelly and yeast, the two main ingredients of jelly donuts, won’t begin thawing simultaneously. That’s why the real secret behind defrosting jelly donuts is to thaw them bit by bit, preferably in a microwave. I don’t recommend other thawing methods, but we’ll get to that shortly. These are your options:
Microwave thawing
This is ideal for defrosting any yeast foods filled with jelly or creamy substances. Most microwave models’ controllable power and timer features will help you safely and quickly defrost jelly donuts, regardless of their size.
- Firstly, place the donuts on a ceramic plate (anything microwave-friendly will do). Place them in the microwave, and set the timer to half a minute. Select the Defrost option if available; if not, lower the power setting to at least 50%.
- Pierce a donut with a toothpick to check how the jelly has thawed.
- Keep repeating the process until the donuts are fully defrosted.
Fridge Thawing
The main reason why I don’t recommend this is that thawing jelly is difficult as it is, especially if you wish to do it manually. Microwave thawing allows you to readjust the temperature, stop the process and resume it with different settings if need be.
If you don’t have a microwave, place your donuts in a bowl, put them on the bottom shelf of your fridge, and keep checking on them every couple of hours until they have fully thawed.
Thawing at Room Temperature
Another option that I don’t recommend for thawing jelly donuts. Essentially, room temperature is labeled as the ‘danger zone’ for thawing certain foods, especially yeast and gelatin, which means that harmful bacteria are likely to attack it after two hours.
Since you can’t thaw jelly donuts in a shorter time window, this is not the healthiest solution.
Can You Refreeze Jelly Donuts?
You can, but I advise against it. Jelly toppings are delicate to thaw, and even if you manage to pull it off once, you’re bound to lose a bit of texture and taste with the second run.
Freezing different Types or Variations of Jelly Donuts
Specific types of jelly donuts freeze differently in comparison to your average home-made jelly-filled ones:
Can You Freeze Dunkin Donuts Jelly Donuts
Yes, Dunkin Donuts can be frozen in the same manner as homemade gelatin-filled donuts. Follow the steps above, and they will have the same taste and texture as they did before freezing.
Can You Freeze Cream Filled Donuts
I don’t recommend it, but it can be done. When freezing cream-filled donuts, make sure to take them out of the freezer in a month to keep the taste intact. The cream can remain frozen for about two months tops, but the longer it’s frozen, the more its texture will be ruined.
Best Tips for Freezing Jelly Donuts
To get the most out of your frozen jelly-filled donuts freezing, I’ve prepared a few tips that can help you:
- Make sure that all the air is sucked out of the containers to ensure optimal freshness
- Use airtight containers and only resort to aluminum foil or freezer wraps when you don’t have any other options
- Microwave thawing is the way to go
- Consider freezing unglazed donuts; add glazing after you’ve thawed them
Jelly Donuts Ideas
Jelly donuts are among the simplest desserts on my Friday evening’s menu, but there are so many ways to make them even flashier and tastier.
- Experiment with different glazing types to your heart’s content. Some people prefer plain chocolate, while I absolutely love strawberry glaze sprinkled with crunched candy.
- Another great idea is to drench your donuts in freshly melted caramel. Some tastes make for better combinations, so try as many as you can until you’ve found the perfect recipe that fits your sweet tooth the most.
Another yummy dessert you can freeze: Freezing tiramisu.
Other Interesting Questions
We’ve mostly been focused on freezing jelly donuts, but there’s one thing that you’ll need to do before and after the fact:
How Do You Store Jelly Donuts?
You should keep them in the fridge whenever you’re not eating them. As with most gelatin-filled foods, to avoid bacteria infesting your sweet jelly dough rings, don’t keep them out in the open for more than two hours.
Verdict
While there’s no reason to freeze gelatin, jelly-filled donuts won’t last too long in your fridge. Fortunately, if you follow my simple step-by-step freezing guide, you’ll extend their shelf life and keep them as juicy as they were when they popped out of the oven.
Which glazing do you like the most? Are you a chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry topping person? Let me know about your favorite jelly-filled donut recipes in the comment section below and check out my other ‘how to freeze’ guides for more chilly fun!
