Freeze peaches to use all winter long for cobbler, smoothies or simply a sweet taste of summer snack!
Supplies:
- Quart freezer bags
- Lemon juice or Orange Juice Concentrate
- Baking sheets/trays, parchment paper
- Optional for blanching: Pot, slotted spoon
- Wash the ripe peaches you want to freeze, removing any fuzz. Ripe peaches should smell just like a peach in the sunshine, be a little heavier than an unripe peach to hold and they will give lightly to the touch. They will also cut away from the pit easily and be juicy.
- (Optional step, as the skins can be left on and are tasty end healthy!) Peel your peaches if you don’t want to keep the skins on or alternatively, blanch them firstto remove the skins (to blanch, place peaches in pot of boiling water for 10-15 seconds and then remove. Skin should peel away easier.)
- Slice approximately 4-6 cups peaches at a time filling a large mixing bowl (they will easily come away from the pit when ripe).
- Mix in about 1.5-2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate per large mixing bowl amount (simple brand, with less sugar is best).
- Alternatively, you can mix in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to the bowl. Both citrus options keep peaches from browning.
- Lay slices out on trays and freeze solid approximately 4 hours individually first before putting them in bags labeled with date and amount per bag. This method works best if you will be using them not only for baking but for smoothies (and snacking!) as well.
- If you don’t have time to freeze slices individually or are only going to use them to bake with, you do not HAVE to freeze them individually on the trays first, you can just put them in bags but they will clump together, so that initial individual freeze is recommended.
- Your frozen peaches will last up to 1 year, if you can resist eating them all that long! 🙂
