Freezing Cranberries {How to Freeze Cranberries}
Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing cranberries to keep a stash of this short-season fruit in your freezer. Learning how to freeze cranberries is a great way to preserve this delicious staple of so many baked goods and holiday recipes.
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Cranberries, those tart little flavor bombs are so yummy in baked goods and Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce. Sadly, they’re only available for a very short window each season.
So when you find a great deal on fresh cranberries, stock up and let’s get to freezing them!
Having frozen fruit on hand is a key building block of our Freezer Essentials. Storebought frozen fruit can be expensive, so learning to freeze your own can save you a ton! Every year we process bags of frozen blackberries, frozen peaches, and frozen cherries.
Should I Wash Cranberries Before Freezing?
It depends on how you want to use them after they are frozen. One camp says not to rinse before freezing because it can lead to mushy berries with they thaw.
But I never really thaw cranberries before using them; I just throw them into baked goods and cranberry sauce frozen. As such, I always rinse my cranberries that were purchased in bulk before freezing.
If you are freezing already packaged bags of cranberries there is no need to rinse them first.
Pro tip: if you’re using frozen cranberries in baked goods like muffins or cranberry bread, gently toss them with 1 tbsp of flour before adding to the batter. It will help keep them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
HOW LONG DO Cranberries LAST IN THE FREEZER?
Cranberries have a long (frozen) shelf life and last for 12 months in the freezer.
How Do You Thaw Frozen Cranberries?
In most cases, there is no need to thaw them before using them. If you absolutely need to thaw the frozen cranberries, simply place them in a strainer and run cool water over them.
TOOLS FOR FREEZING Cranberries
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Strainer/colander
- Reusable freezer bags or wide-mouth canning jars
- Towel
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- Freezing Strawberries
- How to Freeze Zucchini
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- How to Cut a Peach
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Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing cranberries to keep a stash of this short-season fruit in your freezer. Learning how to freeze cranberries preserves this staple of many recipes.
- 12 oz cranberries
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
Rinse cranberries in a strainer and allow them to dry a bit. Discard any bad cranberries.
Spread onto a clean towel to absorb any additional water.
Gently pour the cranberries onto the baking sheet and place the tray in the freezer.
Freeze for three hours.
Break apart any clumps that have formed on the baking sheet and transfer the cranberries to freezer-proof storage.
A traditional bag of cranberries at the store yields about 3 cups of cranberries. They would fit best in a quart-sized bag or container.
Freeze for up to 12 months.
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