Frozen tamales for the holidays in Dallas–Fort Worth: beat the rush

Every December my phone fills with the same text: “Maggie, can you still make tamales for our party on Saturday?” By then the answer is often no. The kitchen is full, every slot is taken, and I hate turning people away. So this year we are doing something about it. Buy your FROZEN tamales now to beat the tamales order rush and avoid being left without our delicious Maggie’s Tamales.

The short answer: Buy frozen tamales in October or November, keep them in your freezer, and move them to the fridge the day before your party. Chicken in green salsa or pork in red salsa, $60 a dozen, delivered within 15 miles of our Plano kitchen or picked up there. On the day, they steam in about ten minutes and taste just as fresh.

Why we are selling frozen tamales this season

Hot-and-ready tamales are what we are known for, and they will stay that way all year. The problem is December. Office parties, church events, family gatherings, posadas and Christmas Eve dinners all land in the same three weeks, and one kitchen can only steam so many pots in a morning. Every year we reach the point where we have to say “full,” and every year it is the families who waited that are left without tamales.

Frozen tamales fix that. We cook them now, in October and November, when the kitchen has room. You keep them in your freezer, and on the day of your party you heat them yourself. Nobody has to fight for a delivery slot on December 23, and your table still gets the same BIG, meat-packed tamales.

What the holiday rush looks like from my kitchen

From the week before Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, our calendar fills from the front. The first dates to go are the Saturdays and the days right before the holidays, exactly the days everyone wants. By the middle of December we are juggling catering for a hundred guests in the morning and family dozens in the afternoon, and there is simply no more room in the steamer.

So my honest advice is simple. If you want tamales for Thanksgiving, buy them by the end of October. If you want them for Christmas, buy them by the middle of November. Earlier is never a problem, because the tamales wait patiently in your freezer. Later is where people get disappointed.

The two flavors, and how many dozen to buy

For frozen orders we keep it to our two best sellers, the ones I would stake the kitchen on:

• Chicken in green salsa: hand-shredded chicken breast in a tomatillo salsa verde, mild enough for kids and cautious eaters.
• Pork in red salsa: slow-cooked pork in a red chile salsa with a gentle kick. Our most-ordered tamal.

Both are made with gluten-free corn masa, both are BIG, and both are $60 a dozen. You can mix them in any split. Our tamales are big, so two make a full lunch for most adults and three make a hearty dinner. Here is a quick way to plan:

Each order adds 11.25%: 8.25% sales tax and a 3% card processing fee. Delivery within 15 miles of our Plano kitchen is $14; pickup is free. You see the exact total on your confirmation before anything is charged.

Delivery or pickup in Plano

You have two ways to get your frozen tamales. We deliver within 15 miles of West Spring Creek Parkway and Custer Road in Plano for a $14 delivery fee, which covers most of Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Richardson, Carrollton, The Colony, Murphy, Addison and Far North Dallas. We bring the tamales frozen to your home or office on the date you choose. Farther away, pick them up by appointment or ask about a special delivery arrangement at an additional cost.

Or pick them up yourself at our commercial kitchen in Plano. When we confirm your order, we send the address and a pickup time. Bring a cooler bag if you have errands on the way home, and put the tamales straight into the freezer when you get there.

One rule from the kitchen: next day orders must be received and confirmed by us before noon the previous day. Only confirmed orders will be delivered as requested. The sooner you order, the easier it is to get the date you want.

Thaw the day before, heat the day of

This is the part that makes frozen tamales so easy. The night before your party, move the tamales from the freezer to the fridge. Do not thaw them on the counter. On the day:

1. Bring an inch of water to a boil in a pot with a steamer basket.
2. Stand the tamales in the basket, husk on, open end up. Do not crowd them.
3. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes, until the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk.
4. Rest two minutes, unwrap, and add salsa.

