How to Freeze Lemons

Do you know how to freeze lemons?  Did you know lemons freeze beautifully?

I love lemon anything including sweet and savory dishes, drinks..you NAME it!

You can search “lemon” on my site and find a variety of recipes like my Lemon Ice Box Pie or my Lemony Oregano Roasted Potatoes. Mr. Wonderful believes lemon should be kept to sweet dishes only but I adore them in savory recipes as well like my Lemony Ricotta Shrimp Pasta. I almost always have a bright and happy bowl of sunny tart lemons in a bowl on my kitchen counter.

I start my day with either a hot mug of water with lemon squeezed in it or a cold Yeti cup with ice and lemon wedges. You can read about the health advantages of doing this here.

But sometimes I over-buy and can’t keep up with the number of lemons I’ve left in that bowl. I extend their lives a bit by throwing them in the refrigerator.

But even then, sometimes I have regretfully thrown some away from lack of care.

The great news, is I never have to waste a lemon again…because they are a snap to freeze!

First, simply wash your lemons while they are whole.

You can freeze them whole by placing them in a freezer baggie, pushing out as much air as possible.

These are great to use later for zest or juice. To thaw them, just remove and place in a bowl of cold water and let nature do its trick.

To freeze wedges or slices, simply slice them in whatever size you want then lay them on baking sheets.

You can use parchment paper for easier removal. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours (depending on how thin you slice them).

I like to freeze wedges. They freeze into nice ice-cube sized lemon wedges!

Then I simply pop them into my water – they double as an ice cube!

You can also juice and zest the lemon ahead of time if that is what you prefer. Juice and strain the lemon from seeds and pour into ice cube trays or mini muffin tins. Pop them out and store them in freezer bags so you can use them directly as juice later.  Put the zest in a small container and save for later to add to baked goods!

Don’t waste any more lemons by tossing them out after they are past their prime!