Can You Freeze Peaches?

5 minutes

Delicious and versatile, peaches are great for fresh snacks, desserts, and even in savory dishes. But if you have more peaches than you can eat you’re probably wondering, “Can I freeze peaches whole?” and “What about slices?”? Yes, you can! Here’s how…….

How to Freeze Peaches

You’ve got loads of options to choose from, and thankfully, they’re all easy. You don’t even need to peel them for the best results, which saves a lot of time, as the skin of a peach can be quite tricky to remove.

Raw Peaches:

1. Clean: Wash and dry the peaches.
2. Cut: Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits.
3. Blanch: Blanch the halves (or slices) if desired. This will help preserve the color and texture while they’re in the freezer.
4. Flash Freeze: Place the peach halves (or slices) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the peach halves until solid, about 1-2 hours.
5. Label: Label your freezer-safe bag. It’s much easier before putting the peaches in.
6. Bag & Freeze: Transfer the frozen peach halves to your labeled, freezer-safe bag or container. Remove as much air as possible before sealing and then place in the freezer.

Whole Peaches:

1. Clean: Wash and dry the peaches.
2. Label: Label your freezer-safe bag. It’s much easier before putting the peaches in.
3. Bag & Freeze: Transfer the whole peaches to your labeled, freezer-safe bag or container. Remove as much air as possible before sealing and then place in the freezer.

Sliced Peaches:

1. Clean: Wash and dry the peaches.
2. Slice: Think about how you’re going to use the peaches. Will they be better sliced, cubed, or some other shape? Do you need the skin on, or off? Once you’ve decided, slice the peaches into desired thickness and shape. Be sure they’re similar in size and shape or you’ll have trouble defrosting them evenly.
3. Flash Freeze: Lay the sliced peaches in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the sliced peaches until solid, about 1-2 hours. Flash freezing them helps keep them separated and makes them easier to remove and thaw later on.
4. Label: Label your freezer-safe bag before putting the peaches in. It’s waaaay easier this way.
5. Bag & Freeze: Transfer your flash-frozen peach slices to your labeled, freezer-safe bag or container. Remove as much air as possible before sealing and then place the labeled bag in the center of your freezer to prevent freezer burn.

Pureed Peaches:

1. Clean: Wash and dry the peaches.
2. Prep: Peel and pit the peaches, then chop them into chunks.
3. Puree: Puree the peach chunks in a blender or food processor until smooth.
4. Label: Label your freezer-safe bag before putting the peaches in. It’s waaaay easier this way.
5. Transfer: Transfer the pureed peaches to a freezer-safe bag or silicone freezer mold, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
6. Freeze: Place the labeled bag near the center of the freezer.

4 Tips for Freezing Peaches

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our Top 4 Tips to have the best results:

Act Fast
Due to their soft texture, make sure you don’t leave the peaches exposed to the air for too long before you freeze them. If you leave them out on the counter, they will begin to turn brown and go bad before putting them in the freezer.

This is the reason why the five-minute lemon bath (see above Tip) is so important before you freeze the peaches.

Defrosting?
Frozen peaches actually make for a perfect addition to many recipes, and they don’t necessarily need to be defrosted to be enjoyed. If you’re using your peaches in smoothies, muffins, or baked pies, you can take them out of the freezer and use them as they are.

Use Freestone Peaches
There are several varieties of peaches, but the two main types are freestone and clingstone. This essentially refers to how much the flesh of the peach clings to the pit.

If you plan to freeze peaches, it’s much easier to buy freestone peaches, as you won’t have to struggle to remove the flesh from the stone.

Freeze Whole or Pureed
You don’t have to freeze peaches whole. You can also freeze them as a puree (in an ice cube tray), whole or cut into halves. The choice is yours.

How Long Can You Freeze Peaches?

You can freeze peaches for up to twelve months. However, because of their soft texture, you need to remove as much air from the packaging as possible, to ensure they don’t go brown.

When you have transferred the peaches into a sealed, freezer-safe bag, you can even attempt to remove some of the excess air with a straw, to ensure they are well preserved when frozen.

How Do You Defrost Peaches?

Peaches are really easy to defrost once frozen. Remove them from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight. Don’t remove them from the freezer bag, as you don’t want air to get to them.

When they’re soft, they’re ready to eat.

Raw Peaches: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Whole Peaches: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Sliced Peaches: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Pureed Peaches: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Microwave Defrosting:

In a rush? Place the frozen peaches in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on the defrost setting in 1-minute increments until thawed.

As we’ve already mentioned, frozen peaches work really well for various recipes (peach cobbler, smoothies, etc), which means you don’t always have to worry about defrosting them.

Can You Refreeze Peaches?

Yes, but it’s not recommended. You can thaw and refreeze peaches only if they’ve been kept at or below refrigerator temperatures during thawing (37-40°F or 2.8-4.4°C).

Additionally, because of their soft texture, it’s best not to refreeze peaches once they’ve been defrosted. They’ll become extremely soft and mushy.

Do Peaches Freeze Well?

Peaches freeze extremely well and are the ideal fruit to enjoy, either frozen or defrosted. Just make sure you bathe them in lemon juice before placing them in the freezer, as you don’t want them to turn brown. This is a crucial step, so don’t miss it.

FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing peaches or peaches in general, then these may help: