Brownies are the chocolatey treat that everyone craves as a little pick me up. But if you’ve made too many brownies, or know you won’t eat them all before they’re likely to go bad, it’s only natural to be reluctant to throw away all those scrummy goods.
One great way to preserve food - of course - is to freeze it. So naturally, if you find yourself in the precarious situation of having to deal with excess brownies, your mind will turn to only one question.
Can you freeze brownies? Will they be safe to eat if you thaw them? How can you keep hold of your delicious brownie haul to eat at another time?
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Can you freeze brownies?
All of you brownie enthusiasts will be ecstatic to know that yes, you can indeed freeze brownies!
So you can breathe a sigh of relief, and prepare your sweet treats for an expedition to the freezer until you can get around to eating them all. That’s if they can survive that long, of course.
As long as your brownies have been well wrapped so as to avoid freezer burn and any oxidation that can occur, they should be able to survive in your freezer for up to 3 months. Which is great news if you want a chocolatey treat to hand for when you need it most!
It’s important to remember that any brownies which have a cheesecake swirl, layer, or other dairy or liquid-based ingredients are best to avoid freezing.
That’s because these ingredients tend to “sweat” as the brownies are brought up to room temperature, and will affect the overall tastiness of your brownies.
So now that you know brownies can be frozen, how is best to go about this?
Best way to freeze brownies
The best way to freeze brownies will generally depend on whether you want to freeze individual brownies, or a whole pan of brownies.
The general rule will be to keep them as well wrapped as you can, as this will help to prevent any freezer burn that can occur from long periods of freezing.
It’s important to think about whether you’ll want to just take out a brownie every now and then to snack on, or if you’ll want to save a sheet of brownies for a special occasion.
Freezing individual brownies
If you want to be able to grab a brownie out of the freezer as a treat at a moment’s notice, then freezing individual ready-cut brownies is the way to go.
Just follow the recipe as normal, then allow your brownies to cool completely. Remove them from your tin, then slice into squares or rectangles.
Once you’ve got your brownies sliced, they will be ready to put in the freezer. Layer your brownies in a plastic or glass tub.
Once you’ve got your first layer done, add a sheet of parchment paper, making sure to properly pat it down to seal them in. Next, add another layer of brownies, again adding a sheet of parchment paper on top.
Repeat until your tub is full - and don’t forget to add a final layer of parchment paper on top of the brownies to protect them from any freezer burn.
Freezing a whole sheet of brownies
Freezing a whole sheet of brownies is one of the more effective ways to protect your brownies from freezer burn, especially if they’re well wrapped. That’s because the center of your brownies will still be well protected from any adverse effects freezing may have on them!
The best way to prepare a whole sheet of brownies for freezing is to cook them as normal, ensuring that the parchment paper you’ve used comes up the sides of the tin.
Use this excess paper to lift the brownies out of the tin once cool, or even to cool them further on a cooling rack. You’ll want to wait until the brownies have cooled completely before putting them in the freezer.
There’ll be no need to worry about slicing these - you can add the whole sheet of uncut brownies to your freezer, ready for when you need them.
Simply wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap once cool, and then again in at least one or two layers of aluminum foil, and they’ll be ready to place in the freezer.
Remember that you’ll need to slice these once you’ve removed them from the freezer, though. So if you want to nibble on a brownie or two in the meantime it may be best to slice them up first and freeze them individually.
Thawing brownies
Okay, so you’ve frozen your brownies, and now the time has come to unfreeze them so you can dig in. But how should you go about thawing them out so that they’re ready to eat? The great news is that it’s a simple solution!
Remove your brownies from the freezer - regardless of whether you froze them individually or in a whole sheet - and place them on a plate. Then all you need to do is wait for them to come up to room temperature; this shouldn’t take more than a few hours.
Can’t wait that long? The good news is that you can microwave your frozen brownies at about 50% power in 15 second bursts to get them to defrost quicker.
It’s important to remember that this method is best used for individual brownies rather than a whole sheet, as there’s less brownie to be heated.
Can brownies be re-frozen?
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you won’t be able to eat all of the brownies you’ve thawed out.
The good news is that your brownies are still fine to be frozen for a second time without it damaging them or impacting on the flavor too much. This will be a lifesaver if you want to make the most of your baked goods!
Final Word
So there you have it!
Not only do you now know that brownies can indeed be frozen, but you’re also armed with all the knowledge you need to freeze them effectively to meet your needs.
You can bake away to your heart’s content, knowing that you can stock up your freezer with your favorite baked goods!
