Quick facts
When freezing fruit, follow these guidelines to minimize color and flavor changes.
- Freeze fruit as soon as possible after harvesting.
- Pre-treat with vitamin C.
- Use high-quality containers.
- Keep frozen fruit below zero degrees F for a maximum of 8-12 months.
- Unsweetened fruit loses quality faster than fruit packed in sugar or sugar syrups.
Watch our 5-minute video
Freeze as soon as possible
When harvested, fresh fruit continues to undergo chemical changes that can cause spoilage and deterioration. Fruit should be frozen as soon after harvest as possible and at their peak degree of ripeness.
Pre-treating fruit before freezing
Fresh produce contains chemical compounds called enzymes that cause the loss of color, loss of nutrients, flavor changes and color changes in frozen fruit. These enzymes can cause brown colors and the loss of vitamin C.
To prevent these effects, follow the recipe to pre-treat fruit by adding ascorbic acid (vitamin C), blanching or other recommended pre-treatment options.
Storage temperature and length
To maintain top quality, frozen fruit should be stored at zero degrees F or lower. Most frozen fruit maintains high quality for 8 to 12 months.
Use high quality containers
Use high quality containers which are moisture and vapor proof so moisture is kept in the product and air kept away from it. Rigid containers made of plastic are suitable for all packs and are especially good for liquid packs. Freezer bags work well for whole fruit.
Fruit pack methods
There are three ways to pack fruit for freezing: sugar pack, syrup pack, and unsweetened pack. Keep in mind, unsweetened fruit loses quality faster than fruit packed in sugar or sugar syrups.
- Sugar pack: Sprinkle the required amount of sugar over the fruit. Gently stir until the pieces are coated with sugar and juice.
- Sugar syrup: Dissolve the needed amount of sugar in cold water. Stir the mixture and let stand until the solution is clear.
- Unsweetened pack: Wash fruit, dry well. Place in container and freeze.
Steps to freeze fruit
-
Wash and sort fruit carefully. Discard poor quality fruit or use for another purpose.
-
Prepare fruit as you will use it when you remove it from the freezer.
-
Check the chart below to see if an anti-browning treatment is suggested. Use ascorbic acid preparation as recommended in the chart or in the manufacturer's instructions.
-
Use dry sugar, or sugar syrup in proportions suggested in the chart.
-
Dissolve sugar needed in cold water.
-
Stir.
-
Allow to stand until sugar is completely dissolved. Do not heat.
-
You may hold sugar syrup 2 days in the refrigerator.
-
If you are preparing a sugarless pack of fruit that browns, be sure to treat with ascorbic acid or other anti-browning agents.
-
-
Pack into plastic freezer bags, freezer containers or freezer jars.
-
Allow ½-inch headspace for expansion.
-
Pack fruit, such as peaches which darken easily, in rigid containers and cover with syrup.
-
Place crumpled wax paper between lid and fruit to help prevent browning.
-
Special tip for cleaning berries: Do not soak berries in water to clean. Instead, place the berries in a colander, dip into cool water, and gently swish, rinse and drain well.
Special tip for packing whole berries: Whole berries pack well using the tray pack method.
- After cleaning and drying berries, place on a tray in a single layer.
- Place tray in freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove tray from freezer and pack berries in freezer bags or freezer containers.
- Freeze.
- When ready to use, pour out the amount needed and return container to the freezer.
Recommended preparation of fruit for freezing
Most firm-fleshed cooking varieties, especially apples suitable for pies or sauces.
- Wash in cold water, peel, core and cut into pie slices.
- Add an ascorbic acid powder to prevent browning of fruit. Follow package directions.
- OR: Pack in sugar syrup using 2 cups sugar and ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid to 1 quart water.
- Fill container, seal, label, date and freeze.
OR:
- Wash whole apples, drain and dry. Place in freezer bags. Freeze.
- To use for pie, sauce or other cooked dessert, run cold water over each frozen apple just before peeling. Peel, slice and use immediately.
Well-ripened fruits of uniform golden-yellow color. Apricots are better canned than frozen.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Dip six fully-ripened apricots into boiling water until skins loosen (about 15 to 20 seconds).
- Chill, peel, halve and remove pits.
