How long can I store homemade chocolate candy?

by Tina
(Sartell, MN)

How long can I store homemade chocolate candy like chocolate covered Oreos, pretzels & cherries?



I'd like to make a dozen different chocolate covered treats to give out at Christmas, but want to make them a couple months early.


I'm making chocolate covered Oreos, pretzels, crackers with peanut butter, peanut butter cups, cherries, pretzel rods, peanut butter balls, etc.


How can I store these and for how long?





Hi Tina,

I sure wish I was on your gift list! Yum! :)


Since the weather has cooled, you shouldn't have any trouble storing your chocolates till Christmas.


Place them in freezer bags and store them in plastic containers or gift tins.


The important thing is to keep them in a cool dry place with fairly constant temperatures and away from anything with strong smells (don't store them near onions or spices, etc.).


I'd save the making of the chocolate covered cherries till last. Depending on the type you make, they will have the shortest shelf life.


Since you know we can purchase boxes of chocolate covered cherries from the shelf, you also know that they do have a fairly good shelf life, especially when they are completely enrobed in chocolate.


Chocolate candy can be frozen for long storage if needed, but they need to be well wrapped with as little air in the wrapping as possible. They also need to be thawed gradually to try to eliminate 'bloom.'


The discoloration from 'bloom' doesn't hurt the taste of the chocolate, but it does make it less attractive, so don't freeze if you can help it.


I hope this answers your question about how long you can store homemade chocolate candy.


I also hope you'll take some photos of your finished candies so we can all see them. Just add them using the form at the bottom of the chocolate covered treats page.


Happy candy making!
Angie


Comments for How long can I store homemade chocolate candy?

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Dec 09, 2017
Storing Homemade Christmas Goodies NEW
by: Angie from chocolate-candy-mall.com

The cookies would be my biggest concern regarding freshness and shelf life. If they are completely covered in chocolate that would extend the freshness in my experience, but I can usually tell the difference in certain types of cookies when they get past a week or so in shelf life.

As for the chocolate covered peanuts, if they peanuts were quite fresh before you made the clusters, you should be fine for at least several weeks.

Blessings,
Angie

Dec 08, 2017
storing chocolate peanut clusters, white peanut clusters & cookies. NEW
by: Robert

Was wondering how long I can store cookies, white pretzel peanut clusters and chocolate peanut clusters in sterilite containers in my spare bedroom. It's a constant 70 degrees in the room. Will they last a couple of months? 17 days before Christmas and however long my friends keep their gifts.

Nov 11, 2017
Peanut clusters NEW
by:

I want to know how to keep peanut clusters fresh for a least two weeks?thank you!

Nov 25, 2012
Storing Cream Filled Chocolate Candy NEW
by: Angie from chocolate-candy-mall.com

Hi Emma,

I think you're cream filled chocolates will be fine for several weeks at least if kept in a cool dry place. They shouldn't go rancid if they are completely encased in the chocolate with that combo you've described.

Sounds yum! Have fun. :)

Nov 24, 2012
How long to store cream filled candy NEW
by: Emma

Hi, thanks for the great tips. I'm planning on making cream filled molded chocolates, I'm unsure how far in advance I could make them as the cream might go rancid, I'm using a mixture of powdered sugar, butter, cream and chocolate for the filling. Any suggestions? Thanks

Mar 06, 2010
Storing Chocolate
by: Karen Hamilton

I found your article very helpful. I'm making dozens of chocolate/cashew clusters for a local community centre bake sale. The sale is for St. Patrick's day and I was hoping to start early and now I know that I can...

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