Learn how to freeze cranberries (fresh berries, dried cranberries, sauce and juice) with these easy freezing tips. Freezing cranberries is a great way to enjoy their tangy, fruity flavor year round. It’s also a way to save money.
You might be surprised to learn that the US is the number one supplier of cranberries in the world and just 5 states grow most of the country’s supply of cranberries – Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey Oregon and Washington.
Cranberry harvesting is done once a year (mid September through November) which is why you don’t often see them offered fresh in the grocery store once the holiday seasons in November and December have passed.
Only 5 percent of the cranberry harvest is sold as fresh fruit. The remainder is processed to be used as other products such as juice, sauce, dried berries and baked goods.
With fresh cranberries being available for such a short time you’ll want to grab some extras to use in your cooking and baking throughout the year. Freezing is the best way to store them.
Why should you freeze cranberries?
Saving money is one of the big reasons to freeze cranberries.
Have a bag of whole cranberries or leftover cranberry sauce sitting in your refrigerator? Don’t let it spoil. Throwing away spoiled food means throwing out your hard earned money. You can freeze the extras or the leftovers to use in a future recipe.
Save money by purchasing cranberries when they go on sale.
November and December are when you will find cranberry sales. Not only are they in abundance because the cranberry harvest has come in but it is also prime baking season for this berry. Grocery stores and farmers market offer them on sale to draw in customers looking for these little berries to make their favorite cranberry desserts and tasty sauces.
If you love cranberry quick bread, cranberry muffins or even using cranberries in savory dishes like chicken and pork now is the time to purchase them at their lowest prices.
Having frozen cranberries also makes it easy to quickly whip up your favorite muffins, breads and other dishes without having to make a special trip to the grocery store.
How long do fresh cranberries last?
Fresh cranberries will last for three to four weeks if stored in the refrigerator.
How to store fresh cranberries
If you have purchased fresh cranberries in your local grocery store they will most likely come packaged in a plastic bag. You can store the cranberries in that same bag in your refrigerator in the crisper draw or transfer them to an airtight container or a plastic bag for storage.
Before using the cranberries be sure to wash and pick through the berries to remove any that have started to become mushy or have gone bad.
How long do frozen cranberries last?
Fresh cranberries that have been properly stored can last up to a year in the freezer.
Dried cranberries can last up to 2 years in the freezer when properly stored. Make sure to keep them in a well sealed freezer bag. Check the bag every couple of months to make sure it’s well sealed and the cranberries aren’t freezer burned.
Cranberry juice can last up to a year in the freezer. But personally I would not wait that long. I’ve found that the juice gets freezer burned and can take on off flavors easier than the fresh berries. I would only freeze juice for 3 or 4 months for the best flavor.
Cranberry sauce will last about 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
Can you freeze fresh cranberries in the bag?
Yes you can freeze fresh cranberries in the plastic bag that they are sold in. See below for some tips on storage time and how to keep them from getting freezer burn.
How do you freeze fresh cranberries?
Fresh cranberries can be frozen before or after washing.
To rinse before freezing:
Remove the cranberries from the original plastic packaging. Pick through the cranberries to remove any damaged or soft berries. You only want to freeze the best quality berries.
Rinse the cranberries and dry well on a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water. Allow them to air dry for 10 or 15 minutes.
Lay the berries on a baking sheet in a single layer (or use some other pan with sides so they don’t roll off) and place the baking tray in the freezer.
Place the pan in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. You want the cranberries to be at least partially frozen before you package them up into a ziploc bag or a freezer container.
Doing this will flash freeze the berries. This will prevent them from sticking together while they are in the freezer and turning into a solid mass of frozen cranberries.
To rinse after freezing:
I often freeze fresh cranberries in the plastic bags that I buy them in at the grocery store. To do this I will place one or two bags of cranberries (store bought bags are usually 12 ounce each) into a freezer bag, squeeze out the excess air and seal the bag.
I write the date on the plastic freezer bag with a Sharpie and then store in the freezer.
When it’s time to use the cranberries in my recipe, simply remove a bag from the freezer, sort through the berries to remove the damaged ones, give them a quick rinse in cold water and add them to my recipe.
Do You Have to Thaw Frozen Cranberries Before Using Them?
The answer to this question will all depend upon how you will use the cranberries.
Is the cooking time short?
If your cooking time is short, such as 15 minutes or less, then you may want to thaw the whole berries before using them.
For recipes such as cranberry pancakes or waffles you’ll want to thaw them. The cooking time isn’t long enough to allow the frozen berries to thaw during cooking.
Thawed cranberries may give off some liquid so it’s best to thaw them and drain off any liquid before mixing in your batter. Unless you are looking to make light pink pancakes and waffles.
Muffins may have a baking time that runs about 15 to 20 minutes depending upon the size of the muffin. To make sure that the frozen berries thaw during baking I allow them to partially thaw (about 10 minutes) on the counter while I am making the muffins.
Muffin tip – make sure to check that the center of your muffins are cooked by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. The partially frozen cranberries can lower the temperature of the batter making it take a bit longer for them to bake properly. You may need to increase your baking time by 2 or 3 minutes.
For recipes that will be baked for longer times such as cakes, quick bread, fruit crisp, pies, sauces and savory dishes featuring cranberries I just add in the frozen berries.
Can you freeze dried cranberries?
Dried cranberries can last a while in a cabinet in your kitchen. It’s not unusual for dried fruit to last 6 months to a year. During this time they will lose taste, the color will fade a bit and they will become more dried out as they lose moisture.
For the longest shelf life I like to store my dried cranberries in the freezer.
I buy a larger, bulk bag of dried cranberries and divide them into several smaller freezer bags. Then I place the smaller bags into one larger freezer bag. Double bagging them helps prevent them from becoming freezer burned. I have been able to easily store dried cranberries in the freezer for over 2 years with no changes in taste or texture.
When you want to bake or add them to your cooking just pull out one of the smaller freezer bags and keep it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator as you use it.
Try some of these cranberry recipes:
Sugarfree Cranberry Sauce Recipe – use your favorite no calorie sweetener to make delicious homemade cranberry sauce. Always a favorite holiday recipe.
Cranberry Relish – if you’ve never tried cranberry relish then you’re in for a treat. This is a sweet but tart version of cranberry sauce but made with uncooked cranberries. It’s a tangy topping for sandwiches, rolls, waffles, chicken and much more.
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