Whether you created your own decadent, rich, and fudgy brownies or purchased some from your neighborhood bakery, you may be wondering how to preserve your preferred sweet for longer enjoyment.
Here are some suggestions for the best methods to store and preserve brownies so that they maintain their crispy exterior, fudgy inside, and crackly tops and sides. We have also included information about their expiration date and warning symptoms of spoilage.
How Long Do Brownies Last?
If you have made the brownies yourself from scratch or with a premade mix, they can last for about 3-4 days at room temperature and for up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. Pretty much the same rules apply to brownies that you buy from the bakery.
But the exact shelf-life of the brownies depends on the ingredients used and how sensitive and prone to spoilage they are.
According to the manufacturers, there are some brownies that you can buy in stores and order online, which will last for up to 30 days in the refrigerator.
Ensure that you check the shelf-life and instructions by the manufacturer when you order or buy your brownies because the storage time can vary from 5 to 14 days when kept at room temperature and from 7 to 30 days when stored in the fridge.
If you want to store the brownies for longer, you can freeze them as well. But keep in mind that the different types of brownies freeze differently, so you may want to test with a small batch first before making or ordering vast quantities of brownies that you want to store in the freezer.
What is the Best Method for Storing Brownies?
Whether you have baked the brownies from scratch, made them with a premade brownie mix, or bought them from the bakery or online, the storage guidelines remain pretty similar.
The most important task is to ensure that the brownies don’t dry out.
Most brownies offered online are sold in individual packaging, and you may have noticed that the brownies are provided in plastic containers in the bakeries. This is to help prevent the delicious and moist desserts from drying out from contact with the air.
If they are not already packed, make sure to place them in an airtight container, wrap them in plastic wrap or put the desserts in a freezer bag.
In case you are making your own brownies at home, and plan on making a larger batch, then it is advisable to store the entire slab instead of cutting it up and storing each piece separately. This will help keep the brownie moist, dense, and delicious for longer.
Wrap the slab with plastic wrap, or cut it into larger pieces and store them in airtight containers. You can add paper towels inside the containers so that any excess moisture is captured. Cut the brownies into small serving pieces right before serving them.
As for what the best place to store brownies is, the answer depends on the type of brownies and your preferences.
You can store the leftover brownies in the pantry at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Each of these two storage options has its advantages and disadvantages.
If your brownies are airy and light and don’t have too much moisture or heavy frosting, you can store them at room temperature.
But if your brownies are super dense, moist, and fudgy, which means they contain more eggs, it is better to keep them in the refrigerator. If they have a dairy-based creamy filling and frosting, you should store them in the fridge for safety reasons.
In any case, make sure you seal the container, resealable bag, or wrap them tightly when storing the brownies. Not only will this protect them from drying out rapidly, but it also prevents the dessert from absorbing the odors of other foods in the refrigerator or pantry.
If you are buying ready-made brownies, ask the baker, or read the instructions on the box to check if there are any special requirements and recommendations for the storage of the products.
Some manufacturers warn customers never to refrigerate their brownies, so take the time to check.
Usually, the recipes for brownies online or in books also include storage instructions, so read them when making homemade brownies.
Can Brownies be Frozen?
If you can’t eat all of the leftover brownies within the estimated shelf-life, then the only option to preserve them is to freeze them.
As mentioned earlier, not all brownies, though, freeze that well.
The cake-like classic brownies that are not as moist and dense do not freeze too well. They can become grainy and start to crumble once you thaw them.
The denser and fudgier brownies can freeze well and will remain delicious after thawing.
Before popping the brownies in the freezer, make sure to place them in an airtight container or in well-sealed freezer bags to protect them from the cold air. You can also wrap the brownie with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil.
You should add a label to the container, bag, or package with the product’s name and the date.
When you decide to eat your frozen brownies, you should take them out of the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator.
How to Determine Whether the Brownies Have Gone Bad?
Unfortunately, brownies will degrade after some time, no matter whether you keep the batch in the pantry or the fridge.
The signs that the brownie is no longer suitable or safe to eat include:
- Changes in the appearance or color of the desert
- The presence of mold
- A very prolonged storage time