How to Freeze Peach Pie Filling

When you have an abundance of fresh peaches, you may think your only options are to eat them for days on end or be forced to throw them away. Fortunately, peaches maintain their texture and taste even after being frozen. If you want to be able to enjoy peach pie all year long, you can use those peaches to make the filling ahead of time and store it in the freezer. The sugar that sweetens the filling also helps the peaches maintain their color. When you're ready for pie, just add it to a crust and bake.

Things You'll Need

• Pie pan
• Aluminum foil
• 4 cups prepared peach pie filling
• Spatula
• Plastic wrap
• Knife
• Gallon-sized plastic freezer bag

Instructions

1. Cover the bottom and sides of a pie pan with aluminum foil. Add a piece of plastic wrap on top of the aluminum foil.

2. Pour 4 cups of prepared peach pie filling onto the plastic wrap. Spread the filling evenly across the bottom of the pan with a spatula.

3. Press another piece of plastic wrap firmly onto the top of the pie filling to seal it. Transfer the entire pan into the freezer and leave it there for about two hours or until the pie filling is completely frozen.

4. Run a knife under warm water from the tap. Insert the tip of the knife blade between the plastic wrapped frozen filling and the aluminum-lined pan. Run the knife around the entire circumference of the pan between the aluminum foil and the plastic-wrapped filling to loosen the filling. Gently pry out the filling and discard the aluminum foil lining.

5. Cover the wrapped peach pie filling with another layer of plastic wrap, then transfer the solid block into a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag. Keep it in the freezer for up to eight months. Thaw the filling in your refrigerator or simply place the frozen pie filling directly onto a pie crust and bake as usual until the crust is golden and the filling is heated through.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase a powder fruit preservative from your grocery store's canning supply section and add 1 to 2 tsp. of it to your peach pie filling before freezing. This helps the fruit keep its bright color and firm texture.

• Do not refreeze peach pie filling once you defrost it because the repeated changes in temperature can make the peaches soggy and bland.

References

• National Center for Food Preservation: Freezing Prepared Fruit Pie Filling
• Food Network: Frozen Peach Pie Filling