Considered one of the superfruits, blueberries can produce a decent fruit yield when planted in your garden. So much so, that you may well end up with a glut of blueberries that you are struggling to use up before they go bad. If you’ve ever wondered if you can freeze blueberries then the answer is yes, you can.
You can freeze those juicy blueberries ready to use later in a whole variety of goodies including, muffins, pies, smoothies, cereals, jam, and sauces. Never worry about an abundance of blueberries again – all you need to do now is make room in the freezer, it’s really that simple.
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Freezing Blueberries & Bloom – Top Tip
Have you ever noticed a cloudy coating on your blueberries as you pick them up? This coating has a name – bloom. This bloom protects the blueberries from pests but it also prevents them from sticking. For this reason, it’s best not to wash them before freezing as you may lose this nonstick coating.
How to Freeze Blueberries
Follow our step-by-step guide for freezing your blueberries and they’ll be just as tasty as when they were fresh. Even better, they don’t lose any of their healthy nutrients either.
- Select the blueberries you wish to freeze – they should be ripe and free from any leaves and stalks.
- You don’t need to wash your blueberries as you want them to retain their bloom (protective coating). This will ultimately stop them from sticking together in the freezer.
- For best results, spread out evenly on a tray and freeze them in this manner.
- Once fully frozen, you can divide them up into portion sizes and pop them into freezer bags for your convenience.
- Don’t forget to label and date them so you know exactly when you froze them.
- Wash them before eating.
Freezing Cooked Or Puréed Blueberries
If you are worried your cooked or puréed blueberries will spoil once frozen, don’t panic. It’s perfectly fine to freeze blueberries using this method which is really handy for those last-minute baby treats or smoothies.
- Wash and blend your fruit as required.
- You can add sugar to your purée if it’s to be used in sauces or desserts. Or leave as it is for all other purposes.
- You can pour into ice cube trays and freeze this way which means it’s super easy to reach for portions as and when required.
- Or you can pop into containers suitable for the freezer, ensuring you leave headspace.
How Long Should Blueberries Be Frozen?
Blueberries are super easy to freeze so you can go ahead and grab a pile next time you see a bargain in the supermarket. Once you’ve frozen your batch of blueberries, you should aim to use them up in 10 months. Any purée should be used within a few months of being frozen.
How To Defrost Blueberries Before Use
The process for defrosting blueberries will depend largely on what you are using them for. If it’s for cereal or a fruit salad, for example, they will just need a quick rinse then they can be added right away.
If you need to thaw your blueberries for another purpose, you can pop them in a bowl with some tepid water. They will defrost in minutes so no need to think too far in advance here.
Further Reading
You can read more about freezing berries in our guide to freezing fruit.
Can you Freeze Blueberries? FAQ’s
Blueberry muffins freeze perfectly well and can be fully defrosted in as little as 2 hours at room temperature. Baking muffins is a great way to use up a glut of blueberries but you may have more than you can realistically eat. Simply wrap individually and take one out when the temptation occurs.
Freezing blueberries does not destroy the antioxidants, in fact, studies have shown it can be quite the opposite. Freezing blueberries can actually increase antioxidant levels so they can be even healthier than fresh. Another advantage to frozen fruit is the fact it can be added straight into smoothies or eaten frozen.
Blueberries can be frozen in mason jars with no issues as long as you leave space in the top of the jars. This will allow expansion to take place and prevent the jar from breaking. Flash freeze your blueberries first and then transfer them to the mason jars.
Blueberry pie can be frozen in the same way you can freeze all fruit pies. Simply make sure it’s cooled completely and then pop it in a bag or container in the freezer. You could also divide it into portions and freeze it separately for ease of getting it back out.
