How to Freeze Mint (3 easy methods)
Learn how to freeze mint with this simple tutorial! Preserve your fresh mint for tea, cocktails, and more, and enjoy your harvest all year long.
Mint is one of my absolute favorite herbs to grow in my garden (okay, I say this about a lot of herbs, but it’s true!).
Its beautiful and abundant green leaves, fragrant smell, and delicious flavor make mint a favorite.
It’s also a versatile herb! I add it to cocktails (like strawberry mojitos) and mocktails, make my own mint tea, and use it for garnishes and edible flower ice cubes.
In the winter, I miss that fresh mint growing in my herb garden. The next best thing is to preserve it!
Freezing mint is such a great way to keep it for long-term storage so you can enjoy garden mint all year long! With three different methods, you’ll surely be stocked up with mint for every use.
Why Freeze Mint?
- Preserve your harvest: It’s exciting to be able to stash away mint when it’s plentiful, in season, and at its peak freshness. Having garden mint on hand year-round is a treat!
- Flavor: Freezing preserves that refreshing flavor of mint more than drying mint (though drying does have its benefits). If you want to enjoy the taste of garden-fresh mint in the dead of winter, this is the best way to preserve it.
- Easier than drying: Drying can be a hassle, and you have to remember to deal with the mint once it’s dried. Freezing, on the other hand, is done in just a few minutes, and you don’t have to think about it anymore!
- Save money: Fresh herbs at the grocery store are so expensive. Growing your own mint is nearly free! I like freezing my homegrown mint to avoid purchasing expensive store-bought mint in the winter.
What You’ll Need
- Fresh mint: From the garden, farmer’s market, or grocery store.
- Sharp knife
- Freezer-safe airtight containers: Airtight freezer bags or glass jars are best.
- Ice cube trays: You’ll need ice cube trays for two of the freezing methods below. I recommend silicone ice cube trays.
- Lime juice: If you decide to freeze your mint using the third method, you’ll need lime juice. I like fresh lime juice best, but bottled will work, too.
How to Freeze Mint 3 Ways
There are a few different ways you can freeze mint, and each has different benefits and uses!
Before starting any of these methods, you’ll need to harvest and prepare your mint. Learn how to properly harvest mint in my tutorial.
Once harvested, give your mint a quick rinse under cool water to wash away dirt and bugs. Pat the mint dry with a clean kitchen towel or spin it in a salad spinner.
Whole Leaves
Mint leaves can be frozen plain in a freezer-safe container. This method provides the most flexibility, but I don’t find the mint keeps as long as the other two methods. It is also more susceptible to freezer burn. If you freeze the mint by itself, consider using it more quickly.
Step 1. After rinsing, pat the mint leaves dry with a clean towel or spin them in a salad spinner.
Step 2. Place the mint leaves in a freezer-safe bag and squeeze as much air out as you can. Label and stash in the freezer for later use.
In Water
I like to freeze mint in water to add to certain cooked dishes and make into mint tea. I find that freezing the mint in water preserves the color better, and it’s easier to grab and go. Frozen mint cubes are even great for use in place of regular ice cubes in a cold beverage!
Step 1: After washing and drying the mint, remove the mint leaves from the mint stems.
Step 2: Stuff each cell of an ice cube tray with individual leaves, packing them in so none are sticking up.
Step 3: Fill each cell with water, then push the mint down to ensure it’s submerged under the water.
Step 4: Freeze until solid, then remove from the ice cube trays and transfer to a bag or glass jar.
In Lime Juice
If you’re a mojito or a mojito mocktail lover, you can freeze your fresh mint into lime juice and have the cubes ready to go for an easy mojito.
All you need to do is follow the instructions above for freezing mint in water, but substitute the water for lime juice!
I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice rather than bottled, but you can use whichever you like more.
You can thaw the lime mint cubes and add the liquid lime juice with mint to your beverages, or you can add the cubes in frozen.
Expert Tips
- If you find that the mint floats to the top of the ice cubes, you can add half the mint and half the water, freeze it until solid, and then add the rest in a second layer.
- Another way to freeze mint is by making a mint pesto or mint sauce and freezing that! I preserve other herbs this way with basil pesto and fresh herb sauce all the time, and it works great.
- Make sure you get as much air out of the plastic bag as possible to prevent freezer burn.
- Don’t forget to label your containers! Frozen herbs start to all look the same when they’re in a crowded freezer together.
- You can freeze lemon balm using these same methods.
How to Use Frozen Mint
Frozen mint does not maintain its texture when thawed, but it does have all of the delicious mint flavor! Frozen mint is best used in hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, mocktails, or cocktails. You can add the frozen mint and mint ice cubes straight into the beverage!
FAQ
Can you freeze mint leaves for mojitos?
Yes, you can! Mint can be frozen by itself in a freezer-safe bag, but for mojitos, I recommend freezing it in lime juice. That way, you can pop a cube of lime juice and mint in your mojito and enjoy!
Can you freeze mint in oil?
Yes, if you want to! Mint can be frozen in olive oil or avocado oil in an ice cube tray. Take one out and add it to hot dishes or thaw for herb-based sauces.
What are the best types of mint?
The different mint options are seemingly endless, with everything from apple mint to chocolate mint! Personally, I like regular peppermint and pineapple mint the best. Of course, you can’t go wrong with any mint varieties!
What’s the best way to freeze mint?
You can freeze mint bare in a freezer bag or in ice cube trays with water or lime juice. I find the ice cube method to be my favorite, but each method has different benefits and downsides.
Related Tutorials
- How to Freeze Sage
- How to Freeze Poblano Peppers
- Freezing Jalapeños the Easy Way
- Easy Freezer Pesto Recipe
🌿 Thanks for visiting Sprig & Spoon! If you found this tutorial helpful, I’d love it if you left a review and let me know how it went in the comments!
How to Freeze Mint
Equipment
- Ice cube tray
- freezer-safe container
Ingredients
- Fresh mint
- Water or lime juice optional
Instructions
Whole Leaves
- Wash and pat the mint leaves dry with a clean towel or spin them in a salad spinner.
- Place the mint leaves in a freezer-safe bag and squeeze as much air out as you can. Label and stash in the freezer for later use.
In Water
- After washing and drying the mint, remove the mint leaves from the mint stems.
- Stuff each cell of an ice cube tray with individual leaves, packing them in so none are sticking up.
- Fill each cell with water, then push the mint down to ensure it’s submerged in the water.
- Freeze until solid then remove from the ice cube trays and transfer to a bag or glass jar.
In Lime Juice
- After washing and drying the mint, remove the mint leaves from the mint stems.
- Stuff each cell of an ice cube tray with individual leaves, packing them in so none are sticking up.
- Fill each cell with lime juice, then push the mint down to ensure it’s submerged under the juice.
- Freeze until solid then remove from the ice cube trays and transfer to a bag or glass jar.
Notes
- If you find that the mint floats to the top of the ice cubes, you can add half the mint and half the water, freeze it until solid, and then add the rest in a second layer.
- Another way to freeze mint is by making a mint pesto or mint sauce and freezing that! I preserve other herbs this way with basil pesto and fresh herb sauce all the time, and it works great.
- Make sure you get as much air out of the plastic bag as possible to prevent freezer burn.
- Don’t forget to label your containers! Frozen herbs start to all look the same when they’re in a crowded freezer together.
- You can freeze lemon balm using these same methods.
