Oreos are an American sandwich cookie filled with a sweet crème filling. It is favored by many households and has found its way into many recipes and baking guidelines.
So, if you come across this iconic cookie, and buy more than you and your family could eat before it goes stale, you may wish to freeze your Oreos.
Can you freeze Oreos? Yes, you can. You can freeze Oreos to prevent them from going stale for at least 8 months. But, Oreos can also be frozen mainly to enjoy a frozen sandwich cookie. Freezing Oreos does nothing to affect the flavor or taste as long is it preserved properly.
However, frozen Oreos are more brittle than normal Oreos and will break or crumble if not handled carefully. Oreos have a very long shelf life if left unopened in their packs, they can last for years. However, as soon as you open the packs, you have to eat them to keep them from going stale.
Freezing is a great idea for preserving Oreos long term. Plus there is the added benefit of trying out frozen cookies. If you haven’t yet, you’re missing out on a lot.
How to Freeze Oreos
Unlike some other cookies that might get soggy in the freezer, Oreos freeze well. Asides from the fact that they get brittle upon freezing, there is no other downside to freezing Oreos. There are two methods of freezing Oreos.
- Freezing Oreos in their store wrappers
- Freezing Oreos in other Packaging
Freezing Oreos in their Store Wrappers
This method should only be used if your Oreos cookie has not been exposed to air and left unopened. Oreos get stale upon constant exposure to air, so the key to preserving them in the freezer is to keep them away from moisture.
Step 1: Inspect the Store-Bought Wrappers
After putting aside the Oreos you want to freeze, inspect the wrappers thoroughly to ensure that there are no leaks through which air that can get into the cookie. Inspect the seal and confirm that it is intact.
Step 2: Freezing
This method is pretty simple, all you do is to chuck them into the freezer and leave them to freeze. Freezing Oreos in their store-bought wrappers has a drawback. You have to eat the whole pack of Oreos when you thaw them or refreeze them in another packaging if you can’t eat them all.
Label the packs of Oreos so if you forget them in the freezer, you can figure out how long they have been stored. Also, try to keep your cookies out of the way of larger food items so they do not get squashed in the freezer.
Freezing Oreos in Other Packaging
This method is great because it offers you flexibility with usage. You can portion your Oreos as you freeze depending on how or what you want to use them for.
Step 1: Preparation
Remove the Cookies from their store-bought packaging, check to see if they are not stale already. Cookies can still be eaten after their best before date but, you shouldn’t be freezing expired cookies. Check for that on the wrapper. Portion the Oreos into desired portions or sizes.
Step 2: Wrapping the Oreos
Take the Oreos you have portioned and wrap them in plastic wrap. The plastic wrap is like an extra layer of protection and a way of keeping your portions separate.
Wrapping also helps you manage space as you can put all the separately wrapped portions into just one large freezer-friendly bag or container.
Step 3: Storage
Take all the wrapped portions of Oreos and place them into a Ziploc bag or airtight freezer bag(s). Expel as much air as you can from the bag(s) before sealing.
The bags serve as an extra layer of protection to keep your Oreos from absorbing unwanted flavors in your freezer. It also helps you save freezer space. While you do all these packaging processes, be careful not to squish the cookies flat.
Step 4: Freezing
Before you throw your cookie sandwich into the freezer, there are a few things left to do. Don’t forget to label the bag(s) with the contents and date of the freeze. Also, always keep it out of the way of larger food items.
How to Thaw Frozen Oreos
I have a life hack/cookie eating tip for you. Frozen Oreos are the best! The fun part about freezing Oreos is that you enjoy them better when frozen. There are even reports that when you freeze them in milk, you get some kind of ice cream experience.
However, if you ever feel the need to thaw your cookies, just leave them to go back to room temperature on your counter.
Does Oreos Go Bad?
Yes, they do. After a while, about a month past their expiration date, Oreos go bad. However, most of us don’t leave our Oreos lying around long enough to see them go bad.
Oreos that have gone bad would be soft to the touch while having been left unopened but, the taste is the best way to know if your Oreos have gone bad or not. So, if you open a pack of Oreos to find that they have gone soft, please discard them.