How to freeze blueberries- a simple step by step tutorial with photos that shows you how to freeze fresh blueberries and enjoy them all year round!

Blueberry season is way too short if you ask me. We love to load up on blueberries when they're in season and on sale and stock up the freezer so we can enjoy them year round.

Blueberries are one of the healthiest fruits out there! They are packed with antioxidants (aka: help prevent cancer and aging), vitamin C and fiber. They are low in calories but are sweet and delicious.

My favorite frozen blueberry recipes:

smoothies like this Blueberry Coconut Water Smoothie
baked goods like these Skinny Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
on top of our Steel Cut Oats
in these Fruit on the Bottom Overnight Oats
in a parfait like this one
in Baked Oatmeal Muffins
pies, cobblers and crisps are great as well

How to freeze blueberries:

Step one: rinse your blueberries. Rinse gently in a colander under tap water for 20-30 seconds.

Step two: drain excess water. Allow to air dry on an absorbant towel for a few minutes. You can place another towel on top and gently rub the berries to remove water droplets. When it comes to freezing, water = freezer burn, so we want to dry our blueberries before freezing.

Step three: place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Don't overcrowd the pan. Pick out any stems or berries with mildew.

Step four: freeze for 3-4 hours.

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Step five: transfer to a freezer bag, labelled with the contents & date. Always label! You would be surprised how hard it can be to see what's in the bags once frozen. To remove extra air from the bag, you can use a straw to suck it out.

Step six: freeze for up to 1 year.

Frozen blueberries 101

Do I need to wash my blueberries before freezing them? Yes, it's highly recommended that you do rinse them down before freezing them.

Do I need to thaw my blueberries before using them? This really depends on what you're using them for. Smoothies and many baked goods such as muffins and even pancakes do not require blueberries to be thawed, and you can put them straight in frozen.

If you are serving in a meal prep breakfast like over steel cut oats or parfaits you can simply portion them out into the containers with the other ingredients. They will thaw in the fridge overnight.

How do you thaw frozen blueberries? The best way to thaw frozen blueberries is either to let them sit at room temperature, or to place the entire freezer bag in some cold water. This way, they will thaw gently and release less liquid. You can also thaw them in the microwave, but be warned they will release some liquid and will get juicy. This is not necessarily a bad thing when the blueberries will be used in a sauce or served over ice cream 😉

Do frozen blueberries have antioxidants? YES. New research suggests that freezing your blueberries actually increases the availability of antioxidants from blueberries. How cool is that?

How do I prevent frozen blueberries from sinking to the bottom of my baked goods? Tossing your frozen blueberries in some flour helps to keep them from sinking!

Equipment used for freezing blueberries:

I highly recommend these baker's half sheets
pictured in this post are these reusable silicone freezer bags, however you could also use a heavy duty freezer bag
a sharpie for labelling bags

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

How To Freeze Blueberries

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 15

Total Time: 15

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How to freeze blueberries- a simple step by step tutorial with photos that shows you how to freeze fresh blueberries and enjoy them all year round!

Ingredients

▢ 2 lbs fresh blueberries