How to Store Brownies - Ultimate Guide

In our opinion, there is nothing better than a chocolate brownie! With their gooey center and crunchy outer shell, these delicious chocolate treats make a delicious snack, lunchtime treat, or even a luxurious dessert.

But what is the best way to store brownies? The best way to store brownies is in an airtight container at room temperature. Brownies stay fresh for up to 5 days this way, but are at their best if eaten 1-2 days after baking. If you need to store the brownies for more than 5 days, they also keep well in the fridge or freezer.

Whether you’ve mastered the ultimate brownie recipe or gotten some brownies from the store or a friend, you’ll want to know the best way to store brownies.

In our ultimate guide, we’re going to take an in-depth look at all your storage options, and even find the best containers to keep your brownies as fresh as they came out of the oven.

What is a brownie?

A brownie is a square or rectangular baked treat made of chocolate. Brownie recipes often include chocolate, eggs, butter, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla extract. 

The ingredients are similar to those used to make a chocolate cake, but brownies are often denser and heavier than cake.

The perfect chocolate brownie should have a thick, crispy outer shell and a smooth, rich interior, almost like a dulce de leche. Brownies can be eaten plain as a snack, or served warm as a dessert with ice cream or cream.

How long do brownies last at room temperature?

Like most baked goods, brownies taste best when kept at room temperature. When stored correctly, brownies will stay soft and chewy for up to 5 days , tasting just like they came out of the oven.

However, they will only stay fresh for 5 days if they are left uncut and protected from the air as much as possible.

Brownies cut into pieces and stored in an airtight container may only retain their freshness for 2-3 days.

How to Store Brownies After Baking

If you’ve managed to bake the perfect brownie, congratulations!

We’ve all had brownies that are dry and crumbly, or soggy, or too hard, so if your brownies are crispy on the outside and sticky on the inside, you’ll want to do your best to keep them that way.

Once baked, allow the brownies to cool completely on the cookie sheet. If you plan to eat the brownies in a day or two, cut them into squares or rectangles.

For longer storage, you can remove the brownie portion whole or leave it in the pan.

How to Store Brownies So They’re Fresh

To keep your freshly baked brownies at their best, your storage method should be as airtight as possible. Air is the home baker’s biggest enemy and will make your limp, gooey brownies as dry as dust.

The best way to keep your brownies fresh is to avoid cutting them until you want to eat them. If you cut them, you’ll be exposing more of the brownie to the air, which means they can dry out very quickly.

An uncut piece of brownie will keep fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

As soon as you cut the brownie into individual servings, it cuts down to 1-2 days before it starts to dry out and go stale.

The best option is to keep your brownies on the tray they were baked in, wrapped in airtight packaging, such as plastic wrap. Another option is to remove the entire board from the tray and store it in an airtight container.

Cut the piece of brownie when you are ready to eat or serve it.

You can even cut a single brownie at a time to treat yourself, although if you’re like us there wouldn’t be much left after a day or two!

How to prevent brownies from going stale

If you don’t eat the brownies the same day you make them, they can get hard and brittle quickly. As soon as you take the brownies out of the oven, they are exposed to air and the sugars start to crystallize.

However, don’t be tempted to wrap the brownies before they’ve cooled completely . If you do, steam and condensation will form, and the crispy outer layer will become mushy and soggy.

An excellent solution is to cover the pan of brownies with a clean kitchen towel while they cool . This will reduce the amount of air the brownies are exposed to and allow steam and condensation to escape.

Once the brownies are completely cool, they should be stored in an airtight container to prevent browning.

How to keep brownies soft

We may repeat ourselves, but we can’t stress enough: the only way to ensure your brownies stay soft and moist is to keep the air out. So what is the best way to do it?

The key to keeping brownies soft and fresh is to wrap them well. There are several ways to do it:

• Plastic wrap can tightly wrap brownies; this is the easiest and best method for keeping brownies nice and soft. It can also be layered and is an easy way to wrap individual brownies.
• Aluminum foil is also easy to fold tightly around the brownies, blocking out air and keeping them fresh.
• Airtight containers also work well, but for best results, wrap or layer parchment paper inside the container to reduce air exposure.
• A resealable bag is a quick and easy option for storing brownies, especially if you want to pack one in your lunch box or at a picnic.

Best tip: add a slice of bread to your storage container!  It may sound crazy, but the moisture from the bread will help the brownies stay soft and stay fresh for a few more days.

How do you store brownies in the fridge?

If you live in a warmer climate, your brownies may not last well at room temperature, especially if you don’t have air conditioning. If you store the brownies in the fridge, they will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

Make sure the brownies are well wrapped before storing them in the fridge . Baked goods absorb odors and flavors from other foods in the fridge, so double wrap them.

Brownies should always be enjoyed at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge an hour before you want to eat them. Alternatively, microwave them for a few seconds for a deliciously sticky hot treat.

If you don’t plan on eating them all at once, be sure to wrap the rest well before putting them back in the fridge.

Can brownies be frozen?

It’s definitely okay to freeze the brownies; in fact, this method is better than the fridge!  Brownies keep in perfect condition in the freezer for up to 3 months.

