How to Freeze Apples to Get the Most of Your Fresh Fruit Later
Once late summer hits, I'm ready to visit the apple orchard to make delicious apple desserts and add fresh flavor to my seasonal charcuterie boards. But if you're anything like me, you might have picked a few too many and are now wondering if you can freeze apples. Good news: freezing apples is a great option when you want to save your haul before going to mush. Once you know how to freeze apples, you'll always have fruit on hand to toss in smoothies or make a delicious dessert (apple pie, please!).
How to Freeze Apples
As with all fresh produce, thoroughly wash apples in cool tap water to rid them of any pesticides or bacteria. From there, follow these simple steps for freezing apple slices.
Kritsada Panichgul
Step 1: Peel Apples
To peel, use a vegetable peeler ($11, Target) or paring knife; start at the stem end and circle around to the blossom end.
Kritsada Panichgul
Step 2: Quarter Apples
Cut the apple into four pieces through the stem and blossom ends.
Kritsada Panichgul
Step 3: Core and Slice Apples
Cut away core and seeds, stem, and blossom ends. If you have an apple corer ($7, Walmart) you can remove the apple core with that before cutting apple into quarters. Slice each quarter into thinner slices for freezing.
Sheena Chihak
Step 4: Prepare Apples for Freezing
When freezing apple slices, our Test Kitchen recommends dipping them into ascorbic-acid color-keeper, which is made from vitamin C. It's marked under different names such as Fruit-Fresh ($5, Target) and helps prevent frozen apple slices from oxidizing and turning brown during preserving. Once you've dipped the apples (per the product instructions), arrange the apple slices so they're not touching on a baking sheet ($12, Target) and freeze until solid or overnight.
Test Kitchen Tip: You can also freeze apples using a syrup-, sugar-, or unsweetened pack. Get more info in our freezing fresh produce guide.
Matthew Clark
Step 5: Freeze Apples
Place frozen apple slices in a resealable freezer bag ($12, Walmart) and freeze for up to 6 months. Be sure to label and date the bag so you know how long they've been in the freezer.
What to Do with Frozen Apples
Your frozen apples are already peeled and sliced, making them perfect for baking in any recipe calling for fresh apples. Use frozen apple slices in your favorite apple crisp and cobbler recipes or perfect your apple pie-making skills at home.