How to Freeze Fresh Cherries
Learn how to freeze fresh cherries to store them for later and also how to pit cherries! Super easy tips!
When cherries are in season, I enjoy them for a snack, but what do you do when you have too many cherries? Save them for later! Learn how to freeze fresh cherries and tips for pitting them too!
Pitting Cherries
I am embarrassed to say that this is the first year I have pitted cherries for recipes. I typically eat them. Yup…I am a fruit addict. Now that I know just how simple it is to pit cherries, I may never go back to just snacking on them pits and all.
You will need your fresh washed cherries and a metal or solid plastic straw. The flimsy disposable ones will not work.
Place the straw where the stem was and push down on the cherry. The pit will pop out the other side. It’s just that easy. This job will get messy, but it is a great chore for kids that want to help in the kitchen.
You can also purchase cherry pitters on amazon and at other retailers. I hate to clutter my kitchen with too many gadgets, that is why I just used a straw.
How to Freeze
Freezing cherries is so simple. I find it best to freeze them pitted so they are ready to eat or use in recipes.
- Wash and stem cherries.
- Pit your cherries.
- Once pitted place in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 1-2 hours.
- When your cherries are frozen you can place them in quart or gallon-sized bags, and put them back in the freezer.
The purpose of the first freeze is to freeze the cherries individually. This helps for later use because your cherries will not be frozen in a block.
Tips
- Line your baking pan with wax or parchment paper; this helps keep the cherries from sticking.
- Label your bags with the date so you can use them in a timely fashion.
- I recommend packing your cherries in quart-sized bags. This tends to be the perfect amount for recipes.
- Start with ripe tasty cherries. You lock in the flavor and freshness on the day your freeze them. So you want them to be delicious.
Recipes
Looking for some recipes to enjoy with those cherries?! You have to try these.
- Cherry Lime Popsicles
- Copycat Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
Freezing Fruit
Did you hit the farmers market, or have a great garden this year? Check out these other tips for freezing fruit.