Forgot to thaw them? Steam them straight from frozen for 20–25 minutes. No steamer? A microwave works in a pinch: wrap two tamales in a damp paper towel and heat two to three minutes, turning once. My full guide to reheating tamales covers the oven and the air fryer too, and freezing and storing tamales explains why the husk matters.

How long frozen tamales keep

Kept frozen, our tamales hold their flavor for about three months. That is why buying in October or November works so well: the box you buy for Thanksgiving can share the freezer with the one for Christmas. Once thawed, keep them in the fridge and eat them within three days. If you are feeding a crowd over several days, thaw only what you need for each day.

Frozen versus hot-and-ready: an honest comparison

If you can get a hot delivery on the day you need it, take it; nothing beats a tamal that was steaming an hour ago. But in December that is exactly what becomes hard to get. Frozen tamales heated properly are not a compromise. Tamales have always been made in big batches and stored, because the husk protects the masa and the filling stays sealed. Reheated the right way, the difference is something a food writer might notice and your family will not.

The one thing frozen cannot do is appear on the day you suddenly decide you want tamales. That is the whole point of this article: decide now, buy now, and enjoy them for the holidays.

Planning a holiday party around frozen tamales

The easiest parties I see are the ones where the tamales were sorted out weeks ahead. Here is the simple plan I give friends who host:

• Count your guests, then add a little. Plan two tamales per adult if there are other dishes and three if tamales are the main event. Kids usually eat one or two. Round up to the next dozen; leftovers are never a problem with tamales.
• Split the flavors. For a mixed crowd, half chicken in green salsa and half pork in red salsa works almost every time. The chicken is the safe bet for kids and anyone who avoids spice; the pork goes first with everyone else.
• Write the thaw on your calendar. Put a reminder for the evening before the party: “tamales from freezer to fridge.” It is the only step people forget.
• Steam in batches. A big pot holds about a dozen standing up. If you have more, steam in two rounds and keep the first batch warm, wrapped in a clean towel in a covered dish.

If you are hosting more than one gathering, buy for all of them at once. One order, one delivery or pickup, and your December is done.

What to serve with them

Tamales do not need much help. Put out a bowl of salsa, a little crema or sour cream, and something fresh and crunchy: a cabbage slaw, sliced radishes or a simple green salad. Mexican rice and charro or refried beans turn them into a full plate, and a pot of hot coffee or champurrado is how many families finish the night. If you are feeding a bigger group, our catering page explains ordering chicken or pork tamales by the dozen.

Ready to beat the tamales rush?

Pick your dozens of chicken in green salsa and pork in red salsa, choose delivery or pickup, and we send an itemized confirmation with the total before anything is charged. Order on the frozen tamales page, or if you would rather have them hot on the day, see holiday tamales delivered hot.

Frequently asked questions

When should I buy frozen tamales for the holidays?

In October or early November. Our calendar fills from the front every year, and the weeks before Thanksgiving and Christmas go first. Frozen tamales keep for about three months, so an early box is ready for Christmas Eve.

How do I heat frozen tamales?

Move them to the fridge the day before your party. On the day, steam them in their husks for about 10 minutes. Straight from the freezer they need 20–25 minutes in the steamer.

Can I pick up frozen tamales in Plano?

Yes. Frozen orders can be picked up at our commercial kitchen in Plano, TX. We send the address and your pickup time with your confirmation.

Do you deliver frozen tamales?

Yes, within 15 miles of West Spring Creek Pkwy & Custer Rd in Plano, for a $14 delivery fee. That covers most of Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Richardson, Carrollton, The Colony, Murphy, Addison and Far North Dallas. Farther away, pick up at the kitchen by appointment, or ask us about a special delivery arrangement at an additional cost.

Which flavors come frozen?

Our two best sellers: chicken in green salsa and pork in red salsa, at $60 a dozen. Both use gluten-free corn masa, and you can mix them in any split.

Do frozen tamales taste as good as fresh?

Yes, when they are frozen right after cooking and heated properly. The husk keeps the masa moist and the filling sealed, which is why families have always made tamales by the hundred and stored them.