2 to 4 weeks
Loose about 2 weeks, in the original bag up to 4 (Penn State)
2 months
The charted fridge time (USDA FoodKeeper, NDSU)
12 months
In the original bag, or washed and dried (Penn State, UMaine)
The short version: to store fresh cranberries, keep them in their bag in the fridge's crisper drawer and use them within about 4 weeks. For longer, put the whole bag straight into the freezer, where it keeps up to 12 months. Rinse frozen berries before use, without thawing them. Throw out any berries that are soft, shriveled or blemished.
Storage times here come from Penn State Extension, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the USDA's FoodKeeper data and the NDSU Extension food storage guide.
On this page
How do you pick fresh cranberries?
Pick cranberries that are brightly colored, glossy and firm, as Penn State Extension advises. University of Maine Cooperative Extension asks for firm, deep-red berries with glossy skins. Good berries also bounce when dropped, according to Penn State. So check the bag for soft or shriveled berries before you buy it.
Glossy, firm and deep red.
Glossy, firm and deep red.
Glossy, firm skins. Penn State Extension selects berries that are brightly colored with a smooth, glossy and firm skin.
A deep red color. University of Maine Cooperative Extension chooses firm, deep-red berries with glossy skins.
A bounce. Penn State says good berries bounce when dropped, because air-filled chambers inside them make them float.
Few soft berries in the bag. Penn State discards cranberries that are shriveled, soft, wrinkled or blemished, so a bag full of them is a poor buy.
How to store fresh cranberries so they last
To store fresh cranberries so they last, keep them cold and dry, and take out the bad berries early. A firm cranberry keeps for weeks, but a soft one in the bag is the first to go.
How do you store fresh cranberries in the fridge?
Store fresh cranberries in their original bag in the fridge's crisper drawer, where they keep up to four weeks, according to Penn State Extension. Loose berries, by contrast, are usually good for about two weeks. So leave them in the bag until you need them. Then sort them just before you cook, since Penn State notes the bags often hold bruised berries, stems and leaves.
In the original bag, in the crisper drawer.
In the original bag, in the crisper drawer.
How long do fresh cranberries last in the fridge?
Fresh cranberries last 2 to 4 weeks in the fridge, according to Penn State Extension. The charts are more generous, however. The USDA's FoodKeeper data and the NDSU Extension food storage guide both give cranberries 2 months in the fridge. Since the shorter figure costs you little, treat 4 weeks as the target and 2 months as the outside edge.
So check the bag every week or so. The cranberry sauce guide covers the berries once they are cooked.
Should you wash cranberries before storing them in the fridge?
No, store them unwashed, because none of the sources we opened washes cranberries before the fridge. Penn State Extension keeps them in their original packaging in the crisper. Both Penn State and University of Maine Cooperative Extension only wash berries just before freezing, then dry them well. So rinse cranberries when you are about to cook them, not before.
Do you need to sort cranberries?
Yes, before you cook or freeze them, because a bag usually holds a few bad ones. University of Maine Cooperative Extension sorts out stems, leaves and bruised or soft berries. Penn State Extension also discards berries that are shriveled, soft, wrinkled or blemished. So tip the bag onto a tray, and pick through them in good light.
Can fresh cranberries sit out overnight?
Fresh cranberries belong in the fridge rather than on the counter, because every source we opened stores them cold and none gives them a counter time. So put them back in the fridge in the morning, and sort out any that have softened. The food left out overnight guide covers the cooked dishes that do have a hard limit.
Can you freeze fresh cranberries?
Yes, fresh cranberries freeze for up to 12 months, according to Penn State Extension. University of Maine Cooperative Extension also says to use frozen cranberries within 12 months. The USDA's FoodKeeper data and the NDSU Extension food storage guide give the same year. So the freezer is the easy answer for a bag you will not use this month.
Can you freeze cranberries in the bag they come in?
Yes, you can freeze cranberries in the bag they come in, with no washing first, according to Penn State Extension. It places the plastic bags of cranberries directly in the freezer for up to twelve months. Then it rinses them under cold water before use, without thawing them. Bags do contain some bruised berries, stems and leaves, though. So if you have a few minutes, sort them before they go in.
Straight into the freezer, bag and all.
Straight into the freezer, bag and all.
