How Long Does Cranberries (Fresh) Last?

Fresh cranberries, thanks to their firm structure and natural acidity, keep considerably longer in the fridge than most berries on this site, typically 3-4 weeks in a sealed bag, and a wrinkled or shriveled skin is usually the first sign of aging rather than spoilage.

Soft, mushy berries, a texture that's gone from firm to squishy, and mold — sometimes spreading through a bag from a single spoiled berry — are the clearer signs of actual spoilage. Because cranberries are almost always cooked rather than eaten raw, a batch that's declined slightly in firmness but shows no mold or off smell is often still fine for a sauce or relish even if it wouldn't be ideal eaten out of hand.

Cranberries that float when dropped in a bowl of water are considered a sign of good quality and are the ones traditionally used for a bounce test — sinking cranberries aren't necessarily spoiled, but the float test is a fun, genuine way some cooks sort for the firmest berries in a batch before use.

A bag of cranberries that rattles when shaken, rather than feeling like a dense, solid mass, is a good sign the berries inside are still firm and haven't begun softening or clumping together from moisture.

A bag with a small tear resealed promptly with tape prevents the extra air exposure that would otherwise shorten the batch's multi-week fridge life.

See Cranberries (Fresh)'s full storage & shelf-life guide (with spoilage signs) →