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Learn all the tips and tricks for freezing strawberries to extend the harvest. Freezing fresh strawberries is a great way to preserve this wonderful summer fruit without needing to know any special kitchen skills (like canning).
True strawberry season, where local berries are ripe, juicy, and amazing, is so very short. They’re not the sad berries that come in plastic from your grocery store. I’m talking about the berries that taste like summer.
And because I love you, this post has a kitchen hack in it that you won’t find anywhere else! It cuts down on time and helps you freeze more berries at once, and is perfect for anyone with a small freezer.
And if you’re out of freezer space, check out our tutorial on canning strawberries for some shelf-stable strawberry goodness.
How to Freeze Strawberries
Rinse your strawberries in a colander/strainer. You don’t want to submerge them in water because it can cause them to become waterlogged.
Remove the tops either with a strawberry corer, this multipurpose tool, or a sharp paring knife. I generally just use a knife because it’s faster and my backyard chickens LOVE strawberry tops!
Decide how you want to use your frozen berries – whole, halved, sliced, or macerated.
Place a piece of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet and lay strawberries cut-side down on the tray. Use the space efficiently, but try not to let them touch too much.
Now, here is the best freezing strawberries kitchen hack ever! Lay another piece of parchment on top of the berries and top with an additional layer of berries. You can do up to three layers of berries on the same baking sheet before it becomes precarious. Pre-berrious?
This trick works so well because you don’t need to find space for multiple trays of berries in your freezer. And, you don’t have to wait for a single layer of berries to freeze before you can start your next batch.
Allow the strawberries to freeze through (about 3 hours, but if you’re like me, you’ll forget about them and leave them overnight…) and then transfer them to freezer-proof storage containers. See the list below for great storage options!
If you’re asking yourself, “can I freeze strawberries in Ziploc bags”, the answer is YES! A cool hack for removing additional air from the bag will keep your berries safe from freezer burn.
Place a straw in the corner of a freezer bag and close the bag as tightly as possible. Suck the air out through the straw 1-2 times and quickly remove the straw and seal the bag. It will take you a few times to get the hang of it, but it’s solid gold once you master this FREE technique.
How to Store Frozen Strawberries
- Freezer-safe plastic bags
- Freezer-proof storage containers
- Wide-mouth canning jars:
- 8 oz jam jars = 1 cup berries
- 16 oz pint jars = 2 cups berries
- 32 oz quart jars = 4 cups berries
- Freezer-safe reusable snap-tight containers
- Souper Cubes for premeasured portions of frozen strawberries.
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How to Freeze Strawberries
Ingredients
- Strawberries {tops removed}
Instructions
Freezing Whole, Halved, or Sliced Strawberries
- Rinse your strawberries in colander/strainer.
- Decide how you want to use your frozen berries – whole, halved, sliced, or macerated.
- Remove the tops with a sharp paring knife.
- Place a piece of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet and lay strawberries cut-side down on the tray.
- Optional: Lay another piece of parchment on top of the berries and top with an additional layer of berries. You can do up to three layers of berries on the same baking sheet before it becomes precarious.
- Allow the strawberries to freeze through (~3 hours) and then transfer to a freezer-proof storage container.
How to Freeze Macerated Strawberries
- Slice your strawberries and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of sugar or honey per 2 pounds of strawberries.
- Allow the bowl to sit uncovered overnight in the fridge. Stir occasionally.
- Pour into quart-sized freezer bags or wide-mouth canning jars leaving 1 inch of space between the top of the strawberries and the top of the jar.
Notes
- If you’re using Ziploc-style bags, removing additional air out of the bag will keep your berries safe from freezer burn. Place a straw in the corner of a freezer bag and close the bag as tightly as possible. Suck the air out through the straw 1-2 times and quickly remove the straw and seal the bag.
- Will keep in the freezer for 6-12 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a good resource. I have definitely googled “how to freeze strawberries” a few years back when I had 2 punnets and not enough time to eat them all. I love using them in smoothies. I haven’t been cutting mine in half so going to try that next time!
I think whole works well for certain things, but even really good blenders don’t love giant globs of frozen berries. Hence the slicing!