Mornings move fast. Between packing lunches, finding shoes and getting out the door, a hot breakfast often loses out to a granola bar in the car. A freezer stocked with homemade burritos, muffins and egg bites changes that. Each one goes from freezer to plate in a couple of minutes, and costs far less than the drive-through.
This guide covers which breakfasts freeze best, how to wrap them so they do not turn soggy, and how to reheat them so they taste fresh. When you are ready, our Freezer Meals library has dozens of breakfasts to try.
Breakfasts that freeze well
- Breakfast burritos. Eggs, cheese, potatoes, beans or sausage rolled in a tortilla. The best grab-and-go breakfast there is.
- Breakfast sandwiches. On English muffins, biscuits, croissants or waffles.
- Muffins and quick breads. Banana, blueberry, pumpkin and oat muffins freeze for months.
- Pancakes, waffles and French toast. Make a big batch on the weekend and toast them all week.
- Egg bites and egg muffins. Baked eggs with vegetables, cheese and ham in a muffin tin.
- Breakfast casseroles and baked oatmeal. Assemble one the night before, or bake and freeze it in squares.
A few things are best kept out of the freezer: fresh fruit, sour cream, yogurt, salsa and sliced tomatoes. Add them when you serve.
How to freeze breakfast burritos and sandwiches
- Cook the eggs soft. Take scrambled eggs off the heat while they still look a little wet. They finish cooking when you reheat them and stay tender instead of rubbery.
- Cool every filling completely. Warm fillings steam inside the wrap, and that moisture turns to ice and then to sogginess.
- Keep wet fillings out. Fresh tomatoes and sour cream make tortillas and bread soggy, so serve them on the side. If salsa goes inside, drain it well first.
- Warm the tortillas. Ten seconds in the microwave makes them roll without tearing. Large 10-inch tortillas leave room to fold in the ends.
- Roll tightly and wrap each one. Use foil for the oven or plastic wrap or parchment for the microwave, then put the wrapped burritos or sandwiches together in a freezer bag. You can grab just one at a time.
- Label the bag. Name, date, and how to reheat.
How to freeze muffins, pancakes and egg bites
The secret is flash freezing: freeze each piece on its own first, so they do not stick together in the bag.
- Cool them completely on a wire rack.
- Spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment, not touching.
- Freeze for one to two hours, until firm.
- Move them to a freezer bag or container. For pancakes and waffles, slip a square of parchment between them.
- Press out the air, label and freeze.
Muffins and quick breads can also be wrapped one by one in plastic wrap, which keeps them softest. Breakfast casseroles freeze best unbaked and tightly wrapped, or baked, cooled and cut into squares.
Pancakes, waffles and French toast
A Saturday batch of pancakes can feed you all week. They are one of the easiest breakfasts to freeze.
- Cook them as usual, just a shade lighter than you like them. They brown a little more in the toaster.
- Cool them in a single layer on a wire rack, so the bottoms do not steam and turn soggy.
- Flash freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then stack them in a freezer bag with parchment between every few.
- Reheat straight from frozen in the toaster or toaster oven for crisp edges, or microwave a stack for 30 to 60 seconds.
- French toast freezes the same way. Waffles keep their crunch best of all.
Try Homemade American-Style Freezer Pancakes, Sheet Pan Pancakes that bake a whole batch at once, Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Vanilla Ricotta Freezer Waffles or Cinnamon Freezer French Toast.
Reheating breakfast from the freezer
| Breakfast | Fastest way | Best texture |
|---|---|---|
| Burritos | Unwrap, wrap in a damp paper towel, microwave 1 to 3 minutes, turning halfway | Thaw overnight, then bake in foil at 350°F for about 20 minutes |
| Sandwiches | Microwave the filling, toast the bread separately | Toaster oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, wrapped in foil |
| Muffins | Microwave 20 to 30 seconds | Thaw on the counter overnight |
| Pancakes and waffles | Microwave 30 to 60 seconds | Straight into the toaster from frozen |
| Egg bites | Microwave on medium 45 to 60 seconds | Air fryer at 350°F for about 10 minutes |
| Casseroles | Microwave a square, covered | Thaw overnight, bake at 350°F until hot in the center |
Whatever you reheat, eggs, meat and leftovers should be steaming hot, 165°F in the middle. Microwave times vary, so start short and add time in small bursts. Too long and eggs turn rubbery.
Freezer breakfasts to start with
Each of these links to the full recipe in our library:
- Salsa Egg and Potato Breakfast Burritos: makes 10, with cumin, potatoes and Monterey Jack.
- English Muffin Bacon Egg Freezer Sandwiches: the classic drive-through breakfast, made at home.
- Maple Sausage Waffle Sandwiches: sweet and savory between two waffles.
- Ham, Broccoli and Cheddar Breakfast Egg Cups: protein-packed and ready in a minute.
- Classic Banana and Oat Freezer Muffins: the best use for very ripe bananas.
- Mini Pancake Muffins: pancakes baked in a mini muffin tin, perfect for little hands.
- Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal: cut into squares and warm one up in the microwave.
Find all of them in the Freezer Meals library: tap Breakfast & Brunch.
Frequently asked questions
How long do freezer breakfasts last? Most taste best within two to three months. Burritos and sandwiches are best within about a month, before the tortillas and bread start to dry out.
How do I keep breakfast burritos from getting soggy? Cool every filling completely before rolling, leave out salsa and tomatoes, and reheat in a damp paper towel or the oven. Cooking the eggs a little soft helps too.
Can I freeze scrambled eggs? Yes. Cook them just until set, cool them quickly and freeze them in burritos, sandwiches or on their own. Reheat gently so they stay tender.
Can I reheat breakfast straight from the freezer? Most freezer breakfasts can be reheated from frozen in the microwave, toaster or oven. Casseroles bake more evenly if you thaw them in the refrigerator overnight first.
Should I wrap burritos in foil or plastic? Foil if you will reheat them in the oven, plastic wrap or parchment if you will use the microwave. Never put foil in the microwave.
