Learn How to Freeze Peaches for All-Year Use

If you love peaches as much as I do, you want to enjoy that sweet, fresh flavor all year long. Right now, in the last stretch of summer, peaches are at their peak and the season is winding down fast. Before the good ones disappear from the Farmers’ Market, let me show you how to freeze peaches so you can enjoy them long after the weather turns cool.

Does this sound hard to you? It’s not. In fact, learning to freeze peaches may be one of the easiest kitchen skills you’ll ever learn.

Why freeze peaches? So you can enjoy summer’s best fruit year-round. When peaches are in season and at their sweetest, it’s the perfect time to put some away for all your favorite peach recipes this fall and winter.

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Love Them Peaches

As you might have guessed from my Peach Clafoutis or my Peach Galette posts, I love peaches. 

I’m always a little sad that really good, sweet peaches aren’t available year-round. The summer peach season just isn’t long enough, and by late August it’s already starting to wind down. So for these last few weeks of the season, peaches are the name of the game around here.

I love buying peaches at the Farmers’ Market, where they’re picked ripe and full of flavor.

Here’s the Easy Method for Freezing Peaches

If you’re like me and don’t want peach season to end, there’s an easy way to have your peaches and eat them too, even in the middle of winter. I don’t mean buying the canned peaches on the grocery shelf, which are full of sugar and preservatives.

My favorite technique is to freeze fresh peaches. It requires no special equipment and takes under an hour.

What Type of Peaches Should You Freeze?

• The best peaches for freezing are freestone peaches (sometimes called cling-free). With these, the flesh releases easily from the pit, making them much easier to pit and slice. Clingstone peaches, where the flesh clings tightly to the pit, are harder to work with.
• Use whatever version of fresh peaches that are available in your area.
• Both peaches and nectarines freeze beautifully.
• Peaches should be ripe and fragrant, firm to the touch but not soft or mushy.

NOTE: Use the best peaches you can find for the best results. Skip any that are bruised, old, or mushy.

What Equipment Do You Need for Freezing Peaches?

You will have most of these tools in your kitchen:

• Saucepan or Dutch Oven (size depends on the number of peaches)
• Wire mesh strainer, skimmer, or slotted spoon
• Paring Knife
• Salad Spinner (trust me on this)
• Cutting Board
• Stainless or glass bowl
• Rimmed baking half-sheet
• Freezer bags, preferably quart-size

How to Easily Prepare Peaches for Freezing

1. Run the peaches under warm water and dry the skins.
2. Using a sharp paring knife, cut an “x” into the skin of all your peaches on the bottom. Cut through the skin, but not the flesh.
3. Fill a large saucepan or Dutch oven with water and bring to a boil.
4. Meanwhile, fill the insert of your salad spinner with ice and water. Set near the stovetop.
5. Using a fine-mesh sieve or slotted spoon, carefully place a few peaches into the boiling water. Allow them to stay in the boiling water for 30 – 45 seconds. You want to see that the skin is opening up where you cut the “X”.
6. Use the same fine mesh sieve or a slotted spoon to remove each peach from the water.
7. Place the peaches in the ice water in the salad spinner for about 60 seconds. This stops the peaches from cooking and starts the cooling process. Remove them onto a paper towel to drain.
8. Using your fingers, start peeling back the skin of the peach, starting where you cut the “x” into the bottom. The skin should peel away easily. Discard the skin.
9. Using the paring knife, cut the peach in half. Twist the two sides of the peach apart and remove them from the pit. Slice the peach into about 6-8 pieces per side. Repeat with all your peaches.

NOTE: If the skin doesn’t pull away easily from the flesh, you may have to dip the peach back into the boiling water for a few more seconds, then repeat the steps above.

Freezing the Prepared Peaches

• Spread the peach slices out on a parchment-lined sheet pan (or plate). Place the sheet pan in the freezer. This is called “quick freeze”. Allow the peaches to freeze for 1 – 3 hours.

• Label quart-size freezer bags with the date.
• Fill the freezer bags 3/4 full with sliced peaches. Don’t overfill the bags. Squeeze out any air and seal the bags. Place them back in your freezer, laying the bags flat.

NOTE: Frozen peaches keep their best flavor and texture for about 6 to 9 months, and they’re safe to use for up to a year.

TIP: It’s always easier to label your bags with the contents and the date before you put food in them!

TIP: Cut peaches can brown a little once they’re exposed to air. If you want to keep them bright, toss the slices with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of ascorbic acid (Fruit-Fresh), before freezing them. This step is optional, but it helps the peaches hold their color.

How to Thaw the Peaches?

Remove the bag of peaches from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator (4 to 6 hours) or under cold running water (1/2 to 1 hour). Do not refreeze thawed peaches.

TIP: For smoothies, you can drop the frozen slices straight into the blender, no thawing needed. If the peaches are headed straight for a smoothie, you can even skip the peeling step to save time.

NOTE: This technique also works for plums and nectarines. Don’t wait too long, or you may miss out on the last of the season’s peaches.

Recipes for Peaches

Now you can use peaches in your favorite recipes year-round. How can you use frozen peaches? Frozen peaches are wonderful:

• In smoothies
• Stirred into oatmeal
• Spooned over yogurt
• Baked in a warm, summery cobbler or galette even in the dead of winter
• Served over ice cream
• Used to make peach ice cream

These are delicious peach recipes to try:

• Peach Cobbler
• Peach Clafoutis
• Peach Ice Cream

Summarizing How to Freeze Peaches

Have fun in your kitchen. I’m having fun in mine. I hope you’ll save this little food lesson. It’s one to keep in your collection of helpful kitchen tips. Be sure to PIN the post. Check out my Pinterest Board, Cooking Lessons and Fruit Recipes.