How to freeze peaches- a step by step tutorial with photos to show you the simplest way to freeze peaches so you can enjoy them year round!
How to freeze fresh peaches
I look forward to peach season all year round...and then it seems to pass in a flash!
When I was a child, my parents would buy cases of peaches every summer and can them. It was a whole day event that involved multiple families, but by the end of the day, we had a year's worth of canned peaches to enjoy.
These days, with two little kids, I have no desire to spend an entire day canning. So today, I'm sharing a super simple method to freeze peach slices!
Having a stash of frozen peach slices makes it easy to throw them into your baking, your smoothies, or enjoy straight from the freezer.
How to use frozen peaches
- in a Peach Smoothie
- in Peach Baked Oatmeal
- in Peach Bellinis
- or just straight from the freezer
How to freeze peaches
Step one- wash the peaches.
Step two- cut into slices, (no peeling required).
The easiest way to cut a peach is to run a small paring knife all the way around the peach, pull the two halves, then remove the pit. After this, it's easy to slice. Here's a video with a great visual! This part can be a challenge, depending on the ripeness of your peaches. It's OK if they don't end up looking perfect, since they're going to be going into things like smoothies and baked goods.
Step three-ย soak the peach slices in a lemon juice bath for 5 minutes. 4 cups water + 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
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Step three-ย drain. Either dump the peaches into a colander or let them sit on a baking sheet propped up on one end.
Step four-ย arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step five-ย freeze for 4 hours- overnight.
Step six-ย transfer to a freezer bag, labelled with the contents & date. Always label! You would be surprised how hard it can be to see whatโs in the bags once frozen. To remove extra air from the bag, you can use a straw to suck it out.
Step seven-ย freeze for up to 1 year!
Frozen Peaches 101
How long are frozen peaches good for? If you are careful about draining off as much water as you can, and remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag, your peaches will be good in the freezer for up to 1 year!
Do you need to thaw frozen peaches before using them?ย For most recipes that frozen peaches can be used in, you do not need to thaw them; smoothies, muffins, pies, crisps, the frozen peaches can go right in frozen.
Will frozen peaches turn brown?ย So long as you soak your peach slices in the lemon juice/water mixture, your peaches will not turn brown.
Equipment used for freezing peaches:
- I highly recommend theseย bakerโs half sheets
- pictured in this post are theseย reusable silicone freezer bags
, however you could also use a heavy duty freezer bag - aย sharpieย for labelling bags
, however you could also use a heavy duty freezer bag
ย for labelling bagsDid you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
How to Freeze Peaches
Ingredients
- 10 peaches
Instructions
- Wash the peaches.
- Cut into slices, (no peeling required).The easiest way to cut a peach is to run a small paring knife all the way around the peach, pull the two halves, then remove the pit. After this, itโs easy to slice.
- Soak the peach slices in a lemon juice bath for 5 minutes. 4 cups water + 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
- Drain. Either dump the peaches into a colander or scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Let them sit on a baking sheet propped up on one end to drain more throroughly.
- Arrange on a large baking sheet. I love these baker's half sheets.
- Freeze for 4 hours- overnight.
- Transfer to a freezer bag, labelled with the contents & date. Pictured in this post are these reusable silicone freezer bags.
- Freeze for up to 1 year!
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Nutrition Information
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JD says
Very time efficient.
Jeanne says
Can peaches be frozen with the pits?
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Jeanne, I suppose you could freeze them with the pits, though it will make things easier for you when thawing to remove them before freezing. We have not tested freezing them whole with the pit and would recommend slicing and removing the pit as we have in this post for the best results!
Lyn says
Thank you for the method, which I've just used to freeze 4kg nectarines. They are seasonal here and we've just found a fantastic recipe we'd like to use for as much of the year as possible. So I've got a lot of nectarine juice/lemon juice/water, which seems much too good to throw away. Any ideas? My other half thought sorbet, I thought cocktails (as I would!). Any ideas gratefully received, TIA!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Lyn, sounds delicious! I wonder if your frozen nectarines would work in this Peach Raspberry Bellini recipe (swapping peaches for nectarines of course)? Let us know if you try it out!
Lyn says
Thanks for that, will let you know if I try it out.
Rebecca says
Is it easy to peel peaches after frozen, when you want to put them in a pie or smoothie?
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Rebecca, we can't speak to how easy they are to peel after freezing because we haven't tested it, however here is an easy tutorial for how to peel peaches that you may find useful: https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-peel-peaches/
Sharon Biddle says
When you go to freeze the fresh peaches can you use a vacuum seal??
I am getting 2 flats of white peaches tomorrow and want to freeze them.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Sharon, we have not used a vacuum seal for this - however I believe you would want to freeze the peaches as outlined in this post, then vacuum seal afterwards (once frozen). I hope that helps!
Chuck Figer says
Thatโs exactly what I did. I froze the peaches overnight and then vac sealed the frozen peaches in one pound portions. Worked great!!
Christi says
I prefer to leave the skins on when I bake pies with frozen peaches - they add great flavor and color and break down in baking. I got a bit lazy with a freezer full of frozen peaches - what a pleasant surprise! Let me know if you try it.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Christi, great tip, thanks for letting us know!
Teresa Mason says
What is the point of the overnight freezing ?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Teresa! If you toss all the fresh peaches into a bag and then freeze, they will stick together in a big clump. This way, they stay separate.
Chris says
Do the peaches end up mushy when you take them out for use?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Chris! They definitely are soft. We mainly use this method for smoothies, but they're also good for baking- we throw them in without thawing.
Lisbeth Toth says
Hello, Do you wait the peaches to be really ripe before freezing?
Or is it better to freeze them while they are still a bit hard?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Lisbeth! I do let them ripen before freezing; if you freeze before they ripen, they won't be as flavorful. Hope this helps!
Chris says
Do you need to cover them when they are on the sheet pans in the freezer overnight?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Chris! I don't cover them.
Joseph says
This recipe was just what I needed to use up some ripe peaches. Super easy and delicious! I will definitely make this again, maybe try with other fruits or berries. Excellent!
Denise Bustard says
So happy to hear that, Joseph! Thanks for reporting back!
Ben says
This recipe works really well with pears as well.
Denise Bustard says
Hi Ben! That is so great to hear! Thanks so much for reporting back ๐
Leigh Love says
Soif you dont peal your peaches, do you just leave the peel on in the pie??????
Denise Bustard says
Hi Leigh! This is a good 'shortcut method' that works for oatmeal or smoothies, but if you are making pie, I'm sure you'll want to peel them first. Here's an easy tutorial: https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-peel-peaches/
Marsha says
I donโt peel them to make a pie, the peel melts and adds both more nutrition and flavor.