I love biting into a sweet, fresh blueberry that’s just been picked. But what do you do when the blueberry season ends, and you know you will still crave them in a few months? You freeze them!
Freezing blueberries is a quick and easy way to preserve their flavor and sweetness. Plus, frozen blueberries can be used in smoothies, yogurt bowls, pancakes, waffles, muffins, or any other recipe that calls for fresh blueberries.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to freeze blueberries so that they taste just as good as fresh.
Best Way To Freeze Blueberries
Step 1 – Clean Them
Start by stemming and sorting out bad blueberries. It’s important to remove anything that is mushy, dry or something you wouldn’t eat fresh. Once frozen and thawed, bad berries will become nasty and spoil the rest.
Once sorted, clean your blueberries with cold water. Handle them with extra care because the skins can tear or bruise easily.
Step 2 – Dry Them
Dry your blueberries well using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
Having a little excess moisture is okay, but you don’t have to have too much water. When you thaw your blueberries, that extra water can take away some of their sweetness and make them feel mushy.
Step 3 – Spread Them Out On A Tray And Freeze
Spreading out your blueberries on a tray is an important step. Keep them loose and in a single layer. If your blueberries are small enough, they will freeze all the way through in about two hours.
If you’re using a metal tray, you could line it with parchment paper to help prevent them from freezing to the tray itself.
Doing this step before storing them in plastic bags will help keep them separated so that you can take out as much or as little as you need.
Step 5 – Store Them In Ziplock Bags In The Freezer
Once your blueberries are frozen, remove them from your tray and store them in a sealable plastic freezer bag. Write the date on the bag when they were packaged.
That’s it! Your frozen blueberries are ready to use whenever you need them.
Do you have a vacuum sealer that you want to use instead? It might not be a good idea when freezing blueberries, especially since you might want to freeze them in a large bag and take out a few handfuls at a time.
Can You Freeze Fresh Blueberries?
Yes, you can freeze fresh blueberries easily to keep them longer and use them as needed.
Do Blueberries Freeze Well?
Yes, blueberries freeze well and are great for adding to smoothies, muffins, and cakes or saved to make jams when you have more time. When used in a recipe, nobody will know that they have been sitting in your freezer for months.
However, when thawed, they won’t have the same firmness as fresh blueberries, so keep that in mind when deciding what to do with them.
How Long Can You Freeze Blueberries?
You can freeze blueberries for up to six months to maintain their freshness. However, using them as quickly as possible will help prevent them from becoming freezer burnt or terribly mushy when thawed. Make sure you label your frozen blueberries to keep on top of them.
Should Blueberries Be Washed Before Freezing?
Yes, you should wash and clean your blueberries before freezing them because it’s much easier to use them once thawed.
Thawed blueberries are even more delicate after freezing, and you will end up with a mess when trying to clean uncleaned blueberries.
Best Containers For Freezing Blueberries
Freezing blueberries in Ziploc bags are the best way to store them with this method.
However, if you’re worried about the bag tearing in the freezer, you can use a plastic container instead to protect them. Just remember to add a date on the container, using tape and a sharpie, so that you know when they are best by.
How To Freeze Fresh Blueberries
Equipment
- 1 Large Plastic Freezer Bag Use more freezer bags as required.
- 1 Baking Sheet or Freezable Tray
- 1 Strainer Or Colander for cleaning
- 1 Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 Pint Blueberries
Instructions
- Remove stems and debris and clean your blueberries well using cold water.
- Dry them to remove excess moisture.
- Spread them out on a tray in a single layer. Line with parchment paper if necessary to prevent them from sticking.
- Freeze your blueberries on the tray.
- Once frozen, store your blueberries in plastic freezer bags in the freezer for up to six months.
