Rice Krispies have become a true staple in the US, and they are not only adored by children, but many adults tend to love these simple yet delicious treats.
Also, if you don’t want to buy them at the grocery store, you can always make some at home, as there are only three ingredients that you need: rice cereal, butter, and some marshmallows.
Of course, you can always add some additional ingredients if you want, such as vanilla extract, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or candy sprinkles.
One little problem with rice Krispie treats is that they can lose quality in no time. Because of that, long-term storage is preferable, like freezing, for example.
But can you freeze rice krispie treats? Yes, you can, and they freeze quite well. However, you have to know how to do this properly, as well as some other tips and tricks.
Why Freeze Rice Krispie Treats?
I tend to eat a lot of rice krispie treats, and I mostly make them at home. There have been a lot of times when I made too many of them thinking that it won’t be enough.
Unfortunately, I was wrong, so I needed a backup plan because I didn’t want those wonderful sweet treats to end up in the trash. Freezing was the first thing that came to my mind.
The freezing method was able to extend their shelf life and maintain their freshness for a longer period. I was also able to portion them and pull them out of the fridge in the right amount every time.
Also, in some situations, I understood that not only leftovers can be stored in the freezer. I was able to make them ahead, freeze them, and use them whenever I needed.
All in all, I was able to reduce food waste, especially of something that tastes so delicious, and I was always able to pull them out of the freezer whenever I wanted.
However, there is a dark side as well. I have to admit that some of my crispy treats have lost some of their crunchiness and became slightly softer, which I didn’t like.
Aside from that, some of them lost their original freshness and developed a slightly different taste after being stored in the freezer for an extended period.
Fortunately, there are ways to minimize these negative factors, and the key to achieving that lies in proper storage.
Ways To Freeze Them Successfully
No matter if you bought them from the grocery store or made your own culinary masterpiece at home, there are successful ways to freeze rice krispie treats, preserve their freshness, and minimize these negative effects.
Freeze Homemade Rice Krispie Treats Right Away
If you just made those delicious and sweet treats at home, but do not want to enjoy them immediately, there is a simple way to store them in the fridge very quickly.
Here are the steps:
STEP 1: Once you make rice krispies treats, leave them on the countertop for a few minutes so that they can cool down, as it is not good to put warm food in the freezer due to the higher risk of excess moisture. Namely, the rice can become sticky very easily.
STEP 2: Once they cool down, take a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, and cut them into your preferred portions, so that you can take out as much as you want later.
STEP 3: Wrap those individual pieces with cling wrap and make sure that none of the parts are exposed, so that the moisture does not seep in.
STEP 4: Transfer those tightly wrapped rice krispie treats to an air-tight container and seal the container properly to protect them from freezer burn. You can also use freezer-friendly bags, but you must make sure to push out all the excess air.
STEP 5: Label the container or the bag with the exact date of storage and put it in the freezer.
Flash-Freeze Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
This is a similar method to the previous one, although it has one additional step. However, if you have a bit more time, this method is proven to be slightly better, so it might be worth it.
STEP 1: Again, first let your rice krispie treats cool down if you just made them.
STEP 2: Once cooled, you can either wrap it whole in wax paper, or you can slice it into individual portions and wrap each portion separately. From my experience, it is better to slice it into individual portions because the process can become messy later.
STEP 3: Place them on the cookie sheet and transfer that cookie sheet to the freezer for 1-2 hours until they are frozen solid.
STEP 4: After that time frame, pull them from the freezer and cover them in cling wrap.
STEP 5: Put those properly wrapped rice krispies in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Remove as much air as possible from the bag in order to protect them from freezer burn. However, don’t worry too much about it because freezer burn doesn’t make food unsafe to eat, but it can only dry it out, as stated by the USDA.
STEP 6: Label the bag or container with the exact date of storage and transfer it to the freezer.
Freeze Store-Bought Rice Krispie Treats In No Time
If you didn’t have time to make them at home, but you bought them from the grocery store, the freezing process is even simpler.
This is especially the case if you didn’t open the original packaging. In that case, all you have to do is to put it in the freezer like that and it will be perfectly fine.
On the other hand, if you have some leftovers, you must repackage them before freezing. Simply wrap them in cling wrap and transfer them to a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag.
Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag tightly. Label it with the exact date of storage and put it in the fridge.
