Quick Summary: A collection of tested blueberry recipes from a Minnesota farmer who’s been growing blueberries as a specialty crop since 2001 and develops blueberry recipes in the commercial kitchen on the farm. Savory and sweet, drinks and desserts, fresh and preserved. Each recipe works beautifully with fresh or frozen berries.
Jump to: Growing Blueberries | Savory Recipes | Baking Recipes | Drinks & Cocktails | Preserving | FAQ | More Recipes
I have been growing blueberries in Minnesota at HeathGlen Organic Farm since 2001. I sell many of the fresh blueberries at the St. Paul Farmers’ Market, but I also reserve enough blueberries to develop recipes in our commercial kitchen on the farm.
Most of my plants are over 20 years old, which means they produce a lot of fruit, so I’ve got plenty of berries to freeze, cook with, or make into preserves.
In 2025 I published a blueberry cookbook that highlights all of the recipes I’ve developed over time. I’m sharing some of those recipes on this site and will continue to be active in developing and sharing new blueberry recipes.
I’ve also won a national award for the Blueberry Lavender Merlot jam (Good Food Awards winner in 2013), and for many years I sold a variety of blueberry shrub syrups at the farmers markets.
Although I no longer sell the jams and shrubs at the market, you can find many of those recipes on this site, along with a range of blueberry-forward savory sauces, baked goods, cocktails, and blueberry growing guides.
Every recipe here has been tested with both fresh and frozen berries, so you can enjoy them year-round.
Why Blueberries Are Worth Growing (and Cooking With)
Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to work with in the kitchen. They don’t brown like apples or peaches. They contain minimal water, so they freeze well and hold their shape in baked goods.
Not to mention that they taste wonderful in sweet or savory recipes, and kids love them fresh by the handful.
And, of course, organic blueberries have long been recognized for their nutrient value and health benefits.
At HeathGlen, we grow several varieties that ripen at different times, extending our harvest from mid June through late August. But even if you’re buying berries at the grocery store or farmers market, the recipes below will help you make the most of them.
If you are interested in growing your own blueberries, check out this grow your own berries category for guides and growing tips on blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
Savory Blueberry Recipes
Blueberries aren’t just for dessert. Their natural sweetness and slight acidity make them perfect for savory applications, especially with rich proteins like pork, salmon, and beef.
Blueberry Bourbon Balsamic BBQ Sauce This robust, tangy sauce is one that I love to keep on hand in the summer. Blueberries, bourbon, balsamic vinegar, and warm spices simmer into something that changes ordinary pork chops, burgers, or grilled chicken into something memorable.
Blueberry Chicken Summer Salad: Blueberries add interest and flavor to a classic chicken dinner salad recipe.
Blueberry Breakfast and Baking
These are the recipes I turn to most often when I am looking for something simple and slightly sweet to bake for the family.
Blueberry Muffins with Lime and Ginger: Not your standard blueberry muffin. The lime zest and crystallized ginger add a refreshing twist that elevates these from ordinary to memorable.
Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake This is the recipe I make most often for guests to the farm. It hits a sweet spot between blueberry cobbler and savory cornbread, with less sugar than most desserts. Made in a cast iron skillet, it looks beautiful served straight from the pan.
Blueberry Poke Cake An updated take on the retro classic, using fresh blueberry-blackberry sauce instead of Jell-O and homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. Gorgeous for summer potlucks and easy to make ahead.
Blueberry Breakfast Popsicles For hot summer mornings when no one wants a heavy meal, these Greek yogurt popsicles with blueberries and lime are perfect. Light, refreshing, and healthy enough for breakfast.
Blueberry Drinks and Cocktails
When I was selling drink syrups at the farmers markets, the blueberry lavender syrup and the blueberry tarragon syrup always sold out. These recipes capture that flavor.
Blueberry Martini A simple, elegant cocktail made with vodka and homemade blueberry drink syrup. Infuse the syrup with lavender or tarragon for an extra layer of complexity.
Blueberry Vodka Lemonade Made with homemade blueberry-infused vodka and fresh lemonade. The vodka takes two weeks to infuse, but the work itself is minimal, and a pretty bottle makes an excellent gift.
Blueberry Shrub Syrups for Cocktails: Homemade shrub syrups make some of the best signature cocktails. They also make simple Italian sodas into something special.
Blueberry Italian Soda For a non-alcoholic option, blueberry simple syrup stirred into sparkling water makes a refreshing Italian soda. Add a splash of cream for a French soda variation.
Preserving Blueberries
At HeathGlen, we always manage to freeze or preserve enough blueberries to carry us through the winter. Here are the preservation methods that I use to ensure year-round blueberry treats.
Freezing The simplest method. Spread unwashed berries on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. They keep for up to 12 months and work in almost any recipe.
Blueberry Jam A classic. I added lavender and merlot wine to this jam below which ended up being a Good Food Awards winner, as well as a market favorite. Water bath canning extends the shelf life to a year or more.
Blueberry Drink Syrups Simple syrups and shrub syrups (simple syrups with vinegar) preserve blueberry flavor for months and make instant cocktails or Italian sodas.
Dehydrated Blueberries Perfect for trail mix, granola, or rehydrating later for baking. The trick is breaking the skins first by freezing or blanching.
Rumtopf An old-fashioned European method where summer fruits are layered with rum and sugar as they come into season. The result is a boozy, fruit-laden dessert topping perfect for the winter holidays.
For a complete guide to all the preservation methods I use, see How to Preserve Blueberries: 8 Methods from a Blueberry Farmer.
Tips for Cooking with Blueberries
- Fresh vs. frozen: Frozen berries work in almost every recipe here. For baking, use them straight from the freezer so they don’t bleed into the batter. For sauces and syrups, thaw first or add a few extra minutes of cooking time.
- Buying blueberries: Look for berries with a dusty white bloom, which indicates freshness. Avoid containers with juice stains at the bottom, which means crushed or overripe berries.
- Storing fresh berries: Don’t wash until you’re ready to use them. Store in a single layer if possible, or loosely in their container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep about 10 days.
- Using unripe berries: If you end up with sour, underripe berries, use them in recipes where you’re adding sugar anyway (jam, syrups, baked goods) and increase the sugar slightly to compensate. Green berries can be turned into verjus, a vinegar alternative.
FAQ
Yes. Every recipe here has been tested with frozen berries. For baking, use them straight from the freezer. For sauces and drinks, thaw first.
Yes. Blueberries are high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins C and K. Interestingly, frozen blueberries often retain more nutrients than fresh ones that have been stored for several days.
Spread unwashed berries in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags with the air pressed out. They’ll keep up to 12 months without clumping.
Pork, salmon, chicken, and beef all work beautifully with blueberry sauces. The sweetness complements rich, fatty proteins especially well.
BBQ sauce keeps about a week refrigerated. Simple syrups keep 2-3 weeks. Shrub syrups (with vinegar) keep several months. Canned jam keeps a year or more.
More Blueberry Recipes:
For the whole range of blueberry recipes (with photos for each recipe), check out my Blueberry Cookbook. It has over 80 recipes, most of which are exclusive to the cookbook, featuring breakfast recipes, rustic desserts, savory dinner recipes, and preserves.
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