How to Freeze Blueberries

by Deborah on Feb 11, 2024 (updated Apr 29, 2024) 0 comments

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Learn How to Freeze Blueberries with these easy tips and tricks. Freezing fresh blueberries couldn’t be easier and there’s so many ways to enjoy them! Add frozen blueberries to smoothies and juice blends or use them to make muffins, cakes, cobblers and crisps with. I’ve listed 15 different ways to use blueberries for inspiration.

Freezing fresh blueberries is super easy to do, and it’s great to have them on hand when they’re not in season for adding to smoothies, juice blends, muffin batter and more.

Choosing The Best Blueberries

When choosing blueberries at the market, be sure to look for fruit that is dry, firm and have a deep blue color with a chalky white surface (called “bloom”) when purchasing them. The bloom is a sign of freshness. They should move freely in the box when you give them a light shake, otherwise they may be soggy or have mold and are stuck together.

Before refrigerating when you get them home, remove them from the container to better inspect them, removing any that are soggy or have mold, then return them to the container or an air-tight container. This will help to prevent other berries from getting mold on them.

It’s always a good idea to buy organic, eat them raw and eat them as often as you can (1/2 cup daily) so you can to reap the many benefits they have to offer.

How To Freeze Fresh Blueberries

Fresh blueberries can quickly become perishable turning soft and moldy within 24 hours. To prevent this from happening keep fresh blueberries in the refrigerator in the same container they came in or transfer them to an air-tight container. You can also freeze them before they have a chance to go bad so you can enjoy them all year long. To freeze blueberries, you simply rinse them under cold water, pat them dry, then place them on a cookie sheet and freeze them for about 1-2 hours. You will then transfer them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 year.

1. Rinse Blueberries. Inspect the carton of blueberries discarding any that are overly ripe, soft, wrinkled or have signs of mold. Place them in a colander and rinse under cold water. Gently pat them dry with paper towels

3. Freeze Fresh Blueberries. Place the prepared blueberries in a single layer on a baking sheet, then place them in the freezer uncovered for about 1-2 hours.

4. Transfer to Freezer Bags. Write the date on the outside of the freezer bags using a Sharpie pen and transfer the frozen blueberries into the freezer bags or another airtight freezer safe container.

How Long Do Frozen Blueberries Last In The Freezer?

If properly stored, frozen blueberries can last in the freezer up to 1 year, but they taste best if used within the first 6 months of freezing them.

Do I Need To Thaw Frozen Blueberries Before Using Them?

Frozen blueberries don’t need to be thawed before using them in recipes. If you want to thaw them to toss in salad or to snack on, transfer the desired amount of blueberries right from the freezer bag to a colander or sieve and run under cool water. Then set aside for 3-5 minutes and they should be completely thawed.

15 Ways To Use Frozen Blueberries

Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh blueberries in so many recipes. Here’s 15 blueberry recipe ideas to give you inspiration.

1. Cereal

Toss them in cold cereal, overnight oats and oatmeal like this Hot Oatmeal Cereal, Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal.

2. Smoothies And Smoothie Bowls

Add them to smoothies like this Blueberry Spinach Smoothie and this Acai Smoothie Bowl

3. Pancakes

Add them to batter to make these Blueberry Banana Buckwheat Pancakes

4. Syrup

Use them to make homemade blueberry syrup with

5. Cakes

Add to baked recipes (like Blueberry Muffins, cakes and cookies and these Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars). Whether you use fresh or frozen blueberries, toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the flour that is listed in the ingredients before stirring them to cake, muffin and loaf batter. This will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan or muffin tins.

6. Pies, Crisps And Cobblers

Use them to make pies, crisps and cobblers with like this Summer Blueberry Crisp.

7. Salad

Toss in salads like this Beet Kale Quinoa Salad, Broccoli Detox Salad, House Salad, Blueberry Chicken Salad, Spinach Berry Antioxidant Salad, Summer Berry Salad and Arugula Berry Salad.

8. Jam

Use them to make jams and jellies, like this Mixed Berry Chia Seed Jam.

9. Parfaits

Add them to yogurt parfaits.

10. Trifle

Layer them in trifle.

11. Drinks

Blend fresh blueberries with teas and lemonade like this Blueberry Green Tea (this is so refreshing – it’s one of my favorite blueberry recipes).

12. Frozen Treats

Blend them with water and sweetener or fruit juice to make popsicles or granita like this Basil Berry Granita.

13. Yogurt

Dress up plain Greek yogurt with blueberries and a little honey or pure maple syrup.

14. Snack

Eat them by the handful as a healthy snack.

15. Flavored Ice Cubes

Blend them with water to make flavored ice cubes like these Blueberry Ice Cubes (which great added to iced tea, lemonade, and a glass of water).

How Many Blueberries Are In A Cup?

Depending on the size of blueberries, there are between 65 to 75 blueberries in a cup.

When Are Blueberries In Season?

For cultivated blueberries, the season runs most of the year – including imported berries. Cultivated are the most common type that you find at the market.

Wild blueberries are a little harder to come by. They’re grown in cooler climates like Maine and eastern Canada, and they are much smaller in size compared to the cultivated variety. The wild blueberry season is a short one, and they’re most often sold locally near their harvested area. You can however purchase them frozen if fresh aren’t available.

More Resources

Yield: 4 cups