Easy peasy, right?
Few Additional Tips On Freezing Rice Krispie Treats
Aside from the standard procedure of freezing rice krispie treats, I will also share a few freezing tips, based on my own culinary experience from making these delicious treats.
• It is essential that you use the best ingredients when making rice krispie treats. This especially counts for rice cereal since low-quality rice cereal tends to turn soggy or grainy very fast.
• When freezing, place the container in the center of the freezer. This way, you will be able to minimize the amount of condensation and ice that forms within the container.
• Fill the container as much as you can, as it is best for rice krispie treats that there is little excess space.
• If you have one, put a food-safe dehumidifier in the container to absorb as much excess moisture as possible.
• When making rice krispie treats, it is best to use a single layer of melted marshmallows and then bake them as normal. Freezing marshmallows on a rice krispie treat will work best that way.
How Long Can They Stay In The Freezer?
Generally speaking, you can keep rice krispie treats in the freezer for up to 6 months.
However, from my own experience, I would suggest that you do not. My rice krispies were once in the freezer for 3 months and their texture and consistency just didn’t feel right.
According to the USDA, “leftovers can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.”
I found out that rice cereals tend to take on a less-appealing consistency if kept in the freezer for too long. I also found out that, in order to avoid that, it is best to keep them in the freezer for up to 1 month, or just a little bit longer.
This way, you will avoid ending up with lower-quality krispie treats.
Thawing And Reheating Rice Krispie Treats
Thawing rice krispie treats is even easier than freezing them. Actually, it is much, much easier.
Once you get those well-known krispie cravings, you just need to pull them out of the freezer and let them stay on the countertop for around 30 minutes.
Unlike some other types of food, like cooked chicken for example, rice krispie treats are able to maintain their quality at room temperature for quite a long time.
However, you can also let them thaw for longer. I once left them out the whole night and, in the morning, they were very delicious. Even more delicious to be honest.
Reheating is really not necessary when it comes to these treats. The only thing you can do is to put them in the microwave if you don’t have much time, as the microwave will do the job in just a few minutes.
You can also use the microwave if you want to make them softer.
Can You Refreeze Rice Krispie Treats?
Technically, you can but there’s a two-hour rule. According to the USDA, you shouldn’t refreeze rice krispie treats or any other thawed food if it was left outside the fridge for longer than 2 hours.
However, from a rational point of view, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Namely, once you freeze and thaw krispies, you already compromise their texture, flavor, and overall quality. But, you can minimize those negative effects with proper storage.
Unfortunately, if you freeze and thaw them again, there is little space left for any maneuver. You will, most likely, end up with bad quality krispie treats.
What’s even worse is the fact that this process can increase the risk of bacterial growth and, consequently, foodborne illness.
All in all, stick to portioning your rice krispies so that you can always take as much as you want, without the need for an additional freezing process.
Can You Freeze Them With Additional Ingredients?
The answer to this question mainly depends on the type of additional ingredients. However, in most cases, some standard additional ingredients for rice krispie treats freeze quite well.
One of the most common ones is chocolate. Many people like to add some melted chocolate to their krispies to provide them with that sweet, rich, and slightly bitter flavor.
When it comes to freezing chocolate-covered rice krispies, there is nothing wrong with it since chocolate freezes quite well. It’s best to store it in the freezer set to 0°F.
However, once you pull those choco krispies from the freezer, you should avoid thawing them at room temperature, as it can cause moisture to condense on the chocolate’s surface, leading to a less appealing texture.
It is much better to transfer them to the fridge and let them thaw slowly to maintain their quality. However, you shouldn’t let them stay in the fridge for too long as it can make rice cereal soggy.
Once you see that the chocolate is firm and cooled properly, pull them from the fridge, and let them stay at room temperature for a few minutes.
If you are suspicious, you can also freeze just your krispies and once thawed, pour the melted chocolate over them, and let them cool in the refrigerator.
Final Verdict
So, can you freeze rice krispie treats?
Yes, you can definitely freeze rice krispies, as they freeze pretty well. Just make sure to slice them before, wrap each individual portion in cling wrap, and store them in an airtight container or freezer-friendly plastic bag.
Don’t let it stay in the freezer for more than 1 month, as that can lead to deteriorated quality in terms of texture and flavor.