When recipes call for a splash of lemon juice, you’re often left with a bowl full of lemons that you have no use for! As such, you might be wondering what the best way to preserve lemon juice is so they don’t go to waste.
Can You Freeze Lemon Juice?
Yes, you can freeze lemon juice for up to 4 months. Depending on how you plan to use your lemon juice, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray or a freezer-safe jar.Â
Does Lemon Juice Freeze Well? Yes
Can You Refreeze Lemon Juice? No
How to Freeze Lemon Juice
Freezing lemon juice is a clever way to prevent your lemons from going to waste. After all, it always seems cheaper to buy lemons in bulk, even if you only need one for a particular recipe!
And the good news is that you can freeze lemon juice in a couple of ways, depending on the volume of juice you’re freezing and your intended use for it later on. Let’s look at both ways now:
How to Freeze Lemon Juice in a Jar
This is undoubtedly the easiest way to freeze lemon juice! Simply select a freezer-safe jar with a lid and squeeze your lemon juice directly into it.
You should leave an inch or so in space at the top of the jar, as the lemon juice will expand in the freezer.
Once you’re done, screw on the lid and place it in the door of your freezer. It really is as simple as that!
But if you plan on using your lemon juice in smaller portions, you might like to follow the method introduced below:
How to Freeze Lemon Juice in an Ice Cube Tray
You’re probably already aware that your ice cube tray isn’t solely reserved for water! In fact, you can freeze lots of different liquids and juices in an ice cube tray, including lemon juice.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Squeeze Lemons
Squeeze your lemons into a pouring jug, and strain if desired.Â
- Pour Into the Ice Cube Tray
Lay your ice cube tray on the countertop and pour your lemon juice evenly and carefully into the tray.Â
- Flash Freeze
Once filled, place the ice cube tray in the drawer of your freezer and leave to freeze for a few hours.Â
- Place Cubes in a Freezer-Safe Bag
When your cubes have frozen solid, remove the tray from the freezer and empty the lemon cubes into a freezer-safe bag. Then, pushing as much air out as you can, seal the bag.Â
- Label and Freeze
Write today’s date, as well as the use-by date on the front of the bag, and place it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze lemon juice for around four months.
3 Tips for Freezing Lemon Juice
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing lemon juice to have the best results:
Strain First
We recommend straining the juice before you freeze it, so you can easily remove any bits and pips beforehand. However, you can skip this step entirely if you like your lemon juice with bits in it!
Use the Lemon Cubes in Drinks
Trust us when we say that dropping a frozen cube of lemon juice in a glass of water (or a gin and tonic!) is incredibly refreshing! It’s also healthy, as you can benefit from the various nutrients and vitamins that exist in lemons.
Freeze Lemon Slices
If you don’t want to squeeze your lemons and remove the juice, you could always cut them up and freeze the lemons in slices. Just be sure to place them in a suitable, sealed container before freezing them to protect your lemons from freezer burn.
How Long Can You Freeze Lemon Juice?
You can freeze lemon juice for around four months. Some people might freeze it for longer than this, but we would recommend using it within this time frame to enjoy the benefits of its taste and nutrients when you come to enjoy it.
That being said, freezing lemon juice for longer than this shouldn’t harm you.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice will keep for around 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Ideally, it should be kept in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
How Do You Defrost Lemon Juice?
Thankfully, defrosting lemon juice is just as straightforward as freezing it in the first place.
Remove the juice (or cubes) from the freezer and place them in the fridge. Your lemon juice will then thaw and be chilled when you come to serve it.
Alternatively, you can allow it to thaw at room temperature, but it might not be as cold when you come to enjoy it.
Can You Refreeze Lemon Juice?
Yes, you can refreeze lemon juice.
If you’ve taken out more juice than you need at any given time, you can refreeze it by following the steps we’ve introduced above.
We wouldn’t recommend doing this too often, though, as you will dilute the citrusy taste that lemon juice is renowned for!
Does Lemon Juice Freeze Well?
Lemon juice freezes exceptionally well.
Whether you freeze it in an ice cube tray or add it to the freezer in a jar, you should be able to enjoy the sharp and refreshing taste of fresh lemon juice within several months of freezing it.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing lemon juice or lemons in general, then these may help:
Generally, bottled lemon juice from the shop has quite a long shelf life if stored correctly. However, if you decide you want to freeze it then this is also possible.
Providing that the glass jar is freezer-safe then, yes, you can freeze lemon juice in a glass jar. However, it’s essential that you do not fill it to the top. You must leave room for expansion.
