How to freeze cherries: a guide to preserving the juicy gems

To make the most of the short cherry season, freezing this delectable fruit is a fantastic way to enjoy its flavors all year round. Follow these simple steps recommended by SSP to freeze cherries properly:

Prepare the cherries

Start by washing the cherries and removing their pits. It's a handy tool for this task if you have a cherry pitter. But if not, don't worry! Lange suggests placing a cherry on top of a bottle and using a sturdy straw or a chopstick to push the pit through. The pit will neatly fall into the bottle, while the cherry remains safe.

Freeze them flat

Place the pitted cherries in a zip-top bag, then lay the bag flat in the freezer. Freezing them this way initially prevents them from clumping together into a solid block. Once they are solid, feel free to move the bag around. If you have many cherries, freezing them flat on a baking sheet is a great alternative. After they are frozen, portion them into zip-top bags and return them to the freezer for convenient storage.

Thaw properly

When using cherries in baked goods or recipes, it's best to thaw them before incorporating them. To thaw the cherries, let them sit at room temperature for a few hours or place them in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, these cherries will have a softer texture and release some liquid. It's important to strain and save this flavorful liquid for another use rather than mixing it into your recipe. Lange advises that the excess liquid may affect the consistency of the dish.

In situations where time is a constraint and pitting the cherries can be done later, SSP suggests freezing them with the pits in. This option comes in handy when you find yourself with an abundance of cherries from the store that you won't be able to finish before they begin to soften.