Step-by-step tutorial with photos to learn how to freeze peaches whole, halved, or sliced. Enjoy fresh ripe peaches year round!
It's officially peach season, y'all! Follow my simple guide to freezing peaches so you can indulge in that juicy flavorful taste even after peak season has passed.
Want delicious peach recipes? Try my baked peaches, peach dumplings, iced peach tea, peach & tomato bruschetta, peach salsa, and fresh peach margaritas!
You may be wondering why you would want to preserve peaches. Let me tell you, when you sink your teeth into a soft, perfectly ripe peach – you'll have your answer.
In north Texas, I'm only able to find fresh peaches towards the end of May through mid-August if I'm lucky. Once I realized how quick and easy freezing peaches was, I no longer worried if I would use up all my ripe fruit before they turned.
How to pick the best peaches
Follow along for tips on choosing the best peaches, how to freeze peaches with the best taste and texture, plus peachy recipes. When looking for the perfect peach at your local grocery store or farmers market, here's what you keep in mind:
- Golden-yellow in color
- Feels slightly soft
- Just a touch heavier
- Beautiful fragrant aroma
Why you should freeze peaches
- Have fresh and ripe peaches regardless of the season.
- Lock in that juicy peach flavor!
- They're quick and easy to freeze.
- Perfect blended into smoothies or smoothie bowls.
- Can easily be tossed into baked goods.
How to freeze fresh peaches
Peaches can be frozen whole, halved, or sliced. For best results, I suggest cutting peaches into slices.
- Step 1: Rinse the peaches
- Step 2: Slice the peaches
- Step 3: Freeze the peaches
How to peel peaches for freezing
When freezing peaches, you'll need to decide if you want to peel off the skin or not. The skin peels off easily once frozen and thawed, but some prefer to peel prior to freezing. If you decide to peel the peaches before freezing, here are the simple steps to follow:
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
- Drop the peaches into boiling water for 1 minute.
- Transfer the peaches to ice water bath to blanch.
- Peel the peaches!
Which storage container is best for frozen fruit?
- Plastic bag: Zip-top freezer bags work great, are affordable, and allow you to remove as much air as possible. The downside is they are single-use plastic.
- Vacuum sealer: If you want to optimize for storage space, use a vacuum sealer. (Here's the one we have!) The downside is once you open the bag, they're difficult to reseal.
- Glass container: An excellent reusable alternative are glass food storage containers! Here's the exact set I use for storage, meal prep, and leftovers. The downside with this option is they're often more expensive, you can't remove as much air, and they take up more space.
Tips for freezing peaches
- To keep peaches from turning brown when freezing, before placing sliced peaches in the freezer bag, toss about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 1 pound peaches.
- Once the sliced peaches have been tossed in lemon juice, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Freeze until solid and then transfer to a freezer storage bag. Freezing peaches on a sheet pan before tossing them in a freezer bag keeps them from clumping together.
- Be sure to remove as much air as possible from the storage bag before zipping it tight. This will prevent freezer burn.
- Label the freezer bag with the date and store!
Frequently asked questions
Cut the peach in half, starting along the crease of the peach, and running the knife all the way around. Twist the halves to release one side from the pit, then pull it out. You can freeze the pitted halves or cut them into multiple slices.
The short answer is yes. The long answer is, I don't recommend it. You'll have to wait for the entire peach to thaw before pitting and enjoying it. A better alternative would be to cut the peach in half, remove the pit, then freeze the halves.
You can freeze peaches without blanching, however some blanch peaches prior to freezing to remove the skin. To do this, add peaches to a pot of boiling water for about 1 minute then transfer to an iced water bath to cool quickly. Peel the peaches, remove the pit, and slice!
Yes! To keep peaches from oxidizing from the air, simply toss with lemon juice!
Some like to freeze peaches with sugar, as it helps release the juices and prevent air pockets from forming while freezing. I typically freeze peaches without sugar and haven't had any issues!
To defrost, place frozen peaches in the fridge and let thaw. As the peaches thaw out, drain the water from the bag until the peaches are fully defrosted.
Peaches will last 6-12 months in the freezer!
How to Freeze Peaches
Ingredients
- Fresh peaches
Instructions
- Start by rinsing the fresh ripe peaches and patting them dry.
- Optional: To peel peaches prior to freezing, boil a pot of water and fill a bowl with ice and water. Carefully drop the peaches into the boiling water for 1 minute then transfer to the water bath to cool quickly. Finally, remove skins from peaches.
- Using a knife, follow the crease in the peach to cut open. Remove the pit and slice.
- Arrange sliced peaches on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the freezer until frozen solid, about 4 hours.
- Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, label with the date, and store in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Notes
Susie says
Oh my gosh I am so glad I found this tutorial. I had to throw away a ton of peaches last year because they got over ripe and mushy before we could eat them. I will be freezing my peaches all summer. Thank you, Jenna!
Jenna Urben says
Woohoo, that's what I love to hear! I unfortunately had to do the same until I figured out how to store them properly in the freezer. Such a game changer.