How to Freeze Peaches

Peaches are a quintessential summertime treat. When perfectly ripe, they are juicy, fragrant, and bursting with natural sweetness. Fortunately, the joys of peach season can be extended. By harnessing the power of freezing, you can enjoy perfectly ripe peaches all year round. We’ll walk through the steps of how to freeze peaches so you can use every last bit of this amazing fruit.

Why Freeze Peaches?

Some fruits and vegetables can be eaten all year long and taste just fine, even when shipped quite a ways to the store.

Peaches do not fall into this category. There are only a few months of the year peaches are in season. They are absolutely delicious in this short window. The good news is that you can buy them in bulk and stock the freezer with them!

I do this every year and hope you can use this hack as well.

I almost never peel peaches before freezing them.

Since I primarily use frozen peaches in smoothies, overnight oats, or desserts like our Peach Crisp, peeling isn’t necessary. The peel provides a pop of color and some added nutrition.

BUT, some will make a case for peeling peaches before freezing. In fact, I made a video about how to easily peel peaches for freezing almost 10 years ago!

Step-by-Step: How to Freeze Peaches (Without Peeling)

The freezing technique is simple and similar to how to freeze bananas or how to freeze green onions.

Use a sharp knife and slice the peach into small pieces. This doesn’t have to be pretty. Remove the core and discard.

I like to use parchment paper to make clean-up easier. You can always use a silicone mat too.

Line the peaches up so they aren’t touching. This makes them easier to move into a freezer container in the next step.

Flash freeze means simply placing the baking sheet in a freezer and letting the peaches freeze until they are hard enough to move to a freezer container. This takes 1-2 hours.

We use flash freezing in many of our freezer meals, such as Baked Italian Meatballs, English Muffin Pizzas, or when freezing cookie dough.

Since air is the enemy of freezer meals, select a container that will allow minimal air exposure to the peaches. I prefer to use reusable freezer bags for frozen produce.

FAQs

Here are common questions and our answers about how to freeze peaches.

If you can freeze them with minimal air exposure, peaches will last anywhere from 6-12 months in the freezer. They will be safe indefinitely, but they will begin to get freezer burn after an extended stay in the freezer.

Yes, the texture of peaches will change a bit after freezing and thawing. Because of their high moisture content, they will be a bit mushier than before they were frozen. The taste will not change though.

There are two main types of peaches—freestone and clingstone. This refers to how much the flesh of the peach “clings” to the pit. If you are stocking up on peaches for the freezer, you want to look for freestone peaches. This variety makes it MUCH easier to remove the pit.

Absolutely. If they are in season, they will be naturally sweet.

I like to use reusable freezer bags for freezing produce. Here are the freezer containers we use and recommend.

Ways to Use Frozen Peaches

1. Throw them in smoothies (no need to thaw). Adding fresh peaches to almost any smoothie will give it a boost of flavor and nutrition. Try our Very Berry Smoothie or Tropical Smoothie.
2. Add them to oatmeal after thawing. We love them diced up in Peach Pie Overnight Oats. Or, stir the thawed peaches into your cooked oatmeal. They would also go great in baked oatmeal recipes!
3. Make Homemade Freezer Jam.
4. Use them in desserts like Peach Crisp or Peach Pie.