A step by step guide with photos to show you exactly how to freeze fresh blackberries. Perfect for using in smoothies, over oatmeal and in baked goods!
Hands up if you love blackberries! MEEE!
Blackberries are packed full of the good stuff: they are a great source of vitamin C, are rich in antioxidants (hello, fountain of youth!), and high in fiber. Basically, having blackberries in your diet is a very good thing.
Too bad they are only in season for a short time. Thank goodness that freezing blackberries is super easy, meaning we can enjoy them year round!
How to freeze blackberries:
Step one: rinse your berries. Blackberries are very delicate so I recommend being as gentle as possible while rinsing them under tap water.
Step two: air dry. Spread them out on a towel and let them dry for a few minutes. Placing a second towel on top and gently massaging them to dry helps speed things up.
Step three: spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Don't overcrowd the pan.
Step four: freeze for 3 hours- overnight.
Step five: transfer to a freezer bag (make sure to label it with the name and date! You would be surprised at how different food looks after freezing). Remove any air from the bag by sucking it out with a straw.
Step six: freeze for up to 1 year.
The best ways to enjoy frozen blackberries:
- in a Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
- in a Blackberry Smoothie
- over Steel Cut Oats
- in Blackberry Chia Jam
- in this Blackberry Sauce
- in Blackberry Cobbler or Blackberry Crisp
- in Blackberry Mint Mojitos
Equipment Needed for Freezing Fresh Blackberries
- 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
FAQ's For Freezing Blackberries
Do I need to wash blackberries before freezing them?
Yes, you definitely want to wash your blackberries before freezing them.
Do I need to thaw my blackberries before using them?
This really depends on what you're using them for. Smoothies 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.
For baked goods, it really depends on the recipe. Blackberries are very tender and even more so after freeze/thawing, and for this reason, they may not work for all recipes. Sometimes blackberries need to be thawed and drained before adding to baked goods, but many recipes do call for frozen (unthawed blackberries).
How do I thaw frozen blackberries?
The best way to thaw them 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 a lot of liquid and be quite juicy. This is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on what you're using them for.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
The Best Way To Freeze Blackberries
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh blackberries
Instructions
- Rinse your berries. Blackberries are very delicate so I recommend being as gentle as possible while rinsing them under tap water.
- Air dry. Spread blackberries out on a towel and let them dry for a few minutes. Placing a second towel on top and gently massaging them to dry helps speed things up.
- Arrange on a large baking sheet. I love these baker's half sheets.
- Freeze for 4 hours- overnight.
- Transfer to a freezer bag, labelled with the contents & date. Pictured in this post are these reusable silicone freezer bags.
- Freeze for up to 1 year!
Nutrition Information
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Related:
- how to freeze rhubarb
- how to freeze peaches
- how to freeze apples
- how to freeze blueberries
- how to freeze strawberries
Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
Julie Rowe says
Excellent clear advice
Christine Thomas says
Hubby came back from the blackberry bushes with an enormous amount of Blackberries. Didn't know what to do with them and didn't fancy spending my whole evening baking.
Easy instructions that answered exactly the questions I was asking myself. God pics. Thank you.
Bartholomew says
I tried raspberries, and it works for them too!
EL says
Great instructions! Love the pictures!
Denise Bustard says
Glad you found them helpful!
Tim Newling says
Do not wash before freezing this makes them go mushy.
Wash before eating.
Titsy says
I'm going blackberrying in the morni ng 🙂
I will use this method to freeze my crop.
Richard Little says
Thank you for your helpful and clear advice