Although they are at their best when freshly made, properly wrapped marshmallow Krispie treats can be stored for a couple of days on your kitchen counter or for several weeks in your freezer. The goal is to maintain their crisp and chewy texture and prevent them from becoming stale, soggy or too hard to chew. Packaging, humidity, storage temperature and freshness of ingredients all work together to determine how long you can keep marshmallow Krispie treats fresh.
Ingredients
For the freshest marshmallow Krispie treats, start with fresh ingredients. The basic ingredients are marshmallows, crisp rice breakfast cereal and butter or margarine. All of these ingredients can become stale if they are not stored properly or if their expiration dates have been reached. Check the dates on the labels before you buy these ingredients, and if you open any of the packages before you make Krispie treats, be sure to seal and store them properly. Otherwise, marshmallows can dry out and harden, the fat in butter can start to go rancid and rice cereal can start to taste old and musty.
Storage Containers
Store marshmallow Krispie treats for about two days at room temperature in an airtight container. Package the treats individually or in batches. Use plastic wrap, a zipper-style or twist-tie food storage bag with all of the air squeezed out before sealing, or a tightly covered or snap-lid container. If you use a food storage container, make sure it is the right size for the amount of Krispie treats you are storing. There should not be much extra air space in the container.
Freezing
If you are going to freeze marshmallow Krispie treats, it is best to do it soon after you make them, rather than waiting a day or two. The fresher they are when they go into the freezer, the fresher they will taste when they come out. Make sure your freezer temperature is 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. To freeze Krispie treats, place them in an airtight, freezer storage container in single layers separated by a sheet of waxed paper. In place of a storage container, you can use a food storage bag designed for use in the freezer. Squeeze any extra air out of the bag before sealing to avoid freezer burn and maintain the quality of the treats. Label and date the container or bag. Freeze the treats for up to six weeks. To thaw and eat, let the treats stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Rationale
If homemade marshmallow Krispie treats are not stored properly, they absorb moisture from the air and quickly become stale and overly chewy, rather than crisp and crunchy. Packaged, ready-made marshmallow Krispie treats that are available in supermarkets contain preservatives and other ingredients that keep them fresh until they reach their expiration date.
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