How to Store Peaches to Keep Them Fresh

Updated: Apr. 23, 2024

Frozen Peaches In Freezer Bag next to three fresh peaches

Jenna Urben for Taste of Home

Yes, peach season is short—but if you know how to store peaches, you'll have juicy, fresh-tasting fruit all year round.

Peak peach season generally falls between May and August. Around this time, I eagerly wait for the tender, tangy stone fruit to pop up at my local grocery store or farmers market.

Fresh peaches are simply delicious eaten raw but can also be baked into peach dessert recipes like peach pie, peach crumble and peach upside down cake. They’re also tasty tossed in salads or even as a pizza topping! The options are endless, which is why you’ll want to learn how to store peaches and savor that sweet, tangy flavor for as long as possible.

How to Store Ripe Peaches

Fresh Ripe Peaches on a countertop in a kitchen Jenna Urben for Taste of Home

It’s best to eat ripe peaches right away. Once peaches have been picked, they tend to bruise easily due to their delicate skin. Perfect juicy peaches will last less than a week stored on the counter. If you have an abundance of ripe peaches that you aren’t able to use, store them in the refrigerator. The cold air will slow down the ripening process but also dehydrate them, making them wrinkly after a few days.

How to Store Unripe Peaches

If you have very firm peaches that aren’t quite ripe, store them unwashed and stem-side down at room temperature. Be sure to place them in a single layer to avoid bruising. If the peaches are on the harder side and you want to speed up the ripening process, place them in a paper bag on your countertop. The natural ethylene gas they give off will ripen them right up.

How to Store Cut Peaches

peach slices on a cookie sheet with parchment paper Jenna Urben for Taste of Home

Like storing avocados, cut peaches will likely turn brown due to oxidization. However, if you coat them with lemon juice or lime juice, the citrus will help keep the peaches looking fresh for a few days. Once covered in citrus juice, store in an airtight container or bag in the fridge. (In case you don’t know, here’s how to peel and pit peaches.)

How to Freeze Peaches

To enjoy ripe peaches all year long, store them in your freezer. Freezing peaches locks in that fresh taste and makes baking a breeze. Baking with frozen fruit cuts down on prep time since the fruit is already peeled, pitted and sliced.

To freeze peaches, rinse the peaches and pat them completely dry. You don’t need to peel the peaches, as the skins will slip off easily once thawed. I recommend slicing the peaches prior to freezing since it’s faster to defrost small slices rather than the whole fruit.

Simply cut the peach open, remove the pit, and slice. Line the slices up on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the freezer until solid. Place the frozen peach slices in a freezer bag and store for up to six months. To defrost, place the frozen peaches in the refrigerator and let them thaw.

Editor’s Tip: For added protection against freezer burn, wrap the freezer bag of frozen peaches in another airtight bag or grocery bag.

This guide will help you determine when to use fresh vs. frozen peaches! In short, fresh peaches are best eaten raw or topped on salads and frozen peaches work great for smoothies, muffins and other baked goods.

How to Use Overripe Peaches

There’s nothing quite like a summer peach. One day it’s so juicy you have to eat it over the sink, and the next, it’s turning soft and brown. Thankfully, there are tons of ways you can put those peaches to good use. Blend overripe peaches into a peach smoothie, preserve them in bourbon peach jam, puree them into peach margaritas or bake up a healthy peach crisp.

The Best Things to Do with Fresh Peaches

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Iva S Peach Cobbler Exps Bk22 3280 Dr 06 09 1b

Iva's Peach CobblerMy mother received this peach cobbler recipe from a friend of hers many years ago, and fortunately she shared it with me. Boise is situated right between two large fruit-producing areas in our state, so peaches are plentiful in the summer. —Ruby Ewart, Boise, Idaho