Should you wash cranberries before freezing them?
You can, but then they must be dried well, and the two sources weigh it differently. University of Maine Cooperative Extension prefers to sort and wash the berries first, then spin off the excess moisture. Penn State Extension treats washing as optional instead. Both warn about the water, however. Penn State says water left on the skin makes the berries blister when frozen, while Maine says it toughens the skins and makes them stick together.
Do you need to thaw frozen cranberries?
No, frozen cranberries can go straight into a recipe, according to Penn State Extension. It says it is not necessary to thaw frozen berries before use. Berries frozen in the bag do need a rinse, though, so run cold water over them first. Then cook them as you would fresh ones.
How to tell if cranberries have gone bad
Cranberries rarely spoil all at once. Instead, a few berries in the bag go soft or blemished while the rest stay firm. So most of the work is sorting rather than throwing the bag out. Here is what each stage means.
Verdict: use them
Firm, glossy cranberries
Bright, glossy berries that are firm to the touch and bounce when dropped. Penn State Extension treats that as a good berry, so these cranberries are ready to cook or freeze.
Verdict: sort them
A bag of cranberries with a few bruised berries
Mostly firm berries, with a handful of bruised ones, stems and leaves mixed in. Penn State Extension says bags often contain these. So pick out the bruised cranberries and the debris, and keep the rest.
Verdict: throw those berries out
Soft, shriveled cranberries
Berries that feel soft, look wrinkled or have shriveled. Penn State Extension discards cranberries like these, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension sorts out soft ones too. So throw out the soft cranberries, and check the firm ones beside them.
Verdict: throw those berries out
Blemished cranberries
Berries with surface blemishes or marks on the skin. Penn State Extension includes surface blemishes in its list of cranberries to discard. So set any blemished cranberries aside with the soft ones, rather than cooking them.
Verdict: cook with them
Blistered or clumped frozen cranberries
Frozen berries with blistered or tough skins, stuck together in a clump. Penn State says water left on the skin makes cranberries blister when frozen, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension says it toughens the skins and makes them stick together. That is a quality problem from the water, not spoilage. So break the frozen cranberries apart and use them in sauce or baking.
Why do fresh cranberries bounce?
Because they are full of air. Penn State Extension says good cranberries bounce when dropped, since air-filled chambers inside them make them float. A soft berry has lost that firmness, so it no longer bounces. That makes a gentle drop onto the counter a quick test when you sort a bag.
Cranberry substitutes
Out of fresh cranberries, or did the bag turn soft? Then one of these will fill the gap.
Substitute
Works best in
What changes
Dried cranberries
Baking and salads
Sweeter, so cut the sugar in the recipe.
Mistakes people make when they store cranberries
These are the ways people store cranberries that cost them the most, so each one has an easy fix.
Washing them before the fridge. Penn State keeps them in their original packaging, and washes only before freezing.
Freezing them wet. Penn State says water on the skin makes the berries blister when frozen.
Leaving soft berries in the bag. Penn State discards cranberries that are soft, shriveled, wrinkled or blemished.
Thawing them before cooking. Penn State says it is not necessary to thaw frozen berries before use.
Forgetting to rinse berries frozen in the bag. Penn State runs cold water over them before using them.
Throwing out a whole bag for a few bad berries. Sort them instead, as Maine Extension does.
Keeping them in the fridge for months. Penn State gives them 2 to 4 weeks, so freeze the rest.
Sources
Preserving Cranberries, Martha Zepp, Penn State Extension, on choosing glossy, firm berries, fridge storage for two to four weeks, freezing bags directly for up to twelve months, blistering from surface water, and discarding soft or blemished berries.
Let's Preserve: Cranberries, Bulletin 4045, Kathleen Savoie, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, on choosing firm, deep-red berries, sorting and washing before freezing, removing moisture, and using frozen cranberries within 12 months.
FoodKeeper App, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, on fresh cranberries keeping 2 months refrigerated and 12 months frozen.
Food Storage Guide FN579, Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension, reviewed January 2023, on cranberries keeping 2 months refrigerated and 12 months frozen.
Storage times and safety advice on this page come from the sources above. Food safety depends on conditions I cannot see, so read the Disclaimer, and if in doubt, throw it out.
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Emilly White