Can You Freeze Yeast? Find Everything You Need to Know

Have you asked yourself, can you freeze yeast? or

Are you someone who has a stash of yeast stored up in your freezer?

At the same time, are you worried if it’s an improper way of storage and that it might go bad quickly?

If your answer is yes to any of the above questions, don’t worry, we hear your concerns.

Let’s find the answers to can you freeze yeast and to all of your yeast questions.

So let’s get started!

Keeping Yeast

As bakers, we want to ensure that our ingredients are in the best condition possible and wouldn’t want to risk any of them being spoiled anytime soon.

Because of this, we should always be well-informed on how to store yeast to maximize its use in different recipes properly.

Can You Freeze Yeast?

This is especially true for yeast. Yeast is a vital ingredient used in baking, so we always have to ensure it’s still in excellent condition for our dough.

Also, yeast is a living organism, which means it has an expiration date. When stored improperly, it’s only more likely for it to expire, eventually ruining your dough.

The most important thing to remember while keeping yeast is to keep it away from moisture, heat, and air. These are the components that have the potential to “wake up” the yeast and cause it to die.

Now, let’s find out what we came here for. Can you freeze yeast?

Since yeast doesn’t last long, freezing is one of the most tried options for storing yeast.

Storing Yeast in the Freezer

Freezing yeast works quite well. In the freezer, the yeast is only placed in a state of suspension, which is far from ruining the yeast cells.

However, it’s still best if you use an airtight container to protect it from humidity and oxygen. Glass jars also work just fine, and for bulk yeast, you can opt for a canning jar.

How Long Can Fresh Yeast be Frozen?

When refrigerated, fresh yeast can last up to two weeks. On the other hand, freezing it can keep it for about three months or more.

Once stored, you can also use yeast directly from your freezer. You only have to sprinkle them into a room-temperature liquid to wake them back up again.

Many bakers have already tried keeping yeast in the freezer long after expiration. Surprisingly, there are no noticeable changes to how the yeast works in different baked goods.

How to Activate Frozen Yeast

If you’re still uncertain whether or not yeast it’s still good, the best way to test it is in warm water with a small amount of sugar.

Can You Freeze Yeast?

If you notice it starting to bubble after a couple of minutes, it’s still good enough to use in your recipes.

Furthermore, while it’s true that freezing keeps yeast for much longer than it usually does, improper storage can only make it prone to spoilage.

Since yeast is composed of living cells, remember that we should never expose it to moisture and air.

For best results, keep it sealed between 36 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing the yeast does not kill it but can still cause damage to its cells since they still have approximately 2% moisture.

How Do You Store Yeast in the Freezer?

Now that we’ve answered, can you freeze yeast? The way you seal and store your yeast largely determines if it either dries out or dies. Because of this, storage is a significant thing to consider.

To ensure that the yeast isn’t at any risk of expiring, here are some things you need to remember for when you’re freezing yeast.

Before anything else, do not immediately put the yeast in the freezer. Instead, put it in the fridge first for about 12 hours. The yeast’s original package is also its best protector, so it’s better to leave it if you have yet to open the yeast.

Moreover, if you want to divide the yeast blocks into smaller parts, cut them as you wish but don’t forget to wrap each in cling film and once more in aluminum foil.

Use a resealable plastic bag – or anything airtight to keep moisture away – and put all the yeast inside. Make sure to squeeze any air out since yeast shouldn’t be exposed to humidity. Seal, and then put the yeast into your freezer.

Additional Yeast Resources

The Last Slice 

We hope we answered your question, can you freeze yeast? Freezing yeast is an excellent way to store this ingredient since it allows you to use them for much longer than expected.

However, holding it in bad conditions will cause them to expire quickly, rendering them useless. Because of this, it’s vital to still observe proper storage by keeping yeast sealed tightly in an airtight container.

If you want to learn more about yeast, check our article on the best yeast for pizza.

We hope that this information will help you in your pizza baking recipes, enabling you to become the best pizza baker you aspire to be!

Enjoy!

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