Brownies are a fantastic treat when you fancy indulging a little. There’s nothing better than homemade brownies which are a little squidgy, but what if you’ve made too many?
Maybe they just fell into your cart when you went food shopping, and now it’s nearing the end of the week, and you forgot all about them.
While you could eat the whole thing, the repercussions probably aren’t worth it.
So, can you freeze them?
Yes. Brownies are freezable, and as long as you prepare them for the freezer correctly, you’ll have trouble telling the difference between a fresh brownie and a thawed one, as the consistency should remain the same.
It is, however, important to point out that different types of brownies will freeze differently (see also Can You Freeze Weed Brownies).
The ratio of ingredients will affect the consistency the brownies have after they are defrosted, and the type of brownie they were to begin with.
Most types will freeze perfectly well. If you want to freeze cheesecake (see also Freezing Cheesecake) swirl brownies, these can start to sweat when you take them out to defrost. They will remain perfectly safe to eat, but they will be a little on the moist side.
This does risk the brownies going soggy or mushy, but as long as you prepare them right before you freeze them, this shouldn’t be a problem.
When you store brownies in the freezer, you can keep them for up to 3 months before the quality degrades. As usual, try to aim to use them before then, as the quicker you use them, the tastier they will be.
How Do You Freeze Brownies?
If you made brownies from scratch, let them cool completely on a wire rack before you do anything else. That’s always the hardest part of making brownies, right?
If you’re planning to freeze a whole load of brownies, and not just the leftovers, you can freeze the whole slab of brownies without cutting them up first.
This will save you on freezer space, but it may be more difficult to defrost only what you need. It’s best to freeze brownies in slabs if you’re planning on defrosting the lot at once.
You can even leave the parchment paper which lined the tins on the brownies, which will help support them.
To prevent freezer burn, completely cover the delicious slab in cling wrap, and do it again. Follow that with two layers of foil, label it, and freeze it.
If you don’t have that much space in the freezer, or if you’re only planning to freeze a few brownies, cut them into pieces.
To protect the pieces from freezer burn, you can wrap each slice individually in cling film or foil, and then seal them in an airtight container. Label the box, and freeze it.
The Best Way To Defrost Frozen Brownies
If you froze a whole slab of brownies, unwrap them from everything except the parchment, and let them thaw on the counter for a maximum of 4 hours.
You can then use a bread knife to cut them into pieces, and they’re ready to enjoy.
If you’re not planning on using the whole batch, you can take them out of the freezer, cut them into desired portions, and wrap the rest to put back in the freezer straight away.
Brownies are easy to cut when frozen, and like many bakes, they sometimes cut easier when they are frozen, compared to when they are fresh.
If you freeze the brownies individually, simply unwrap them and leave them to warm up on the counter on a plate for no more than 3 hours.
How To Reheat Thawed Brownies
If you prefer your brownies warm, you can use the microwave, the oven, or even the toaster, depending on your preferences and how much time you have.
Reheating the brownies may cause a change in texture, so keep a watchful eye on them to make sure the sugar doesn’t burn.
Once they’re hot enough, you can serve them with velvety cream, crème fraîche, ice cream, fruit, or your favorite topping.
Conclusion
Brownies are the perfect way to treat yourself or someone else (see also Can You Freeze Doughnuts), and it’s no small thing that you can freeze brownies with no trouble at all, as they don’t change in appearance or consistency like other desserts will.
If you freeze the brownies as soon as they are cool, you’ll get the best results possible, and no one will be able to tell the difference.
It also helps that you can make them ahead of time, saving you some money if you can stock up on the ingredients, or if ready-made brownies are on offer.
That way, if you have any unexpected guests, or you’re planning for a party, you can simply take the brownies out of the freezer when you need them, and enjoy.
