Can You Freeze Brownies?

You can freeze a whole slab of brownies, individual brownies or frosted brownies for 3 to 6 months and still maintain high quality. The key to maintaining high quality is to wrap them tightly before freezing.

How to Freeze Brownies

There are all kinds of delicious brownies. The one thing they have in common is they are sweet and chewy. They make delicious desserts or snacks.

Whether you have found a sale and want to buy some extra brownies or perhaps you are making your own brownies and want to make them in bulk or make them ahead of a special occasion, you may find you need to extend their shelf life as they only last for around a week in the fridge if they're fresh.

Brownies like other baked goods such as carrot cake, sponge cake and cupcakes tend to freeze pretty well. The key to making sure they maintain their quality is to wrap them well before freezing them so that they maintain that chewy texture when defrosted.

There are four main methods to choose from when freezing brownies including: freezing as a slab, freezing as individual brownies, freezing as frosted brownies and freezing brownie batter.

Freezing a whole batch of brownies

• Cool completely. Once you have finished cooking your brownies, make sure you allow them to completely cool before starting the freezing process. If you start wrapping them and freezing them while they're still warm condensation will build up and can lead to mushy brownies.
• Pan or no pan. If you're freezing an entire batch or the whole slab of brownies without cutting, you can certainly leave it in the pan you baked it in. And just pop the lid on top of it. In fact, I love to make my brownies in a large Pyrex that has a top that fits perfectly for freezing. If you don't want to leave them in the pan, you can certainly remove them from the pan after cooling.
• No pan wrapping. If you choose to freeze them outside of the pan you baked them in, you want to go ahead and wrap the entire slab of brownies with a layer of plastic wrap. Then, you'll place them into an airtight container or a large freezer bag.
• Label them. Whether you choose to freeze them in the baking pan or to wrap whole slab and plastic wrap, once you have packaged your brownies you'll want to go ahead and label them with the date.
• Freeze it. Once they're labeled, go ahead and pop your slab of brownies into your freezer.

Freezing individual brownies

If you know you'll be eating just one or two brownies at a time it's best to go ahead and freeze them individually wrapped.

• Cool it down. You want to make sure that your brownies have completely cooled before getting started with freezing so that condensation won't build up and make them mushy.
• Cut it up. Next, go ahead and cut your brownies into individual portions.
• Wrap them good. This is the key part to making sure your brownies stay chewy and the perfect texture. Tear off a piece of plastic wrap that will thoroughly wrap around your individually cut brownie. Place your plastic wrap on the counter and the brownie in the middle and then secure the plastic wrap all the way around the brownie. Repeat this process for all brownies.

• Add another wrap. If you'd like to give your brownies a little extra protection and ensure their quality stays high while Frozen, you can wrap them with a second layer of plastic wrap and or a layer of aluminum foil.

• Package them. Once you have individually wrapped each brownie go ahead and pop them into an airtight container or a freezer bag. If using a freezer bag, make sure that you have squeezed any extra air out of the bag before zipping it shut.

• Label them. Write the date with a pen or marker on the outside of your container or freezer bag.
• Freeze them. Toss your container or freezer bag into the freezer.

Freezing Frosted brownies

Freezing frosted brownies is almost exactly the same process as freezing individual brownies with one additional step to ensure that your frosting doesn't get smushed.

• Thoroughly cool. Make sure that your brownies have completely cooled so that no condensation builds up during the freezing process creating mushy brownies.
• Cut them up. Go ahead and slice your brownies into individual slices.
• Flash freeze. In order to make sure the frosting or icing does not smudge or stick together you'll want to flash freeze each brownie. To do this, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer until the frosting has hardened.
• Wrap them. Tear off slices of plastic wrap big enough to wrap around each individual brownie. Place the plastic wrap flat on the counter with the brownie in the middle and secure the plastic wrap completely around each brownie.
• Extra wrapping. If you want to give a little extra protection for your brownies quality, you can wrap each brownie with an additional layer of plastic wrap and or a layer of aluminum foil.
• Pack them up. Go ahead and place your wrapped brownies into an airtight container and put the lid on it. Or toss them into a freezer bag, squeeze out any additional air and zip it shut.
• Date them. Make sure to grab a pin or marker and write the date on the outside of the container or freezer bag.
• Freeze them. Finally, toss your container or freezer bag into the freezer.

Freezing brownie batter

If you've made extra brownie batter or you want to make brownie batter ahead of time but you aren't ready to bake it yet you can also freeze that.

• Package it. Spoon your brownie batter into an airtight container or a freezer bag. Liquid will expand as it freezes so make sure to leave an inch or two of space between the brownie batter and the lid of your container or the brownie batter and the top of your freezer bag.
• Note: for extra protection, if using an airtight container, you can place a single layer of plastic wrap between the top of the brownie batter and the lid. If using a freezer bag, be sure to squeeze out any additional air before zipping it shut.
• Label it. Grab a pen or marker and put the date on the outside of the container or bag.
• Freeze it. Stick your container or freezer bag into the freezer. If using freezer bags, it's best to press the batter flat before sticking it into the freezer as this will maximize storage space.

Supplies/Equipment Needed:

• Ziploc Bags
• Plastic Wrap
• Aluminum Foil
• Marker or Pen
• Airtight Freezer Container

How to Defrost Brownies

There are a couple ways you can use to defrost brownies. First, you can simply take it out of the freezer and pop it in the fridge overnight to defrost. This is the best and safest method to use if you have any type of frosting or toppings on your brownies.

If you just have plain brownies, you don't have to worry about defrosting or toppings potentially going bad and you can place them on the counter at room temperature for a few hours to defrost.

If you want to speed up the process even more, once you're brownies have defrosted a little you can finish the rest of the way and heat them a little bit by popping them in the microwave or a toaster oven. Just be sure to do it at small 15 to 20 second increments in the microwave so you don't overheat. Again this method is best saved for plain brownies.

Freezing Brownies FAQ

Do frozen brownies taste good?

Yes, not surprisingly frozen brownies taste super delicious. They have that same brownie flavor with a cool Frozen treat goodness added in.

How long can brownies stay good frozen?

Brownies can stay good for 3 to 6 months while frozen without any significant change in quality. They are safe to eat long after that however the quality may begin to decrease.

Can you freeze brownie batter?

Yes, you can easily freeze brownie batter simply by putting it in a freezer bag with the air squeezed out or an airtight container.

Can you freeze store bought brownies?

Yes, you can freeze store brownies for the same time as homemade just make sure they are fresh.

Can you freeze brownies with icing or frosting?

Yes, you can freeze brownies with icing or frosting. Since buttercream frosting and cream cheese frosting freeze well, those are good options. The only additional step you need to take is to flash freeze them before packaging them.