I am sure that most of you have tasted these sweet and fluffy confections once in your life, especially if you are a fan of sweet dishes and desserts. Marshmallows are the “giants” of the culinary world.
This popular sweet treat can be consumed as plain candy, can be added to brownies and other types of cookies, and can be used with hot chocolate, as a pie topping, in ice cream, rice Krispie treats, and so on.
One of the most popular treats in the US and Canada that contain marshmallows is a campfire treat known as a s’more. As you can see, this popular type of mallow is very versatile and can be used in almost anything.
But, you also have to know how to properly freeze your favorite yummy treat just like freezing donuts, croissants, etc., because if it is not stored the right way, it can easily become everything opposite to what it should be.
And you certainly do not want that to happen. So, the question arises of whether you can freeze marshmallows. The answer is absolutely positive, but you also have to know how to do it properly so that you don’t end up with trash.
So, Can You Freeze Marshmallows?
As I already said, the answer to this question of whether you can freeze marshmallows is positive. Not only that, but you can also freeze rice krispie treats (hint: they also contain marshmallows). The main reason is the ingredients from which traditional store-bought marshmallows are made.
Those ingredients include gelatin, corn syrup, sugar, and water.
None of these ingredients are very sensitive and they are all suitable for the freezing process. But, this is not the only type of marshmallow, there is also a type that also contains eggs, besides the listed ingredients, which makes it unsuitable for the freezing process.
That type of marshmallow is called Pate de guimauve and it is a French version of marshmallows.
I have to emphasize that all types of marshmallows share the same characteristic of being sensitive to moisture because the marshmallows maintain their shape due to so-called air pockets.
But when those air pockets are exposed to moisture, they are at high risk of collapsing. So, the most logical thing to do is to always keep marshmallows in a dry place away from the air as much as possible.
And that is the logic you also have to apply when freezing and defrosting your fluffy friends. So, let’s look at the best procedure to freeze marshmallows properly.
How Can You Freeze Marshmallows Properly?
So, how can you freeze marshmallows properly? Freezing marshmallows is not a hard thing to do but you must consider some information.
So, here are the 4 main steps that you have to follow in order to extend the shelf life of your favorite chewy treat.
STEP 1: First, the best thing you can do is to separate the bag of marshmallows into smaller portions. Do this in the proportion of the number of marshmallows that you will use when you defrost them.
Especially do this if you are freezing homemade marshmallows because they do not contain certain additives that prevent marshmallows from sticking together.
STEP 2: Your next task is to wrap every portion of marshmallows using aluminum foil. It is essential that you wrap them properly so that there are no gaps where air can enter and come into contact with the marshmallows because that is the worst thing that can happen to them.
Also, do not put a lot of marshmallows into one portion because you do not want to risk them squashing together and creating a sticky mess instead of the white fluffiness that you want to see.
STEP 3: The next step is the packaging. It is best to put your wrapped marshmallows into a freezer-safe air-tight container, but you can also use some kind of freezer bag or Ziploc bag.
The most important thing is to prevent any air from entering the bag, so if you are using any kind of freezer bag it is essential that you squeeze out all the air before sealing it.
This is the case with almost any food item, but the importance in the case of marshmallows is even greater because they are very sensitive to moisture.
STEP 4: And the last step, as you could have guessed, is to finally freeze the marshmallows by just putting the bag or the container into a deep place in your freezer.
But before that, it is also important to label the bag with the date so that you know when you have put your marshmallows into the freezer.
In the end, I have to say that this is the case when you have an opened bag of marshmallows.
When you have an unopened bag of marshmallows that you bought in the grocery store, you do not have to go through this procedure, but rather just put that bag in the freezer and you are good to go.
Your marshmallows can freely stay in the freezer for up to 3-4 months, as stated by the USDA. Actually, they are safe indefinitely in the freezer but you shouldn’t keep them frozen for too long due to quality loss.
How To Thaw Marshmallows?
The absolute best way to slowly defrost marshmallows is to immediately transfer the bag or container of marshmallows into the refrigerator. Thawing food in the fridge is considered one of the safest thawing methods.
This way you will maintain their recognizable spongy texture.
But, even if you put them directly onto the countertop from the freezer and leave them at room temperature, that won’t cause spoilage because their texture is not changed a lot in the freezer and there is a relatively short period of time they need to go from solid to fluffy.
That time is estimated to be about 10 to 15 minutes so, after that time period on the countertop, you can use them freely.
There could be a little problem with stickiness, so if your marshmallows appear to be sticky, you can use some corn starch or powdered sugar to sprinkle on them and shake the container or bag a little to cover them evenly.
When it comes to flavor, there really are no problems because marshmallows easily maintain their flavor when they are frozen and defrosted, so you don’t have to worry about that.
What Are The Alternative Ways To Store Marshmallows?
There are two more ways to store marshmallows and those include storing them in the refrigerator inside a sealed bag with white bread. So, let’s take a look at what these methods are:
1. Storing Marshmallows In The Refrigerator
The procedure of storing marshmallows in the refrigerator is very similar to that of storing them in the freezer. There is only one slight difference that I will mention here.
Because the internal temperature of the fridge is slightly higher than that of the freezer, there is also a slightly higher humidity there and that is not something preferable for marshmallows.
So it is preferable to place your marshmallows into an airtight container or freezer bag and sprinkle them with powdered sugar or cornstarch before sealing the bag or container.
That way you will lower the amount of unwanted moisture and prevent the marshmallows from sticking together.
You can let your marshmallows stay in the fridge for up to 2-3 months.
2. Storing Marshmallows In A Sealed Bag With Bread
This one is slightly odd and very different from the previous two methods. But this method is also a very effective one. All you have to do is to put a piece of white bread into the opened bag of marshmallows and seal it with a rubber band or twist tie.
Then it is best to place that bag in a cool and dry place where there is no direct light. You are surely wondering what the heck bread has to do with all this. Well, it is proven that bread pulls the moisture out of the air and moisture is the biggest enemy of marshmallows.
I am sure that you now understand why this method is so good at keeping your marshmallows fresh and keeping them that way longer.
Final Words On These Fluffy Sweets
This article has answered the question of whether you can freeze marshmallows in the affirmative and it has shown that you can use frozen marshmallows freely without any fear that you will spoil their flavor or texture, or that they are not safe to consume.
You just have to follow these steps properly and carefully note how to thaw your frozen marshmallows the right way, and you will have your fluffy and chewy treats with all the quality that they possessed when being fresh.