Can You Freeze Raisins? (Everything You Need to Know)
Today we’re freezing a type of dried fruit that people either hate or love – raisins!
Raisins are versatile and can be easily incorporated into countless recipes, from a simple oatmeal bowl to ooey gooey cookies and everything in between.
But if you have too many raisins in your house that won’t be eaten soon, freezing them is an excellent method to greatly increase their lifespan.
Raisins freeze wonderfully in the fridge. Due to the low water content, successfully freezing raisins is easy. They can be stored in your freezer for up to 24 months. Incredible, isn’t it?
In this article, I’m going to break down for you (in 3 easy steps) how to freeze raisins, how to thaw them, and other a few other important raisin-related questions. So, let’s get right into it!
How to Freeze Raisins
Whether you opt for golden or black raisins, freezing them is not complicated by any means. You’ll only have to follow 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Flash-Freezing Raisins
If you don’t want your raisins to clump and stick together in the freezer, you should spread them out on a baking sheet and pre-freeze them.
To avoid any sticking, don’t forget to put some parchment paper at the bottom of the baking sheet. Then, spread them in a way that allows some room between each raisin.
Finally, let your raisins flash freeze for 1 hour and remove them from the freezer to prepare for the next freezing step.
By doing this, you’re preventing your raisins from freezing into a big chunk so you can take out the exact amount you need without having to thaw the whole container.
Don’t have enough time for pre-freezing? Try sugarcoating the raisins before putting them in the freezer to minimize sticking. This process is straightforward – just cover the raisins with a little bit of white sugar while they’re in the container.
Step 2: Packing The Raisins
After taking out the flash frozen raisins from the freezer, put them into a container where you can store them long-term.
A freezer-safe bag that can be sealed is a great option to freeze raisins.
One common mistake people make when packing raisins is filling up the freezer bag with them. Instead, you want to leave some space in the bag and squeeze the excess air out.
After squeezing out the air, seal the freezer bag.
Step 3: Labeling and Freezing The Raisins
To keep track of the storage time, it is important to label the raisin bag with the current date using a marker.
The raisins should then be kept in the freezer’s coldest spot. If you’re freezing more than a single bag and want to save space, stacking them on top of one another is a great option.
How to Thaw Raisins
Thawing raisins requires you to pay attention to any condensation-related moisture that may accumulate.
I recommend you take them out of the freezer a day before using them and leave them in the fridge. It is important not to open the container to prevent any air exposure.
After the raisins are defrosted and good to go, you can cook with or eat them as you normally would. But if you’re baking with them or exposing them to any type of heat, there is no need to defrost them first.
Just add the right amount of raisins directly into the recipe.
Is It Possible to Re-freeze Raisins?
It is never a good idea to refreeze raisins because even if they freeze well the first time, it is uncertain whether the taste and texture will remain the same after undergoing a second freezing.
You can simply avoid this by freezing raisins in smaller portions so you can take them out and use them according to your need without having to thaw all of the raisins in the freezer.
How to Store Raisins Outside of the Freezer
If you choose not to freeze your raisins, you should at least know the best way to extend their lifespan outside of the freezer.
The most suitable way to keep raisins is in a cool, dark, and dry place, such as the cabinet or kitchen pantry.
Foil or Mylar bags (Amazon.com) are very useful when storing raisins since they offer protection against oxygen, moisture, and light. Having an oxygen absorber in your containers will also protect raisins from going bad for a longer period of time.
How to Tell if Raisins are Bad?
Thanks to their dried fruit nature, raisins are easy to store, yet they could ultimately go bad as almost all fruits do.
Mold is usually the first sign you notice on bad raisins, which is an indicator of excessive moisture and inadequate storage. If one raisin has been affected by mold, the possibility that other raisins are also affected is high, so it is better to play it safe and throw away the whole amount.
A fermented or tangy smell is also an indicator that your raisins have gone bad.
Also, of course, if you notice a change in color, they have probably gone bad. Still unsure? Try to eat one, and the taste will never lie! Bad raisins won’t necessarily harm you, but who wants to eat smelly, moldy ones, after all?
Will Frozen Raisins Still be as Healthy?
Absolutely! The nutrients of most foods are preserved when they’re kept in the freezer. Thus, raisins won’t also lose any of their nutritional value when frozen.
In addition to being high in iron and beneficial for digestion, they are also a great source of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, all of which work to boost your immune system. Even after being frozen and thawed, raisins maintain all these amazing health benefits.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and follow all of these simple steps to freeze your beautiful raisins and enjoy them literally at ANY time!
