Can You Freeze Brownies? (Should You?)

Last updated on August 7th, 2022 at 12:47 am

Everyone loves a good brownie!

A chocolate brownie (or any type of brownie really) is a square or rectangular chocolate baked confection. Brownies come in a variety of forms and may be either fudgy or cakey, depending on their density. 

They may include nuts, frosting, cream cheese, chocolate chips, or other ingredients. 

The brownie was developed in the United States at the end of the 19th century and popularized in the U.S. and Canada during the first half of the 20th century.

One legend about the creation of brownies is that of Bertha Palmer, a prominent Chicago socialite whose husband owned the Palmer House Hotel. In 1893, Palmer asked a pastry chef for a dessert suitable for ladies attending the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. 

She requested a cake-like confection smaller than a piece of cake that could be included in boxed lunches. The result was the Palmer House Brownie with walnuts and an apricot glaze.

Many people now make brownies for a dessert after a meal, or even just for a snack. They are very simple to make. 

You may be wondering what to do with brownies if you want to save some of them for a rainy day, enjoy them for weeks on end, or don’t want to eat all of them at one time. 

Unless you are preparing to throw a party, or cater an event, or feed a large family, you probably won’t need to eat a whole pan of brownies at one time. You’ll probably want to start looking for solutions for storing your brownies.

But can you freeze your brownies to make them last longer? 

You can freeze brownies, but freezing brownies may affect their texture. Thawing frozen brownies may also change their consistency and make them too watery. 

There are several ways to freeze brownies to preserve the texture and taste. It is also best to take a few precautions when freezing brownies to try and avoid the issues with texture and taste. 

I will go into detail about the best way to freeze brownies in the next section. 

What Is The Best Way To Freeze Brownies? 

Brownies that contain fillings such as cream cheese, berries, or cherries won’t freeze as well as plain brownies.

The best way to freeze brownies is to freeze the whole pan briefly and just long enough to harden the brownies. Then remove the brownie “block” ,wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then place the brownies that are wrapped in plastic wrap all in foil. 

Place the block and the wrappings into a large airtight freezer bag and freeze. They will stay frozen and fresh tasting for about 3 weeks. 

Air will only be able to reach the outer edges of your block of brownies so they will stay fresher this way. 

How you freeze your brownies may also depend on how much room you have in your freezer, or even the configuration of your freezer.

If you decide to use this method of freezing, let the brownies thaw at room temperature for just a few minutes, and then cut them before they completely thaw. This will make for a smoother cut and less jagged edges.

Another way to freeze brownies is to cut them in individual squares and wrap each brownie in plastic wrap, or place each one in a snack bag. This would be convenient for when you want just one brownie to grab for lunch, a snack on the go, or a late night indulgence. 

This method is helpful and prevents you from having to thaw and unwrap the whole block of brownies at one time. To prevent freezer burn, wrap the baggie or plastic wrapped brownie in aluminum foil.

Brownies can also be frozen in vacuum sealed bags. The frozen brownies in vacuum sealed bags will last up to 3 months. 

If you plan to store the brownies in the freezer long term, it is a good idea to not cut the brownies up. They will retain their moisture for longer if they aren’t cut.

Frozen brownies will take about 3 to 4 hours to completely thaw after you remove them from the freezer. If you want to speed up the process you could pop the brownie in the microwave for a few seconds, and you’ll very quickly be enjoying that yummy goodness. 

If you prefer to use the oven to thaw the brownies, just unwrap them and place them in an oven safe dish. Set the oven temperature on about 350 degrees and warm the brownies up for about 10 minutes. 

Brownies actually do not completely freeze in the freezer. The center may still be a little chewy, even after weeks of being in the freezer.

The secret to keeping brownies fresh is to keep the moisture locked in. This is achieved by keeping the air away from them. 

Even with all these precautions, the frozen brownies texture will be slightly different than fresh brownies that have just come straight out of the oven.

If your brownies happen to dry out in the freezer, all is not lost. There is a way to rehydrate the brownies if they are dry. To rehydrate brownies you can fold a moist paper towel around each brownie and let it slowly absorb the water (this may take a few hours).

Can Frosted Brownies Be Frozen?

Frosted brownies can be frozen, but you need to freeze the frosting and the brownies together before you wrap the brownies up. 

First frost the brownies, then put the entire pan uncovered into the freezer for about an hour. This will set the icing on the brownies. You can then wrap the entire sheet of brownies in wax paper, followed by plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. 

You can then finish freezing the brownies.

Once the icing is set on the brownies (by placing them in the freezer for an hour), you can also slice the frosted brownies into individual pieces, wrap each piece with wax paper and then place them in baggies or wrap them with plastic wrap. 

Just as with the entire sheet of brownies, you should wrap the individual pieces with aluminum foil so they will not get freezer burned.

Make sure you unwrap these frosted brownies before you unthaw them. 

If you don’t take this step, the icing is likely to get stuck to the wax paper, and you’ll lose that yummy icing you worked so hard to apply to the brownie.