Knowing how to freeze raspberries is a great way to prevent food waste, preserve their freshness, and make frozen treats like smoothies and milkshakes. All you need is 5 minutes and fresh fruit!
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Why You Should Freeze Raspberries
- Ideal way to preserve raspberries! If you bought more fruit than you can eat before it goes bad, prepping it with a few easy steps and sticking it in the freezer is the best way to prevent it from going to waste.
- Can be used in both frozen treats or baking. There are more uses for frozen raspberries than smoothies, ice cream or milkshakes. Frozen raspberries can be thawed and used in baked goods like Sheet Pan Pancakes, Lemon Raspberry Muffins or Raspberry Compote.
- Budget friendly. It’s no secret that fresh berries are expensive, especially when buying organic! In order to get the most bang for your buck, we recommend stocking up on fresh raspberries when they’re in season and at their cheapest price, then stick them in the freezer to enjoy in colder months and all year long.
What You’ll Need
- Raspberries – In our step by step instruction, we will show you how to freeze whole, fresh raspberries.
- Baking tray – Flash freezing fruit on a baking tray is the best way to freeze raspberries for smoothies and preventing the raspberries from sticking together in the freezer. Depending on the size of your freezer, you may need to use a small baking sheet and freeze in batches.
- Parchment paper – The parchment paper is essential to prevent the raspberries from freezing to the baking tray. It’s also great for easy clean up! Most parchment paper is compostable and easily biodegradable.
- Fine Mesh Sieve or Colander. I prefer to rinse the berries in a fine mesh sieve or colander to rinse each berry thoroughly, however, if you don’t have either, you can rinse the berries directly in the plastic carton they came in. The excess water will drain out the existing holes in the packaging and is better than nothing.
- Freezer safe bag or container – You can use a freezer safe Ziploc bag, a reusable silicone bag, or a freezer safe container that can be tightly sealed like Tupperware. If using a freezer safe container, I recommend laying a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the container to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom.
How to Freeze Fresh Raspberries
- Purchase whole, fresh raspberries. We have not tested freezing freeze-dried raspberries or jams.
- Rinse your berries! This is an important step that will remove pesticides, dirt and debris and should not be skipped. In a fine mesh sieve or colander, rinse the berries under cool, clean water for 30 seconds.
- Dry the berries. Carefully turn the berries out onto a clean tea towel or paper towel. Gently blot the excess water off until dry again. If the berries are frozen with too much moisture left on them, it will result in freezer burn.
- Place the raspberries on a parchment lined baking tray. Spread them out evenly in a single layer. It is okay if the raspberries are lightly touching on the baking sheet, but they should not be overlapping or crowded.
- Place the tray in the freezer. Flash freeze the raspberries for a minimum of 3 hours, or until fully frozen.
- Transfer to a freezer safe container. We typically like to use plastic freezer bag or reusable silicone type bags, like Stasher. Freeze for up to 6 months for optimal freshness and texture retention.
Freezing FAQs
How do I freeze raspberries without getting mushy?
Make sure to flash freeze the berries first! If you put fresh raspberries directly into a plastic bag and into the freezer, they are likely to get smashed and freeze into a large block.
Do you wash raspberries before you freeze them?
YES PLEASE. Washing the raspberries when they are fresh will make it much easier to remove the excess pesticides and dirt. Then, once they’re frozen, you won’t have to worry about it and can eat them right away.
What is the best way to thaw frozen fruit?
Our favorite ways to thaw frozen fruit is by either running under cool water (works very well with berries) or transferring the fruit to the refrigerator until thawed completely. These methods will allow the fruit to retain their shape and texture and has consistently good results.
What causes raspberries to grow mold so quickly?
Moisture!! In order to keep your raspberries fresh for as long as possible, it is incredibly important to keep them dry.
Freezing Tips
- Freeze raspberries when ripe. This will freeze them when they are most nutrient dense and sweetest.
- Remove excess air from the freezer bag. This will prevent any oxidation and preserve freshness.
- Label the bags! This is a good rule for freezing anything. Don’t assume you’ll remember when you froze your raspberries or even what they are. Help yourself out by labeling what it is, when it was frozen and a “best by” date.
How to Freeze Raspberries
Knowing how to freeze raspberries is a great way to prevent food waste, preserve their freshness, and make frozen treats like smoothies and milkshakes. All you need is 5 minutes and fresh fruit!
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What You’ll Need
- Freezer bag
Ingredients
- 12 ounces raspberries - adjust to any amount you'd like to freeze
Instructions
- Rinse the berries! This is an important step that will remove pesticides, dirt and debris and should not be skipped. In a fine mesh sieve or colander, rinse the berries under cool, clean water for 30 seconds.
- Dry the berries. Carefully turn the berries out onto a clean tea towel or paper towel. Gently blot the excess water off until dry again. If the berries are frozen with too much moisture left on them, it will result in freezer burn.
- Place the raspberries on a parchment lined baking tray. Spread them out evenly in a single layer. It is okay if the raspberries are lightly touching on the baking sheet, but they should not be overlapping or crowded.
- Place the tray in the freezer. Flash freeze the raspberries for a minimum of 3 hours, or until fully frozen.
- Transfer to a freezer safe container. We typically like to use plastic freezer bag or reusable silicone type bags, like Stasher. Freeze for up to 6 months for optimal freshness and texture retention.
Recipe Notes
- Freeze raspberries when ripe. This will freeze them when they are most nutrient dense and sweetest.
- Remove excess air from the freezer bag. This will prevent any oxidation and preserve freshness.
- Label the bags! This is a good rule for freezing anything. Don’t assume you’ll remember when you froze your raspberries or even what they are. Help yourself out by labeling what it is, when it was frozen and a “best by” date.
Nutrition
Calories: 44kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Disclaimer: The Nutritional Information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
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