Cherry trees can be very productive during the fruiting season and as a result, you might have a glut of cherries to enjoy. If you are left with more fruit than you can possibly use and don’t want to waste it, then you can freeze cherries very easily.
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How Easy is the Cherry Freezing Process?
Preparing and storing cherries in the freezer is quick, efficient, and doesn’t affect the nutrients provided in the fruit.
This means you can enjoy cherries all year round and get a boost from their health benefits. It’s almost like freezing a little bit of summer to have ready at your disposal!
Not quite sure how to go out about freezing your cherries? We’ve got you covered as we explore how best to freeze cherries and how long they will last frozen.
Preparing Fresh Cherries For The Freezer
Give your cherries a wash before freezing and leave them to dry as you don’t want excess moisture on them.
Can You Freeze Cherries Whole?
Now, you can choose to freeze your cherries whole without removing the pit first. However, we don’t recommend this method.
It’s far easier to remove the stone before freezing because some recipes don’t require thawed cherries. You really don’t want to forget about those pits when using the blender or making a pie.
Also, let’s not forget that the stone of fruit contains cyanide. It’s much safer to pit your cherries before you freeze them.
How Should Cherries Be Frozen?
Freezing your cherries is very simple, the only time-consuming part will be the pitting process. Once that’s done though, how easy it will be to get some out and enjoy whenever the urge hits you!
- Remove the cherry stalks and the pits.
- Wash well and leave to dry.
- Prepare a tray with baking paper ready to flash freeze.
- Spread the cherries out evenly to cover the tray.
- Pop in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
- Pop the cherries into bags or containers and label them.
- These will last up to 18 months in the freezer.
Not Sure How To Pit Cherries?
Unsure of the best way to pit your cherries? You don’t even need to own a cherry pitter, other household objects will do the job just as well.
Follow our simple how-to guide below.
- Use either a metal straw, a chopstick, or a skewer for the job.
- Hold your cherry over a bowl and look for where the stem lies.
- Push your selected tool through the cherry gently until you feel the pit.
- Keep pushing until the pit falls out.
How To Defrost Cherries Before Use
Once you take your cherries out of the freezer you can leave them in the fridge to defrost overnight. Alternatively, pop them on the side and place the bag in some cold water to speed up the thawing process.
Not all recipes will require them to be thawed first so it’s worth bearing this in mind. Thawed cherries may be softer than they were previously but they shouldn’t be mushy.
Want to know more about cherry fruit benefits? Our guide tells all!
How to Freeze Cherries – FAQ’s
Cherry pie can be frozen which is very convenient for those last-minute dessert ideas. Just pop into a sealed freezer bag or tub and for maximum taste, try and use it within 8 months. It will, however, last for longer than this in the freezer. Simply get it out and leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost, or put it at room temperature for a few hours and eat right away.
Packed full of vitamins and minerals, it’s certainly handy to know you can freeze cherry juice. Made too much and don’t want it to go to waste? Worry not, you can bag it up for the freezer or portion it up into ice cube trays. Cherry juice can remain in the freezer for 12 months so it’s a great way of preserving it.
You can opt to freeze fresh cherries with the pits in them if this is easier for you to do so. Just bear in mind they will need pitting once they’ve defrosted which can be a bit of a faff. Purely for convenience sake, it’s much better to pit them before popping the whole cherries in the freezer.
Dried cherries can be frozen ready to use as a healthy snack or in a recipe. They can last as long as 18 months in the freezer, they may lose some of their quality after this time. You can flash freeze them first, so they don’t all stick together. This makes it more convenient when you want to use some.
