36 Genius Recipes That Start With Frozen Bread Dough (2024)

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Amanda TarltonUpdated: Feb. 01, 2024

These recipes are so delicious, no one will even know they're made with frozen bread dough.

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Breakfast Sausage Bread

Any time we take this savory, satisfying bread to a potluck, it goes over very well. We never bring any home. My husband generally makes this bread and prides himself on the beautiful golden loaves. —Shirley Caldwell, Northwood, Ohio

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Taste of Home

Maple Pulled Pork Buns

Maple syrup is the sweet secret to these irresistible buns. Slow-cooking the flavorful pork couldn’t be easier, and the buns are quick to roll up. We love them for parties because they serve a packed house. —Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Easy Fry Bread Tacos

My niece gave me this hearty recipe. Frozen bread dough makes the fry bread tacos easy to prep. —Robin Wells, Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Taste of Home

Cheese-Filled Garlic Rolls

To change up plain old dinner rolls, I added mozzarella. Now my family wants them at every gathering. I don’t mind, even in a time crunch. —Rosalie Fittery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Cast-Iron Pizza Pie

I love shortcuts, so I created this cast-iron pizza using the convenience of frozen bread dough. It’s versatile, so pile on your family’s favorite pizza toppings. —Carol Gillespie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

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Taste of Home

Parmesan-Bacon Bubble Bread

When I needed to put some leftover bread dough to good use, I started with a recipe I often use for bubble bread and substituted savory ingredients for the sweet. —Lori McLain, Denton, Texas

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Ground Beef and Pepperoni Stromboli

I've made this delicious Stromboli many times. It is perfect when friends and family get together on game day and always satisfies big appetites. —Shelley Banzhaf, Maywood, Nebraska

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Sticky Cinnamon-Sugar Monkey Bread

You can do all the prep work for this monkey bread the night before. I prepare the dough pieces and put all the sauce ingredients in the pan so it’s ready for the morning. You can sprinkle chopped nuts in with the dough pieces before pouring the sauce on and baking. —Diana Kunselman, Rimersburg, Pennsylvania

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Ham and Cheese Pockets

These unique sandwich pockets are filled with ingredients both kids and adults enjoy. —Callie Myers, Rockport, Texas

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We wanted to get creative with hot dogs, so we made a mac-and-cheesy one. Pile on the extra cheese, relish and even bacon. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

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Turkey Sausage Pizza

If pizza night is a must in your house, double this recipe and freeze one for later. —Melissa Jelinek, Apple Valley, Minnesota

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Taste of Home

Sesame Herb Pull-Apart Bread

The beauty of this bread is that all the prep work is done a day ahead. The savory herbs make it irresistible. —Mary Shivers, Ada, Oklahoma

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Chicken Swiss Bundles

These yummy sandwich buns, made with frozen dinner rolls, are a favorite at our house. They’re great hot from the oven but they also freeze well. I serve them with tomato soup, and just watch them disappear. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

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Taste of Home

S'mores Monkey Bread Muffins

When it comes to mini versions of anything, I'm sold! These muffins are ooey-gooey individual-sized monkey breads made with frozen dinner roll dough, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. They couldn't be easier to make, and kids just love them. —Tina Butler, Royse City, Texas

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Taste of Home

Spinach-Stuffed Pizza

I had my first stuffed pizza when I attended college near Chicago. I was amazed to see pizza well over an inch thick, with topping on the inside! When I served this version to my family, there were no leftovers. —Nancy Gilmour, Sumner, Iowa

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Taste of Home

Pepperoni Pizza Loaf

This savory stromboli starts with frozen bread dough, so it comes together in practically no time. The golden loaf is stuffed with cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers and olives. I often add a few slices of ham too. It's tasty served with warm pizza sauce for dipping. —Jenny Brown, West Lafayette, Indiana

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Pull-Apart Bacon Bread

I stumbled across this recipe while looking for something different to take to a brunch. Boy, am I glad I did! Everyone asked for the recipe and was surprised it called for only five ingredients. It's the perfect treat to bake for an informal get-together. —Traci Collins, Cheyenne, Wyoming

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Quick Focaccia Bread

Green olives complement this quick focaccia recipe for an easy pizza-like bread. With very few ingredients, it’s still packed with flavor. Serve the focaccia as an appetizer or alongside pasta, soup or salad for a mouthwatering meal. —Ivy J Laffoon, Ceres, California

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Island Breezes Coffee Cake

With the island flavors, this simple pull-apart bread is perfect for a spring brunch. —Debra Goforth, Newport, Tennessee

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Taste of Home

Stromboli Sandwich

I've made this Stromboli sandwich many times for parties, and it gets great reviews. You can add ingredients and spices to suit your taste. The recipe is so good I just had to share it with you! —Leigh Lauer, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania

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Taste of Home

Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

People go wild over this golden, garlicky loaf whenever I serve it. There’s intense flavor in every bite. —Carol Shields, Summerville, Pennsylvania

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Taste of Home

Herbed Bread Twists

A blend of herbs and a special shape dress up ordinary frozen bread dough in this unbelievably easy recipe. —Deb Stapert, Comstock Park, Michigan

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Taste of Home

Onion-Garlic Bubble Bread

I’ve relied on this bread recipe often over the years. Frozen dough hurries along the golden pull-apart loaf. It’s wonderful with Italian dishes, especially spaghetti and lasagna. —Charlene Bzdok, Little Falls, Minnesota

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Sausage Spinach Turnovers

One Christmas, I gave these tasty meat pies to our neighbors as gifts instead of sweets—they loved them! The handheld pies make a handy take-along lunch. I freeze the leftovers and reheat them later in the microwave when I need a quick meal. —Vicky Henry, Aurora, Colorado