- Fill containers one-third full of syrup (3 cups sugar to 1 quart water with ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid).
- Pack apricots in syrup.
OR:
- Halve soft ripe fruit, steam 4 minutes, crush and pack with 1 cup sugar to 8-9 cups fruit.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Pack in sugar syrup using 3 cups sugar to 1 quart water.
OR:
- Crush and pack in sugar using 1 cup sugar to 7-8 cups fruit.
- For pies, pack berries dry without sugar.
Any good quality berry, cultivated or wild.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- For desserts, pack in sugar syrup using 3 cups sugar to 1 quart water.
OR:
- Pack in sugar using 1 cup sugar to 8-9 cups fruit.
- For pies, pack dry without sugar or sugar syrup.
Any good quality cherry.
- Wash in cold water, stem and pit.
- For pies, use 1 ½ to 2 cups sugar to 4 cups cherries for 9-inch pie.
- To improve color, add ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid.
Choose bright, fully ripe cherries.
- Wash in cold water, sort, stem, and pit.
- Pack in syrup using 2 cups sugar to 1 quart water, ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid, and either 1 teaspoon citric acid or 4 teaspoons lemon juice.
Available citrus fruits.
- Wash, peel, section or slice fruit. Sprinkle sugar over each layer of citrus fruit, sweetening to taste.
- Let stand in refrigerator until fruit forms its own juice, about 30 minutes.
- If you wish to keep the mix 3-4 months, add ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid to the sugar for each 2 pints of fruit.
Any good quality fruit.
- Wash in cold water.
- Sort and pack without sugar.
Red Lake and similar large fruit varieties.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Pack in sugar using 1 cup sugar to 8-9 cups fruit.
- For cooking, pack dry without sugar.
Any good cooking variety.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Pack without sugar or syrup.
OR:
- Mix berries and sugar called for in pie recipe.
Any available varieties.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Husk, then blanch cherries for 2 minutes.
- Pack in sugar syrup (3 cups sugar to 1 quart water).
Use firm-fleshed fruit.
- Wash in cold water.
- Cut flesh into ½- to ¾-inch cubes or balls.
- Cover with sugar syrup using 2 cups sugar to 1 quart water.
- You can add whole seedless grapes.
- Serve partially frozen.
Any good quality fruit.
- Same as apricots for preparation and packing.
Choose well ripened fruit of good quality.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Dip 3 or 4 peaches into boiling water until skins loosen; 15-20 seconds.
- Chill and peel.
- Freeze in a sugar syrup following directions for apricots.
- You may halve, quarter or slice peaches.
- See steps 4 and 5 under “Steps to freeze fruits”.
OR:
- Freeze non-browning varieties like Redhaven, RISINGSTAR® with dry sugar using ½ teaspoon ascorbic acid and 4 cups sugar with 8 pounds fruit (about 4 quarts).
Any fruit of bright appearance, dark orange-yellow color.
- Peel and core.
- Dice, slice or cut into wedges.
- Cover with syrup using 3 cups sugar to 1 quart water.
OR:
- Pack in dry sugar, 1 cup sugar to 8-9 cups fruit.
- Do not use uncooked pineapple in gelatin molds.
Red or purple fruit of good quality.
- Wash in cold water and sort.
- Pack raspberries in syrup using 3 cups sugar to 1 quart water.
OR:
- Pack in dry sugar, 1 cup sugar to 7-8 cups fruit.
- Handle gently. Pack purple raspberries for jam without sweetening.
Select stalks that are crisp and tender and of good red color in early spring. Do not pick after July 1.
- Remove leaves and woody ends, wash in cold water and cut in 1-inch lengths. Do not blanch.
- For sauce, pack in sugar syrup using 3½ cups sugar to 1 quart water.
- For pies, pack in dry sugar using 1 cup sugar to 4 cups rhubarb, or pack without sugar for a few months' storage.
Choose firm, ripe berries of bright red color or rich aromatic flavor.
- Wash in cold water, sort and stem. Pack whole, sliced (preferred) or crushed berries in 1 cup sugar to 7- 8 cups fruit.
OR:
- Pack whole berries in syrup using 3-4 cups sugar to 1 quart water.
Reviewed in 2020