How To Freeze Strawberries So You Can Enjoy Them Any Time of Year

It's all too easy to go to a farmer's market or out berry picking and end up with quarts and quarts of delicious fresh strawberries. But unless you're planning your own private strawberry festival, you'll likely need to learn how to freeze strawberries to preserve all that sweet berry goodness.

Fortunately, it's very easy to freeze strawberries for storage—as long as you follow a few simple tricks to prevent freezer burn. Try these techniques to freeze strawberries perfectly.

How Long Do Strawberries Last in the Fridge?

Strawberries are one of the most delicate and perishable fruits that end up in your fridge. If you use proper fridge storage methods, you can expect that your strawberries can last up to a week without developing mold.

How To Freeze Strawberries the Right Way

Sure, you can dump a pint of strawberries into a bag and pop it in the fridge, but if you take the time to prep them before you freeze them, you'll make it easier to use them when you're ready, and help ensure that you minimize freezer burn.

Pick through your strawberries

Get rid of any mushy or moldy strawberries in your bunch. Keep in mind: If they aren't great now, they won't be great after spending time in your freezer, either.

Wash your strawberries

Rinse them in a colander under cold running water, then shake off the excess. Pat the strawberries dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove as much water as possible. (Dry strawberries equals less opportunity to create ice crystals that impact the quality of your frozen berries.)

Prep your strawberries

Hull your strawberries, then halve, slice, or puree them, depending on how you plan to use the fruit when you take it out of the freezer. If you aren't sure how you'll use them, settle for sliced, which can be used in a variety of ways—including blended in smoothies.

Do the first-stage freeze

If you're freezing your strawberries whole or sliced, place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat. Let the berries freeze for a few hours in a single layer to avoid clumping.

Store in a freezer-safe container

Use a freezer-safe bag or container to store your frozen strawberries, taking care to layer them tightly to reduce the exposure to frigid air, which can cause unsightly freezer burn. If you're using a freezer-safe bag, try to minimize the amount of air left in the bag.

Use your frozen strawberries within six months

Write the date you froze your strawberries on the package, and try to use them within a few months. After six months, they won't go bad, per se, but they will begin to lose quality.

How To Thaw Frozen Strawberries

You can use your strawberry bounty straight from the freezer to blend into sorbets, smoothies, or frozen cocktails. (Or our favorite, a little frosé.)

But if you do decide to defrost them, there are several options for thawing your frozen strawberries. The gentlest method is to put the frozen strawberries in the fridge and let them thaw over several hours. (Sliced strawberries will thaw faster, as more surface area is available to hit the warmer temperatures.) If you need to defrost them faster, try running the berries under cold running water for several minutes until softened.

But keep in mind that even if you follow all the steps, your frozen strawberries will change texture when they're thawed, becoming much softer. (That's thanks to the high water content in the strawberries, which expands when frozen, then contracts when thawed, leaving the berries mushier.)

So plan to use your thawed strawberries in recipes that call for baking or cooking your berries—or perhaps even refreezing them. A few options:

• Strawberry Hand Pies
• Strawberry Buckle
• Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
• Strawberry Clafoutis