Have you ever wondered if you can freeze blackberries and still find them as delicious as they are when fresh? Perhaps you’ve had a really great growing year and have a glut of blackberries from your bush? We are here to tell you that yes, you absolutely can freeze those blackberries without losing any of their quality.
We all dream of having a plentiful fruit supply right in our very own garden. However, the reality can sometimes be that we have more than we can possibly eat at one time.
Popping them in the freezer means you can use them up as and when you want to. Blackberries are perfect for jam, pies, fresh in cereal or yoghurt, smoothies, overnight oats, and yummy cakes.
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Preparing Fresh Blackberries For The Freezer
Blackberries have a relatively short season so it’s great to know you can extend their life by freezing.
Freezing is super simple as well – so you can enjoy the healthy vitamins and antioxidants whenever you like. Simply rinse them gently, let them dry on a towel, pop them on a baking tray lined with paper, and they are ready for the freezer.
You can purée blackberries before freezing too. Simply purée as normal and then pop into an ice cube tray.
Top Tip – Use Frozen Blackberries in Cooking
You don’t always need to thaw blackberries before use.
If you are using them in overnight oats, they are better frozen as the juices get released slowly overnight. This makes for a juicy and delicious breakfast the following day.
How Should Blackberries Be Frozen?
You’ll be ready to enjoy delightful blackberries all year round by following our very easy how-to guide to freezing them.
Freezing Blackberries Whole
- You’ll need to wash your blackberries first but do this carefully as they are a delicate fruit to handle.
- Leave them to air dry on a towel on a flat surface and spread out well.
- Once dry you can line a tray with some paper and evenly spread the blackberries out.
- Pop in the freezer flat and leave overnight.
- Once frozen, remove the tray and pop the blackberries into sealed containers or bags and label them with a date.
- They can last a year in the freezer which is great news as you can enjoy this tasty treat whether it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter!
Freezing Blended or Puréed Blackberries
- Prepare your blackberry purée and leave to cool.
- Pour into sealed containers or bags leaving headspace.
- You can also use ice cube trays for controlled portion sizes.
- When ready to use, get out and leave to defrost.
- Use in ice cream, cakes, pancakes, or smoothies.
Top Tip – Sugar Increases Storage Life
Your blackberry purée will last for some time in the freezer but if it’s unsweetened it’s best used within 2 months. If you’ve sweetened the purée prior to freezing you can leave it for up to 5 months.
How To Defrost Blackberries Before Use
Not all recipes will require your blackberries to be thawed – smoothies and overnight oats work well with frozen.
However, should you need to defrost them then simply remove them from the freezer and leave them at room temperature. If you have them in a freezer bag you can drop the entire bag into some cold water and leave to sit. You can even use the microwave – perfect if you want squishy blackberries.
Can You Freeze Blackberries? FAQ’s
Don’t hold back when picking wild blackberries because you can stick them straight in the freezer once you return home. Blackberries can last up to 6 months in the freezer and can be used for jam, pies, smoothies, or juices. You may find it easier to freeze on trays and then transfer into bags. This process means you can simply take out the portion size you need when it’s time.How to flash freeze blackberries?
To flash freeze blackberries you should wash them and then pop them onto shallow trays in one layer per tray. If you haven’t got much room then you can do one tray at a time. This will ensure they freeze quickly and won’t all stick together in one giant clump. Flash freeze for a few hours and then transfer into freezer bags or containers.
Blackberry crumble will freeze well and can simply be taken out and defrosted before eating. You could freeze them into individual freezer bags if you wish to use them up portion by portion. It will take a couple of hours to defrost at room temperature and will taste as good as it did when fresh.
Blackberries can be frozen by laying them out flat and freezing for 4 hours, or perhaps more conveniently, overnight. You can then bag them up ready to use at your convenience. Freezing blackberries is a great way of preserving these summer fruits.
