The Absolute Best Ways To Keep Marshmallows Fresh
Roasted over a summer campfire or dropped into hot chocolate on a winter's day, marshmallows are gooey bites of nostalgic sweetness. With their pillowy, chewy texture, marshmallows were once treats reserved for royalty, according to the National Confectioners Association, enjoyed by Egyptians as early as the turn of the 20th century.
Left in an open bag and in a cool, dry place like the pantry, this sugar-water-air confectionery can last the better part of a year at room temperature (per Eat By Date). But once a bag of marshmallows is opened, the clock of freshness starts ticking. Fluffy exteriors turn sticky, and soft shapes become crusty, discolored blobs. Not ideal if you're craving a hot batch of Rice Krispies treats or are finally ready to try your hand at baking a s'mores pie.
Is there a way to keep marshmallows fresh? We got you. Once you open your next bag of marshmallows, there are a few steps you can take to help keep those delicious morsels tastier for longer.
Add a slice or two of bread
Place a piece of white bread into your opened marshmallow bag and seal it tight. Use a rubber band or food tie to keep the bag closed. The goal is to keep air out. Does it Go Bad? agrees this sliced-bread trick can keep marshmallows dry; bread acts as an air magnet, pulling moisture away from the marshmallows themselves.
Using bread can help keep marshmallows fresh for as long as two months, but you'll want to look for the usual signs before adding the marshmallows into recipes. Make sure the tightly closed bag is stored in a cool, dry place. Then, when you want to use the marshmallows, simply reopen the bag and check for freshness.
Alternatively, if you happen to forget that slice of bread and disappointedly open a stale bag of marshmallows, you may be able to re-insert life into a sad looking bag. Baking Kneads suggests trying the above process in reverse: place a piece of bread inside of the bag, reseal it, and see if the marshmallows come back to life in a day or two. If you notice any discoloration or staleness or if the marshmallows have become excessively sticky, buy a new batch or try making your own.
Freeze marshmallows for longer storage
Stored properly, frozen marshmallows can last up to a year (via Food Champs). To do so, place marshmallows into a tightly sealed bag or air-tight container. If you've spent time making homemade marshmallows of your own, Keep Food Fresh warns that you don't want to pack too many into one space — they might be difficult to pull apart later on.
When you're craving marshmallow-y goodness, take the container out of the freezer and let the marshmallows thaw (unless you prefer working with frozen blocks for your recipe, as some chefs do). If the marshmallows are stuck together, The Cookie Elf recommends sprinkling powdered sugar on them before pulling them apart. You can also place marshmallows in your refrigerator, but they won't last as long, usually around two to three months.
Sometimes the inevitable happens and you open a stored bag to find sticky marshmallows or stale clumps. Consider using the old batch around the house: CNET has listed household problems that marshmallows might fix or use inedible marshmallows in a craft project.