It’s a great way to make a big batch of brownies ahead of time, or just keep a treat in the freezer for those times when only a fudge brownie will do.

Again, the key to perfect brownie freezing conditions is keeping them out of the air. Brownies are also susceptible to freezer burn , so double guarding is required.

Brownies can be frozen individually, or larger batches can be frozen as large plates and then cut after thawing. You can even wrap the brownie still in the pan, but this means you won’t have the pan available when you want to use it.

Wrap the brownie in an airtight layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil.

This should be enough to protect it from air and freezer burn, but if you want to be extra safe, place the foil packet in a freezer-safe plastic container.

Defrost your brownies by leaving them in their wrapper at room temperature. Large brownie pieces will take 2-3 hours to defrost, while individual brownies will take about 1 hour.

If you’re in a hurry, the large piece of brownie can be cut into serving-size portions and microwaved while still partially frozen.

What is the best container to store brownies?

You may have a pantry full of containers, but which is the best to store brownies? You need a container that your brownies will fit well in. This will reduce the amount of air that circulates around the brownies.

• Glass jars

Using mason jars to store your brownies can be very pretty, and it’s a lovely option if you’re making brownies as gifts. An airtight mason jar is a great way to showcase your baking efforts.

However, unless they are individually wrapped, your brownies will only stay fresh for 1-2 days if stored this way.

• stainless steel containers

An airtight stainless steel container will keep your brownies in perfect condition for up to 5 days if layered on parchment paper. 

• plastic containers

Durable, adaptable and versatile - we all love our Tupperware containers! The ultimate in keeping food fresh, an airtight plastic container is the perfect storage method for your chocolate brownies.

But don’t forget about the parchment paper layer , which will help keep them fresh for longer.

• Ziploc bags

Using a Ziploc or sealable bag is an easy and versatile option to keep your brownies fresh and fluffy. Just remember to squeeze out all the air before sealing it ; otherwise your brownies will be hard and dry in no time!

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over some of the best ways to preserve brownies, let’s look at some related questions that may have come up while reading this article!

Can brownies be reheated?

After a long day of work or school, sometimes you feel like a nice dessert with the minimum of fuss. Luckily, brownies are quick and easy to reheat, and they can be reheated fresh or frozen, and in the oven or microwave.

• To reheat brownies in the oven, place them on a baking sheet preheated to 350°F. Heat fresh brownies for 10 minutes, and frozen ones for 20 minutes.
• To reheat brownies in the microwave, place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat on full power for 20-second bursts at a time . Most brownies are warm after 1 minute.

What is the best way to reheat brownies?

The best way to reheat brownies is in the oven, as they keep the crispy outer shell and sticky center.

Reheating brownies in the microwave can make them a bit soggy, but many of us don’t mind! If the brownies are reheated too long in the microwave, they will become tough and gummy.

Do brownies have to be gooey?

Baking brownies is quite an art, and it takes practice to get a brownie that isn’t a dry piece of cake. The perfect brownie should have a thick, crispy outer shell and a smooth, rich interior, almost like a dulce de leche.

However, there are three types of brownie, all with different levels of viscosity:

• Chocolate brownie: dense, with a moist and intensely chocolatey interior.
• Chewy Brownie - Moist, but not as gooey as chocolate brownie.
• Pastry Brownie: Moist, with a slightly fluffy interior.

Do brownies harden when cooled?

When you take the tin of brownies out of the oven, they will still be soft and cake-like. Brownies firm up as they cool, so it’s important to let them cool completely in the pan before attempting to cut and remove them.

If you cut the brownies while they are still warm or warm, they may crumble and stick to the knife. Wait for them to cool completely so that the brownies have a clean edge when cut.

Are brownies better hot or cold?

Without a doubt, brownies are best warm, especially when served as a dessert. However, a cold brownie is a tasty snack, straight from its storage tin. Cold brownies have a firmer texture, while hot ones are soft and sticky.

When baking brownies, it’s important to let them cool completely on the cookie sheet before cutting and removing them.

This means that if you want to enjoy your brownies warm, you have to reheat them in the oven or microwave.

This makes brownies the perfect dessert for a “make ahead” dinner: bake them a day or two ahead and reheat them when your guests have finished the main course.

What can I do with stale brownies?

Maybe you’ve made too many brownies and couldn’t eat them before they went stale? Or did someone leave the lid on and your delicious brownies are dry and hard?

Don’t panic: if your brownies are soggy, it’s easy to bring them back to life! However, check first for mold or other signs of deterioration.

The microwave will be your best friend in this case: just microwave the stale brownie on full power for 10-20 seconds . This will gently warm up your brownie and make it smooth and delicious again.

If you want to do something different with your stale brownies, here are some great ideas:

• Ice Cream Topping: Add stale brownie chunks to the ice cream. Mmmm, brownie sundae!
• Brownie Bread Pudding – Put a twist on this classic dish by using leftover brownies in place of the bread.
• Brownie Crumbs: Crush leftover brownies in the food processor to make crumbs. Let them air dry until they harden, and then use them as a topping for yogurt or even as a cheesecake crust.