How to Freeze Blueberries in Sugar

Sugar coating keeps blueberries tasting fresh after you thaw them.

When you purchase or harvest fresh blueberries, you might want to freeze some of the fruit for later use. However, freezing blueberries often disfigures their shape and diminishes the intensity of their flavor. One method of preserving blueberries' shape and flavor is to coat them in sugar prior to freezing. The sugar granules protect the blueberries from smashing against one another, altering their shape. In addition, the sugar protects them from freezer burn and preserves their flavor.

Things You'll Need

• Strainer
• Mixing bowl
• 1 cup sugar per 2 cups blueberries
• Wooden cooking spoon
• Quart-sized freezer bags
• Freezer

Instructions

1. Place fresh blueberries into a strainer and run under cool water to clean. Shake the strainer lightly to ensure you thoroughly rinse all of the blueberries.

2. Remove the strainer from under the water and shake to remove excess water.

3. Pour the rinsed blueberries into a mixing bowl.

4. Add 1 cup of sugar for every 2 cups of blueberries you intend to freeze.

5. Stir the blueberries and sugar in the bowl with a wooden cooking spoon. Continue stirring until you have coated all of the blueberries in sugar.

6. Spoon the blueberries into quart-sized freezer bags, filling each bag 3/4 of the way full.

7. Press the air out of each bag and seal.

8. Place the bags of blueberries into the freezer and store for up to six months.

9. Pour the frozen blueberries into a strainer and rinse with cool water when ready to eat to remove the sugar and begin the thawing process.

Tips & Warnings

• This freezing process works for most types of berries.

References

• "Cooking Basics for Dummies"; Bryan Miller, Marie Rama and Eve Adamson; 2011
• "Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition"; Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker; 2006
• "The Cook's Illustrated How-to-Cook Library: An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide to Foolproof Cooking"; The Editors of Cooks Illustrated; 2009