How to Freeze Peaches (For Smoothies!)

Is there anything better than biting into a freshly picked peach in the peak of summer?

Canned peaches don't hold a candle to the fresh ones so I often over-buy fresh peaches and freeze them for later.

I used to buy fresh peaches and set them on the counter, but I quickly learned I couldn't eat them quickly enough -- as hard as I tried. I needed to find ways to preserve them for use in my favorite peach recipes.

Freezing peaches is an excellent option because they can later be used in peach smoothies, peach cobbler, peach overnight oats, and even peach sorbet and frozen yogurt! After much peach freezing over the years, I've discovered the best technique that I'll share with you in this post.

Can You Buy Peaches All Year Round?

Not exactly. Here in the U.S., fresh and domestically grown peaches are usually available beginning in May and that's when the peach crisp and peach pie season begins. Not to mention peach cobblers and peach jams. See why I love peaches?

Peach season peaks around mid-July and continues until late September. Late spring to early fall is your window for peaches and fresh peach recipes! BUT canning fresh peaches in peach jam at home or freezing them is how you can enjoy them all year round.

How Do I Know If The Peach Is Ready for Freezing?

When you freeze peaches, you have to choose ones that are already ripe because once they get frozen, they will no longer ripen. So, how do you find ones at peak ripeness? Here are some more tips for picking the best peaches for freezing:

• Ripe peaches usually have a dark yellow color, and are often found at local farmer markets and farm stands. You can also get them at your nearest grocery (but those ones are usually picked before they ripen).
• At full maturity and ripeness, peaches are usually intensely fragrant (yum!) and are slightly soft to the touch - but not mushy.

The best variety for freezing is clingstone peaches, which reach their peak in mid-June. Freestone peaches, which are in season between July and September, can also work well.

Which Type of Container Should I Freeze Them In?

When freezing peaches, you should choose containers that are durable, easily sealable, freezer-safe, and also moisture and vapor resistant. I normally opt for these Silicone Reusable Bags or any of these meal prep containers. The main goal when freezing peaches is to avoid freezer burn and make it so when you thaw frozen peaches, you wind up with tasty peaches.

Can I Freeze Peaches Whole?

Surprisingly, you can freeze peaches whole! The main caveat to this method is that you must wait until your peach defrosts in order to remove the pit. So ultimately, I recommend removing the pit and cutting them into halves or quarters or even peach slices.

The skin can be left alone because it's full of fiber and a great addition to your smoothies. But if you'd really prefer it off, the skin will easily peel away from the frozen peach under cool water. You can also blanch the peaches ahead of freezing to remove the skin first. I almost never remove the skin, however.

How Long Do Frozen Peaches Last?

When stored properly, peaches last around 12 months in the freezer when the frigid temperature is kept constant. How to tell when they've reached the end of their road? If you notice that your peaches are starting to ooze and are developing dark spots, they've gone bad and should be thrown out.

Why Did My Frozen Peaches Turn Brown?

Peaches can turn brown in the freezer when they oxidize with any air caught in the bag. And while a little brown won't make a difference in taste, I like to keep my peaches as colorful as possible. If you feel the same, you've got to call in the powers of lemon juice. Adding this citrus magic will prevent your peaches from browning because its low PH prevents those sneaky chemical reactions.

What's The Best Way To Freeze Fresh Peaches (For Smoothies)?

NOTE: If you'd rather keep the skin on like I do, skip steps 1-3.

Step 1: Slit the skin

Quickly rinse the peaches with running water. Then make a shallow x-shaped slit at the bottom of each peach. Doing so will allow them to expand once you blanch them in the next step.

Step 2: Blanch them shortly

"Blanching" is the process of submerging fruits or vegetables into boiling water for approx. 15 seconds and then popping them into a large bowl of ice water (to stop the cooking process). So put the peaches in a large pot of water that's already at the boiling point. Doing this not only firms the flesh of the peaches but also heightens the flavor and loosens up the skin for easy peeling.

Step 3: Peel the skin off

After submerging them in the ice bath, check whether they are cool enough to touch. When they are, begin peeling. You can either use a knife or your fingers to remove the skin.

Step 4: Remove the pits

Before you freeze your peaches, remove the pits. This is easily accomplished by cutting the peach in half and gently twisting it to expose the pit. Use a knife to carefully pry it out of the peach.

Step 5: Cut into slices

Slice peaches! Now that you've gotten rid of those pesky pits, it's time to cut them up using a good paring knife. I personally prefer to slice them before freezing because that makes them ideal for my smoothies! I cut them into  ¼-½ inch slices depending on the size of the peach.

Step 6: Drizzle some lemon juice on them

Now for my magic trick (just kidding it's science)! To keep your peaches from turning brown, all you need is lemon juice. Before you freeze the peaches, make sure you drizzle a bit of lemon juice, toss the peaches, and let them sit for 3-5 minutes. I use about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for every 1lb of peaches.

Step 7: Spread them on a baking sheet

I recommend placing the peaches on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet first to freeze before combining the slices into a larger container. If the peach slices are frozen separately, they wont stick to each other and make a giant blob of peach slices in the freezer. I speak from experience, trust me. Spread the sliced peaches in a single layer and place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours (or even overnight).

Step 8: Transfer them to a freezer bag

Last but not least, pop your frozen peaches into a freezer bag or other freezer friendly container! Be sure to label them with a date and content. I tend to mix them up because, as you might suspect, I have many fruits in my freezer.

More Frozen Fruit Recipes

Now that you know how to effectively freeze peaches, you can try experimenting with different recipes. I love to use frozen peaches in my smoothie bowls but they're also super good as a peach sorbet! I'm sure you'll run out of peaches faster than you run out of recipes. Here are more recipes you can make with frozen fruit!

1. How To Make Frozen Yogurt
2. Peach Frozen Yogurt (no need to thaw the peaches!)
3. 7 Healthy and Easy Frozen Desserts for Summer
4. 4 Ingredient Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
5. 14 Smoothie Freezer Packs (You're gonna love these)