Can you Freeze Fresh Cherries

Cherries are loved by kids of all ages and are one of those fruits that you want to grab whenever. So you’ve probably asked yourself, can you freeze fresh cherries? So, if you are looking for a way to keep cherries around for a while, keeping them frozen is what you should do.

If you love cherries, then most likely, you’ll want to keep them in stock, especially during days when they are hard to find. Freezing fresh cherries allows for longer storage while preserving their taste, this way resolving your cherry needs. This irresistibly sweet, juicy, and delicious fruit can be enjoyed plain, makes for fantastic desserts, or you can also mix it up with some of your favorite recipes.

Now that you know that you can freeze fresh cherries, it’s time to learn about the actual process. Contrary to what you may think, the process is simple, but it does require a few key pointers. Keep reading and learn how you can freeze fresh cherries, important tips, and a lot more.

FAQ’s

Do frozen cherries stay sweet?

Frozen cherries provide the same sweetness of fresh and no defrosting is needed.

Uses of frozen cherries?

• Frozen cherries make the perfect cooling snack so that you can eat them straight out of the freezer during those hot summer days.
• Frozen cherries also work great as a natural thickener in smoothies.
• Adding frozen cherries to baked goods might be the best use of all. It is simply spectacular on muffins, bread, and pies.

How to pick cherries?

As a golden cherry rule, the bigger and bolder in color, the sweeter and juicier the taste. Then inspect your cherries for bruises and keep them store in your fridge until you are ready to prep and freeze them.

Should cherries be pitted before freezing?

Just like cooking and baking with cherries requires the somewhat daunting task of pitting them first, you also want to pit your cherries before freezing them.

Do you need a pitter to pit cherries?

Suppose you have a pitter, good for you. If not, a tweezer, a lobster picker, or an unbent paper clip; can also do the trick. Using these other methods, you need to dig into the center of each cherry and pop out the pit.

How to pit cherries without a pitter?

You can use two methods to remove those cherries from their pits: the twist method and the poke method. No matter which method you prefer, make sure to rinse your cherries with cool water, pat them dry, and remove their stems first.

The twist method

This method requires something thin to insert into the cherry and then twist to remove the pit.
Insert a toothpick, unbent paper clip, hairpin, or lobster pic (you get the idea) into the stem-end of the cherry.
You should feel it hit the pit.
Then twist your tool around the pit and pop it out.

The Poke Method

Insert a pastry tip, straw, or chopstick -into the stem-end of the cherry.
Push it through until the pit exits the other side.

How to freeze cherries

There’s a couple of ways in which you can freeze your cherries.

Option 1

1. Start with ripe cherries
2. Rinse them and pat them dry
3. Working over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, wax paper, or foil
4. Pit the cherries
5. Arrange the pitted cherries in a single layer on the lined baking sheet
6. Place the sheet of pitted cherries in the freezer and leave overnight
7. Once your cherries are frozen, transfer them with a spatula into a sealable plastic bag
8. Remove as much air from the bag as you can
9. Once frozen, you can pull them out at any time to eat them

Option 2

Things you need:

• Plastic containers with lid
• Sugar
• Water
• Cherries

Process:

1. Wash 4 cups of cherries and gently blot dry
2. Pit the cherries
3. Measure out 4 cups of water into a pot
4. Add one cup of sugar
5. Bring to a rolling boil
6. Add the cherries and bring them back to a boil and turn off the heat
7. Allow cooling for about 20 minutes
8. Transfer into the container
9. Once it is cooled down to room temperature, could you place it in the freezer?
10. After completely frozen, pull out and let thaw for a few minutes

Things to keep in mind when freezing cherries

• Once your cherries are frozen and you are ready to transfer them into a plastic bag, remove as much air from the bag as possible by partially sealing it and then inserting a straw at the end of the seal and sucking the rest of the air out. The less air you have in the bag, the less your cherries will dry out.
• If you want to avoid pitting your cherries, you can cut the cherry in half, exposing and removing the pit.
• When freezing your cherries, use as many sheets as needed; what you want is to maintain a single layer so they freeze evenly and don’t end up in clumps.
• If you are freezing more than one cherry sheet, you can stack sheets on top of each other, but make sure to line the tops of each tray to not stick to the bottom of the one stacked on top.
• It is possible to freeze cherries with the pit; remember the pits are in them, and are very hard, and in a worst-case scenario, you could break a tooth, so use caution.
• Once you are ready to use, consume your frozen cherries, it is advisable to allow them to thaw for a few minutes before trying to eat them.

Frozen cherries recipe

Frozen cherries can be used in most recipes, just as you would with fresh ones. Furthermore, you check out this fantastic recipe below.

Cherry-Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
12 oz fresh cranberries
12 oz frozen cherries
1 orange juice and zest
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1-inch piece ginger
1 pinch salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Cook over medium heat all ingredients. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally.
2. Once the sauce thickens, remove ginger and add a pinch of salt.
3. Remove from heat.

Interested in learning how can you freeze other fruits? Can you freeze fresh cranberries? Bananas tend to go bad fast, if you don’t want to freeze you can also keep them fresh with a Banana Keeper.