How to Freeze & Peel Fresh Peaches

This simple method of freezing fresh peaches preserves peaches at their peak ripeness and saves lots of time peeling! All you need is a sheet pan, parchment paper, and a sharp knife.

Living in Southern Minnesota, I don’t get fresh local peaches very often. So when The Fruit Truck drives through with boxes of fresh peaches, I can’t help myself. It might be impossible to eat 20 pounds of peaches when they’re perfectly ripe, so freezing them is the best preservation method for me.

Note: this will work with other stone fruits like cherries, plums, and apricots as well. I do have a separate post on how to freeze fresh berries as the method is slightly different.

Fresh peach sliced in half with pit removed.

The Process

Step 1: Wash and dry your fruit.

All fresh produce contains microorganisms and trace amounts of dirt and debris. It’s always best to fully wash and dry produce before using or preserving them.

Step 2: Slice peaches in half, remove pit.

I use a sharp knife to remove the pit if they are more difficult to release. Some peach varieties have loose pits, much easier to remove.

Step 3: Place sliced peaches on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Placing your peaches on the parchment paper face-up with skins to the pan help make for an easy release once frozen.

Step 4: Freeze

Wait about 4 hours or overnight for the peaches to freeze fully.

Step 5: Release and place in airtight containers

Once peaches are fully frozen, remove each individual peach from the tray and place it in an airtight Ziplock (or similar) bag or container for later use.

Frozen peaches on a parchment lined tray for easy removal.

Would you like to save this recipe?

We'll email this recipe link to you, so you can come back to it later!

How to Peel Frozen Peaches

Simply run your frozen peach under room-temperature water or dip it in a little warm water bath, then easily peel away the skin! Watch the video below.

@prettysimplesweet Easiest peach peeling method! Simply freeze. thaw. peel. #peach #peaches #peachseason #bakingpeach #tips #bakingtipsandtricks ♬ original sound – Pretty.Simple.Sweet.

Your peaches will be ready to use for baking or eating right away.

Frozen peaches are one of my favorite smoothie ingredients, too!

Frozen peaches with frost along the edges.

Easiest method to peel peaches is to freeze them, thaw them slightly with water, and the peels slide right off.

My Favorite Peach Recipes

Peach Crisp: Sweet and tender peaches topped with a crispy, crumbly, nutty streusel topping.

Perfect Peach Crumb Cake: Moist and tender sour cream coffee cake with juicy peaches and a crunchy, crumbly topping.

Peach Muffins: These have the softest texture, using butter and heavy cream for a tender, cake-like crumb. What’s better than cake for breakfast?

Peach Cobbler: Juicy, sweet, and lightly spiced peaches, topped with a classic buttermilk biscuit topping that’s tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Peaches and Cream Crumble Bars: With a creamy pie-like filling wrapped in a sweet, crumbly crust, these peach bars are juicy, crunchy, and comforting.