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Taste of Home

Quick Calzones

Leftover meat sauce makes a hearty calzone that tastes like it’s made from scratch. Top the calzones with a sprinkling of Parmesan. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Taste of Home

Muffin-Cup Cheddar Beef Pies

My kids love these beef rolls so much. I always make extra since they heat up so quickly. I give the kids their choice of dipping sauces—spaghetti sauce or ranch dressing are the top picks. —Kimberly Farmer, Wichita, Kansas

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Green Onion Rolls

Better double the batch! These savory, elegant rolls will disappear fast. —Jane Kroeger, Key Largo, Florida

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Italian Herb and Cheese Breadsticks

Thanks to convenient frozen dough, these delectable breadsticks are oven-ready in 20 minutes. The cheesy bites are so good dipped in warm marinara sauce. —Rebekah Beyer, Sabetha, Kansas

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Taste of Home

Cheesy Skillet Pizza Dip

This creamy dip is oozing with cheesy goodness thanks to the combination of cream cheese and mozzarella. We topped ours with pepperoni slices, but you can easily customize it with your favorite pizza toppings. This is just one more delicious way to use your cast-iron pan. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Originally Published: March 02, 2020

Amanda Tarlton

Amanda has more than a decade of media experience, specifically in product testing in the cooking and lifestyle space. As a freelancer for Taste of Home, Amanda writes mostly about foodie finds, home and lifestyle goods and cooking and baking utensils that make life easier (and more fun!). Outside of freelancing, Amanda is the executive editor of commerce at Field & Stream.

When she's not working, Amanda is on the lookout for the best pizzas in town or testing out secret menu items at restaurants and coffee shops.

36 Genius Recipes That Start With Frozen Bread Dough (2024)

FAQs

Should frozen bread dough be thawed before baking? ›

Working with Frozen Bread Dough

That being said, you need to allow the bread dough to thaw and proof before placing it in the oven. The first step is to defrost the dough by placing it in a lightly greased pan and leave it in a cooler overnight to allow it to completely thaw. This is called retarding the dough.

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How long does it take frozen bread dough to rise? ›

Place frozen dough in pan, and cover with sprayed plastic wrap to keep it from sticking to dough while rising. RISE – Let rise 4 to 7 hours, until dough is 1 inch above the top of the pan. Actual time depends on temperature of your kitchen. Do not over proof.

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How do you bake store bought frozen bread dough? ›

Wrap the dough around and place seam-side-down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Cover with a dish towel or greased plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Brush with milk, and bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

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What is the quick method for frozen bread dough? ›

The quickest way to thaw frozen bread dough is in the microwave. Spray a microwave-safe plate with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough directly on the plate. Microwave on the defrost setting, uncovered for three to five minutes. The dough may still need some time to rise, depending on the type of dough you have.

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How long to thaw frozen bread dough before baking? ›

Place your frozen dough in your baking pan or on the kitchen counter in a draft-free location. It is very important that the dough is always covered with plastic wrap. Allow plenty of time for thawing (2 to 3 hours for bread dough, 11/2 hours for roll dough). Warmth and moisture hasten the thawing process.

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Do bakeries use frozen dough? ›

First of all, the bakeries that bake pre-made dough don't reheat baked bread. The dough comes frozen having been proofed once, punched down, and formed into loaves or rolls or whatever. The dough is let thaw and then rise, usually taking 12 hours or overnight before it's baked in the morning.

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Does frozen bread dough need to rise? ›

Yes, risen dough can be frozen but some adjustments have to be made to get the best loaf possible. You will want to put your dough in the freezer either after the first rise, or if the bread has more than two rises then after the shaping. This is because frozen dough will need to rise/proof again before baking it.

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Can you let frozen bread dough rise overnight? ›

The Refrigerator Thaw Method

Place frozen dough on your pan. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap to keep from sticking to dough while rising. Place your pan in the refrigerator overnight or all day long. When you're ready to begin baking, take the pan out of the refrigerator.

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Will frozen bread dough rise twice? ›

Will Dough Rise After Being Frozen? It is possible for frozen dough to rise, or proof, after you remove it from the freezer. If the dough went through its first rise before freezing, there is still enough life left in the yeast for the dough to rise again—as long as you didn't overproof the dough during the first rise.

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What temperature do you bake frozen bread dough? ›

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes until bread is golden brown.

What happens if you bake frozen bread dough? ›

Both frozen dough and frozen partially baked loaves can be baked. With respect to frozen dough, you should let it rise once it defrosts. I have made bread dough in the past and let it rise a couple times and then made it into rolls which I then froze.

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What temperature do you bake frozen bread? ›

Place the unwrapped frozen loaf in the oven at 325°F for 20-30 minutes. Check the internal temperature if you have a probe thermometer. At minimum, you'll want the inside of the bread to be around room temperature and possibly much warmer.

Can you bake frozen dough without thawing? ›

Yes, you can bake frozen bread dough without thawing it first. In fact, many recipes recommend baking the dough directly from the freezer to achieve a better rise and texture.

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Can you bake frozen bread without thawing? ›

Fresh bread loaves from a bakery or from home can particularly benefit from being frozen because they have little to no preservatives added, so they otherwise would have a very short shelf life. Frozen bread should not be defrosted before baking, as this can make it go stale.

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How long should frozen dough sit out? ›

If you don't have that much time, setting the dough out on a counter and allowing it to defrost at room temperature for two hours should also be plenty of time. No matter how you're defrosting your pizza dough, it's extremely important to make sure that it's always covered, either with plastic wrap or with a tea towel.

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