I am so excited to show you how to freeze lemon slices. This is by far the best way to freeze them. Do not skip any steps if you want the best results.
There is nothing better than putting a fresh lemon slice in your ice water, or hot tea. I find that I drink more water during the day, when it’s flavored with a lemon slice. My sweet neighbor came by a few weeks back and brought me a bag full of lemons! I was so excited by her generosity, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to use these lemons!
By the way, if you have a lemon tree and don’t want those lemons to go to waste… you will love this!
I decided to freeze most of them, and I’m so glad that I did! This is my FAVORITE freezer food technique. Everyday since, I enjoy refreshing lemon water, or hot tea with these frozen lemons. They are so easy to grab out of the freezer, and it’s just so quick to do.
How To Freeze Lemon Slices:
Freezing lemons is a very easy task. Here is a quick video of how I cut them, and lay them on a covered cookie sheet.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- It’s very important to pat each side of the lemon slice on a paper towel. This will get rid of some of the moisture, and the lemon slice will freeze nicely.
- Freeze the lemons for at least 8 hours. Then place them in a freezer gallon zip-lock bag. This method works really well, and the lemons don’t really stick to each other like a brick.
How Long Does Sliced Lemon Last In The Freezer?
Lemons can easily be stored in the freezer for 1 year. I live in California, and we grow a lot of citrus here. So I actually freeze bags and bags of orange slices, lemon slices, and lime slices for tea, lemonade, sherbet flavored desserts, and for sparkling flavored water.
The lemon slices will develop ice crystals on them, but that totally okay and does not destroy the flavor of the lemon.
Why You Should Always Freeze Your Lemons
For many people, citrus is a seasonal fruit. Freezing lemons is the best way to preserve lemons for various recipes. Using sliced lemons in my tea on a daily basis isn’t a big deal when I can quickly reach into the freezer and pull out a sliced lemon.
As you can see in the above picture, I have the lemons laying on a piece of wax paper. Parchment paper works best, however I ran out while making these. Whether you use wax paper or parchment paper, they will both work fine.
Can You Freeze Lemons Whole?
Sliced lemons is my favorite way to freeze them, however you can freeze lemons whole. I would freeze lemons whole the same way as sliced lemons, but be aware that thawed whole lemons will be much juicier and not hold it’s shape the same way once thawed.
Easy Ways To Use Frozen Lemon Slices
Once your lemons are completely frozen, carefully remove them from the paper and store them in a freezer safe bag. These will keep in your freezer for up to 1 year. Not only are they good in teas and iced water, but I also use them in savory dishes like lemon garlic chicken, cilantro lime rice, or even to make salad dressings when I run out of juice. Simply thaw out a few pieces and squeeze out the juice.
I hope you will give this quick savings tip a try. You will love the convenience of having sliced lemons around!
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Peggy D says
Thank you so much for this, Aimee. Your article was extremely timely as I just picked about three dozen lemons off my tree and was not sure how I was going to save them. This will certainly keep them from being wasted. Thanks!
Eating Healthy Spending Less says
Oh I’m so glad! We always have frozen citrus in the freezer and use it all the time, especially in our hot tea. Enjoy!
AzToni says
Thanks for the frozen lemon slices. Another idea which I use is to scrub my organic lemons, peel the yellow ( no white) of ten lemons and make limoncello. From the remaining “naked” lemon I squeeze out the juice and make lemonade. After the limoncello is completed I add about 1 1/2 T. of it to an ice filled glass and top off with freshly made lemonade. Note: I freeze juice in one cup portions to make 1/2 gal and use once limoncello is ready. We love it in the hot summer!!!
Sandra says
Excellent for Gin and Tonic! Just drop in frozen!
Cory says
I like that you freeze a lot of food for later. But you really waste a lot of plastic. The bags look all brand new; that is a lot of plastic bags your going through. And to take the spinach from a plastic container and throw it in the garbage just to put the spinach in a plastic bag is horrible on the environment. Perhaps we could all come up with some ideas that don’t involve one time use of plastic bags.
Eating Healthy Spending Less says
I understand. I now you Stasher bags for all my food storage 🙂
Norma says
Using a freezer bag doesn’t have to be a one-time thing… simply wash it out (with bleach-water if it was storing meat), dry, and use it again. I have many bags in my kitchen drawer that are many years old. When they’re worn out beyond keeping food in them, I repair them with a piece of packing tape on either side of the hole, and designate them for keeping other things in around the house (such as separating strings of christmas lights). When they’re finished with that use, they are put into the recycling.
Nanny says
We have froze lemons for years. I usually cut them into eighths, and they go great in the smoothies. The peel is the most nutritious.