How to Freeze Blackberries: 5 Ways to Use Frozen Blackberries

Blackberries are edible berries produced by the genus Rubus in the rose family Rosaceae. Much like their close cousin the raspberry, blackberries contain notable amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and dietary fiber. They contain very little overall fat and zero saturated fat. They contain a small amount of protein, but most of their calories come in the form of carbohydrates.

Fresh blackberries taste best when eaten shortly after picking. They can also hold up in the fridge overnight, but if you find an abundance of fresh berries on your hands, consider making frozen berries for future enjoyment.

You can freeze blackberries at home using only a colander, a baking sheet, parchment paper, and freezer bags. Learn how to freeze berries in five simple steps.

1. 1. Wash berries in cold water. Use a colander or submerge the berries in a bowl of cool water.
2. 2. Let the berries dry. Lay out your blackberries in a single layer on paper towels or on a cloth kitchen towel. You should largely allow them to air dry, but you may very gently pat them with a towel to speed up the process.
3. 3. Arrange the dry berries on a baking sheet. Place the blackberries on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure none of the berries are touching.
4. 4. Place the baking sheet in the freezer. Slide the baking tray into the freezer and leave it there for at least three hours. You can keep it there longer, but the total time should not exceed twelve hours. This step, known as flash freezing, will help keep the individual berries from sticking to each other once in a freezer bag.
5. 5. Transfer the frozen blackberries to freezer bags. Remove the baking tray and slide the frozen fruit into thick plastic bags or a freezer-safe container for long-term storage. You can keep these frozen blackberries in the freezer for up to six months without freezer burn or notable flavor loss. If you mix the blackberries with one cup of sugar before freezing, you can extend their preservation time to nine months in the freezer.

You can defrost blackberries for use in various recipes, or you can keep the berries frozen for select uses.

1. 1. Frozen smoothies: Frozen berries—including blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries—can go right into a blender with milk or juice to make delicious smoothies. Consider adding bananas, oats, nuts, or yogurt.
2. 2. Blackberry ice cream: You can add your frozen blackberries to an ice cream recipe.
3. 3. Blackberry cobbler: Follow this blackberry cobbler recipe, first thawing your blackberries either with cool running water or by zapping them in the microwave.
4. 4. Blackberry pie: Using many of the same ingredients as a cobbler, you can turn thawed blackberries into a mouth-watering pie. You can also use a mix of frozen blackberries and other berries in your freezer in a mixed berry pie.
5. 5. Blackberry jam: Chefs find success making jam with both fresh blackberries and thawed blackberries from the freezer. Blackberry jam will hold up in the refrigerator for up to three months.

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