Can You Freeze Rice Krispie Treats?
You would have tasted rice krispie treats, the soft and chewy candy treat, as a child. While these treats are usually made with rice, marshmallows, and butter, you have different varieties like chocolate chip cookies, colorful candy sprinkles, and crushed candies. Since you have rice krispie treats as part of snacks, you would have sufficient leftovers. So, the question arises as to can you freeze rick krispie treats? Besides, this food item contains marshmallows, an ingredient that generally does not freeze well.
Can You Freeze Rice Krispie Treats?
You can freeze rice krispie treats, both homemade and store-bought treats. Since rice krispie treats freeze well, you can prepare them in large batches for serving later. However, a lot depends on the ingredients you use for preparing rice krispie treats. Low-quality rice can turn soggy during the defrosting process.
How Do You Freeze Homemade Rice Krispie Treats?
You can freeze homemade rice krispie treats in the traditional and flash freeze methods.
The Regular Freezing Method
- Cool the rice krispie treats to room temperature. Freezing hot rice krispie treats can cause condensation issues and affect their quality.
- Cut the rice krispie sheet into small cubes or bars for convenient consumption on cooling.
- Wrap each cube or bar in cling film and ensure they are not exposed to air.
- Place these bars/cubes inside a zip lock freezer bag and squeeze out the excess air from the bag before sealing.
- Note the storage date and place the bags flat inside the freezer.
The Flash Freeze Method
- On cooling the rice krispie sheet, wrap the entire sheet in wax paper. Alternatively, you can cut the rice krispie treats into small pieces and wrap them individually.
- Keep the sheet inside the freezer for a couple of hours.
- On becoming frozen, cover the treats in cling wrap and place them in a freezer-safe airtight container. Remove the excess air and seal it.
- Label the container and set it for freezing inside the freezer.
How Do You Freeze Store-Bought Rice Krispie Treats?
The procedure is similar, except that you need not cool the treats because they are already at room temperature.
- You can use the original packaging or pack each treat individually before freezing. You can wrap them in cling film after peeling off the original wrapping if they need repacking.
- Place the individual rice krispie treats in a freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal it.
- Note the freezing date and place them into the freezer.
How Long Can The Frozen Rice Krispie Treat Last In The Freezer?
Kellogg, the prime manufacturer of rice krispie treats, recommends freezing them for around six weeks. However, it is technically possible to keep them frozen for nearly six months. But, we recommend consuming them within one month of freezing to enjoy the same taste and flavor they had when fresh.
How Do You Defrost Rice Krispie Treats?
Defrosting the frozen rice krispie treats is simple. You can remove the required quantity of frozen rice krispie treats from the freezer and let them thar on the kitchen table for an hour. They do not require any reheating because they are ready for consumption on defrosting. However, you can find the frozen rice krispie treats a bit hard. So, you can microwave them for some time to soften them and make them comfortable to consume.
How Long Can Rice Krispie Treats Remain Fresh At Room Temperature?
Storing the rice krispie treats in airtight containers or sealable zip lock bags at room temperature can keep them crispy for a week if you use salted butter during its preparation.
Can Rice Krispie Treats Expire?
Unopened bags of rice krispie treats purchased from the supermarket can last twelve months past the date mentioned on the package. However, we recommend consuming the krispie treats within six months after opening the box. Otherwise, they lose their crispiness and taste.
How Do I Know That The Rice Krispie Treats Have Expired?
Each package has the expiry date mentioned on them. Therefore, you can consider the rice krispie treats as expired beyond this date.
How Long Can The Rice Krispie Treat Last In The Fridge?
Rice krispie treats can last for two days in the fridge if you wrap them individually in plastic wrap. However, freezing them is the right option if you wish to extend their shelf life.
Can Rice Krispie Treats Go Bad?
Yes, they can go bad because rice krispie treats contain butter. Butter can become rancid if left at room temperature for extended periods.
How Can You Tell The Rice Krispie Treats Have Become Stale And Unfit For Consumption?
Storing rice krispie treats in the open can make them stale. The butter can turn rancid and give out an offensive odor. Besides, rice can absorb moisture from the air and become soggy. They can impart a distinct smell. Another sign of the rice krispie treats going stale is mold formation. So, you do not have to taste them to tell the rice krispie treats have become stale.
What Will Happen If You Consume Expired Rice Krispie Treats?
Expired rice krispie treats are not stale. You can consume them, but they would have lost the crispiness and taste of fresh rice krispie treats.
What Happens If You Consume Stale Rice Krispie Treats?
Consuming stale rice krispie treats can cause food poisoning issues.
Can You Refreeze Rice Krispie Treats?
Theoretically, you can refreeze krispie treats, but we do not recommend doing it because frequent defrosting can make the rice soggy and spoil the rice krispie treats. Therefore, we advise cutting the rice krispie treats into small consumable pieces before freezing them.
Is It Possible To Freeze The Rice Krispie Treats Variants Like Chocolate-Covered Rice Krispie Treats Or Rice Krispie Treat Candies?
You can freeze the rice krispie treats variants, provided you follow the correct procedure.
Why Do You Recommend Consuming Rice Krispie Treats Quickly Even Though Kellogg Allows Freezing For Six Weeks?
Homemade rice krispie treats are different from store-bought treats. The freezing period depends on how you prepare the rice krispie treats at home. Therefore, we play it safe and recommend consuming rice krispie treats within three to four weeks of freezing. It ensures that they taste fresh.
Final Thoughts
So, can you freeze rice krispie treats? It is possible to freeze rice krispie treats if you follow the correct procedure.
