Grapes may be one of the most versatile foods out there. They can be used as a snack on their own, you can squeeze them for their juice or wait a while and get some wine, dry them out for raisins, or crush them and make some jam. With all that being said, the question remains, can you freeze grapes?
Freezing fruits can ensure that you have access to seasonal fruit all year round, which is fantastic.
If you want to learn exactly how to freeze grapes, keep on reading!
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Can You Freeze Grapes?
Yes, you can freeze grapes. Grapes are super easy to freeze. You just need to wash them, pop off the stems, flash freeze them, then toss them in a bag for deep freezing. This method works with any kind of grape, from the sweetest dark purple all the way to the tartest light green.
As we said above, grapes are just about perfect. Best of all you can make them last an extra long time by freezing them. Part of what makes them freeze so well is their thick skin. Their skin protects them from some of the cellular damage most fruits and veggies experience when frozen.
Once frozen, grapes will stay good for at least a year and can be used for pretty much anything fresh grapes would be used for.
And we aren't joking; they are just as good frozen as they are fresh off the vine.
Freezing Stats
| Blanched | No |
| Prep Style | whole |
| Time To Freeze | 2 to 4 hours (flash freeze) 12 to 24 (deep freeze) |
| Time to Thaw | a few hours in the fridge Can use frozen |
| Uses | anything you'd use fresh grapes for |
| Freezer Life | up to 12 months |
Frozen Vs Non-frozen
| Freezer Life | Fridge Life |
| up to 1 year | 5 to 10 days |
Supplies
You are going to need the following supplies:
- Grapes (withseeds or seedless)
- colander (for washing)
- cookie sheet (for flash freezing)
- Freezer bags
- Sharpie or marker
- Freezer
How To Freeze Grapes
This whole process is really easy and very similar to freezing limes, freezing oranges, freezing cherries and other fruits.. The longest part is waiting for the flash freeze to finish. If you're not familiar with flash freezing here's a little refresher for you.
Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.
How To Flash Freeze
The reason we flash freeze is to help keep foods, particularly ones with a lot of moisture, from sticking and clumping together. We chill everything just long enough to start hardening but not so long that they freeze solid.
- wrap a cookie sheet in aluminum foil or parchment paper
- spread the grapes in a non-overlapping, single, layer
- put the cookie sheet into the freezer for 2-4 hours up to overnight (depending on what you are freezing)
- when they have finished their initial freeze, pull the cookie sheet from the fridge and continue
Flash freezing is a common method used when freezing blackberries, freezing watermelon, freezing cantaloupe, freezing raspberries and other fruits. It is useful because it prevents the chunks or pieces of fruits from sticking together once frozen.
Freezing Grapes
- put your grapes in a colander and wash them in the the sink
- make sure they are completely dry (pat them down with a paper towel)
- follow the flash freezing instructions above
- while your grapes are going through their initial freeze, label your freezer bags with the intended contents, freezing date, and best by date
- pull the cookie sheet from the freezer when the time is up and fill the freezer bags with the grapes
- put the bags into the freezer for an undisturbed 24 hours
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How long will frozen grapes last in the freezer?
Frozen grapes can last up to a year when bagged in a freezer safe, air-tight container and left at a fairly stable temperature. If you vacuum seal the grapes after flash freezing, they may even last 18 to 24 months!
Q2. How can you tell if grapes have gone bad?
You should never try to preserve grapes that have spoiled; that includes freezing. Fortunately, it is pretty easy to tell if they are bad. Grapes that have soured will typically smell bad, become discolored (often brown), and will start to leak.
If you need more help getting your foods frozen, check out the Ultimate Freezing Food Guide for a complete quick start reference so that you can have a well-stocked freezer.
