Dandelion flowers are edible and can be used in a variety of ways. It can be eaten raw or cooked and be used to make wine and jelly. If you have dandelion flowers, you may wonder if you can freeze them.
Can You Freeze Dandelion Flowers?
You can freeze both fresh and dried dandelion flowers. Freezing dandelion flowers will keep them fresh for up to six months. You can freeze dandelion flowers in a plastic bag, in a glass jar, and even use a vacuum sealer.
How To Freeze Dandelion Flowers
Use fresh dandelion flowers that have not been sprayed with any chemicals. Cut off all of the leaves from the stems, leaving only the buds or petals of the flower behind.
Blanch your dandelion flowers by placing them in boiling water for three minutes, then put them immediately into cold water after removing them from the boiling water. This will help preserve their color and flavor when they’re frozen later on.
Place your blanched dandelion flowers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in your freezer overnight until they’re completely frozen solid (about 12 hours).
Once they’ve frozen solid, transfer them into freezer bags or containers so that they won’t stick together when stored in your freezer.
How Long Do Dandelion Flowers Last In the Freezer?
Dandelion flowers will last for about six months in the freezer if properly stored. Once you’ve picked the flowers, store them in an airtight container and place them in your freezer immediately. This will prevent any moisture from building up on the petals and causing them to wilt. This method works well with other edible flowers as well, such as pansies and violets.
If you plan on using your frozen dandelion blossoms for cooking purposes, keep in mind that they won’t be as tasty if they’re too old when you cook them. If you plan on storing your dandelions long term (more than six months), blanching before freezing is recommended to stop enzyme activity that causes wilting while it’s being stored.
How To Defrost Dandelion Flowers
The best way to defrost dandelion flowers is to place them in a colander and run cold water over them until they are thawed.
You can also place them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. This method will take longer to thaw though.
Can You Refreeze Dandelion Flowers?
Yes, you can refreeze dandelion flowers. But just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.
When freezing dandelions, it’s important to consider how well the flower will hold up after being frozen and then thawed again.
After being frozen for the second time, the flowers will lose most of their nutrients and won’t taste as fresh as they should.
Instead of freezing dandelion flowers again, you can keep them in the fridge. Dandelion flowers will keep for about one week refrigerated in a covered container of water.
Do Dandelion Flowers Freeze Well?
Dandelion flowers freeze well, but you should keep them in the freezer for no longer than 6 months.
Also, keep them stored in an airtight container or freezer bag. If the flowers are exposed to air, they will get freezer burn, which will make them go bad quickly.
Why You Might Want To Freeze Dandelion Flowers
There’s nothing wrong with eating fresh dandelion flowers, but some people prefer to eat frozen ones because they don’t have to be picked at just the right moment. And you don’t have to worry about them wilting in the refrigerator before you get around to using them.
You can also store a lot more dandelion flowers in your freezer than in your fridge — or even on your countertop — which means less waste if you’re planning on making a big batch of something like dandelion jelly or dandelion wine.
Conclusion
Dandelion flowers are nutritous and can be used in many different recipes. Since the flowers don’t last very long once it’s picked, freezing them is an excellent option to preserve them.
Kate has been in the food business for over 20 years. Worked as a cook at several buffets which include Old Country Buffet, Five Star Buffet, and Ichiban Buffet. Now, I’m mostly at home cooking for my family, caring for chickens and ducks, and tending the garden.
