The gooseberry growing and ripening season is short. This means you need to pick them quick, when they are ripe, and then find a way to store them during this time to ensure they don’t go bad.
Can You Freeze Gooseberries?
Yes, you can freeze gooseberries for up to 2 years. To freeze gooseberries, give them a wash then spread out onto a baking tray to freeze them. Once frozen solid, portion out into good-quality freezer bags.
Do Do Gooseberries freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Gooseberries? Yes
How To Freeze Gooseberries
Gooseberries are one of the easiest and fastest fruits to freeze. When preparing to freeze gooseberries, make sure those that you plan to freeze are fully ripened.
If you wish to save time and plan to use them for pie fillings or other desserts where texture isn’t important then you can omit double freezing them separately by putting just a handful of gooseberries in containers or bags (Steps 6 and 7 below).
Double freezing simply prevents the gooseberries from sticking together. This is entirely down to personal preference.
When gooseberries are thawed, just like any other frozen berry, they can burst and lose their shape. If you are making cakes or pies where it is important to retain their shape then you will need to double freeze them.
- Wash and Dry: Fully wash gooseberries then remove stems and blossom ends. Completely dry gooseberries with a cloth or tea towel.
- Place Onto a Tray: Place gooseberries on a tray in a single row so they are not touching each other.
- Freeze: Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This step is suggested not required but is down to your personal preference, so the gooseberries are not stuck to each other. This step depends on how you plan to use your frozen gooseberries.
- Portion Out: Portion into freezer bags. Consider how many gooseberries you’ll consume in one go and make sure you use bags of this size.
- Freeze: Label and return gooseberries to the freezer.
- Shake Bag: Re-check gooseberries after about an hour, giving the freezer bag a little shake to loosen the semi-frozen gooseberries.
- Return to the Freezer: Pop them back in the freezer.
You’ll be pleased to hear that, by following the full method on Freeze It, you do not need to cook gooseberries to freeze them. No blanching either! So, yes, you can freeze gooseberries raw.
Yes, you can freeze stewed gooseberries. Once the cooked gooseberries have cooled to room temperature, portion them out into freezer bags, seal and then place the bags into the freezer. 
Yes, you can freeze gooseberries whole. You simply need to consider how you normally use gooseberries and then freeze them in this form. If freezing them whole, freeze them initially on a tray before portioning them out into freezer bags.
3 Tips for Freezing Gooseberries
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing gooseberries to have the best results:
Flash Freeze
Although not quite the same as industrial flash freezing, giving the gooseberries a quick freeze on a baking tray can prevent the majority from sticking together.
Shake the Bag
By shaking the bag of gooseberries after 30-60 minutes, you can prevent them from sticking into one clump so try to remember to do this.
Label Them
You may be surprised how similar frozen gooseberries and frozen grapes look in the freezer. Make sure you label them clearly so you don’t accidentally start trying to eat a raw (and very tart) gooseberry.
How Long Can You Freeze Gooseberries?
Frozen gooseberries have an extended shelf life in the freezer. They maintain their shape and colour well and are one of the best berries to freeze.
If the gooseberries are properly frozen for pies in individual resealable bags, then gooseberries can be frozen for up to 2 years.
If the gooseberries are frozen in an ice cube tray or rolled in sugar to be frozen for a snack, they are good for up to 1 year.
Fresh gooseberries will last for around 2 weeks in the fridge if they are stored in their best condition.
How Do You Defrost Gooseberries?
If you are using them for cakes, smoothies, or pies, you can use them straight from the freezer! Just take them out when you need and add them straight to your recipe.
Defrosting for garnishes? Put them in the fridge to thaw overnight to help them retain their shape and taste.
If you are in a hurry, you can defrost gooseberries in the sink by placing them in a small bowl of cold water until they are defrosted. Do not use hot water as it will
cause the gooseberries to explode.
Can You Refreeze Gooseberries?
You can refreeze your gooseberries but, be warned, that they may become a little mushy in texture and the flavour is likely to degrade the more you refreeze them.
If you can avoid refreezing them, like most food products, then this is the best approach to take.
Do Gooseberries Freeze Well?
Gooseberries freeze well because they become sweeter with time! They are economical to keep and freeze, they are perfect when they are out of season and do not retain moisture like other foods.
When thawed, they are more delicate than fresh gooseberries so handle them gently and use them within 2 days of defrosting.
The texture of the gooseberries will not change because they are frozen, but they tend to burst after thawing so just be careful.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing gooseberries or gooseberries in general, then these may help:
No, we wouldn’t advise freezing gooseberry fool. The gooseberry element will freeze perfectly fine. The problem you’ll have is with the custard. We’ve written about custard in the past. What happens is the custard element of your fool will become grainy and you won’t enjoy eating it, unfortunately.
Cape gooseberries can be frozen like most other gooseberry varieties and berry types. Spread them out on a tray, freeze and then portion them out into freezer bags. 
You can either use frozen gooseberries directly from the freezer in smoothies, pies or crumbles. If, however, you want to use them in a raw dish then you’ll need to thaw them overnight beforehand.
