How to freeze apples- a step by step tutorial with photos to show you exactly how to freeze fresh apples. Perfect for when you have a big apple haul!
Can you freeze apples?
YES!
Wait, what? You can freeze apples? Raw? Without cooking? Without turning them into applesauce?
Yes, you most certainly can! If you find yourself with a large surplus of apples, freezing them might a good option for you.
Having a stash of frozen apples makes it extra easy to throw them into baked goods or smoothies. After thawing, frozen apples can have a different texture, and are best used either pureed or in baked goods rather than eaten raw.
How to use frozen apples
- in a smoothie like this Apple Pie Smoothie
- in an Apple Pie
- in muffins like these Strawberry Apple Crumble Muffins
- in a crisp like this Single Serving Apple Crisp
- in a Frozen Apple Daiquiri
- in a apple compote, perfect for topping pancakes & waffles
How to freeze apples
Step one- peel and core your apples. I cut my apples into eighths, but if you want thinner slices for something like an apple pie, then cut them even smaller!
Step two- soak the apple slices in a lemon juice bath for 5 minutes. 4 cups water + 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Step three- drain. Either dump the apples into a colander or let them sit on a baking sheet propped up on one end.
Step four- arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step five- freeze for 4 hours- overnight.
Step six- transfer to a freezer bag, labelled with the contents & date. Always label! You would be surprised how hard it can be to see what’s in the bags once frozen. To remove extra air from the bag, you can use a straw to suck it out.
Step seven- freeze for up to 1 year!
Freezing Apples- FAQ
How long are frozen apples good for? So long as you do a good job of draining the apples and remove as much air as possible from the freezer bags, frozen apples are good in the freezer for a whole year!
Do you need to thaw frozen apples before using them? For most recipes that frozen apples can be used in, you do not need to thaw them; smoothies, muffins, pies, crisps, the frozen apples can go right in frozen.
Will frozen apples turn brown? So long as you soak your apple slices in the lemon juice/water mixture, your apples will not turn brown. Salted water (2 tablespoons dissolved in 10 cups water) has also been found to work well in preventing browning of apples.
Equipment used for freezing apples:
- I highly recommend these baker’s half sheets
- pictured in this post are these reusable silicone freezer bags
, however you could also use a heavy duty freezer bag - a sharpie for labelling bags
, however you could also use a heavy duty freezer bag
for labelling bagsDid you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
How to Freeze Apples
Ingredients
- 10 apples
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples. I cut my apples into eighths, but if you want thinner slices to use in baked goods, then cut them even smaller!
- Soak the apple slices in a lemon juice bath for 5 minutes. 4 cups water + 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
- Drain. Either dump the apples into a colander or scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Let them sit on a baking sheet propped up on one end to drain thoroughly.
- Arrange on a large baking sheet. I love these baker's half sheets.
- Freeze for 4 hours- overnight.
- Transfer to a freezer bag, labelled with the contents & date. Pictured in this post are these reusable silicone freezer bags.
- Freeze for up to 1 year!
Nutrition Information
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Related:
Tracey Rodgers says
I have a few large bags of pre-packaged apple slices that were given to me. I hate to waste anything especially food. Can I freeze these as is? They have the skin on and the bags seem to be on good shape.
Denise Bustard says
Hi Tracey, thank you for your question. If the apples have been lemon-treated first, I assume they would be fine to freeze?
Barb Lucas says
Mangos
Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Barb, mangoes also freeze well. Just make sure to use parchment.
Sandra says
I was wondering what to do with all the apples that grew this year , glad I found your suggestion , hope it works. Thanks
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Sandra, so glad that you found this post helpful! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Sandy says
I am so glad I found this page usually I sprinkle vinagar on my apples and they still turn brown. I did the lemon and water great thank you
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Sandy, so glad you found this tip helpful! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review 🙂
David Bird says
Thanks Denise.
We've just picked a heap of apples (approx 50kg). Is it possible to use this amount of lemon bath more than once. We're in Northern NSW Australia.:)
Katherine Williams says
Hi,
I've got a bunch of limes, but no lemons. Is it the citric acid that works to preserve the apples, so it'd be alright to use my limes? And if I can't use the limes, and need to use salt instead, do raw apples absorb the salt taste, which could affect products made from apples preserved in salt?
Thanks for this info!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Katherine! Its the acidity, so the limes will work just fine. Unfortunately I really can't say about the salt as I personally have never tried it. I assume there could be some saltiness but the apples won't have time to fully absorb the water...If you try, I'd love to hear how it goes for you!
Ruth.E.Dalley says
I've always part boild mt apple slices then when cold I bag them up and freeze them is it wrong
Denise Bustard says
Hi Ruth! I don't think that's wrong, just a different way to do it 🙂
Pam Call says
I am going to be trying this recipe tomorrow I have never done anything like this before It is going to be nectarines that I do it with is it best to Peel those also
Denise Bustard says
Hi Pam, I have never frozen nectarines before, so I'm not 100% sure. I think it really depends what your end goal is for them. If it's for smoothies, I would just leave the skin on, if it's for pie or something like that where the texture is important, I might take the time to peel them. Hope this helps!
Jean says
Hi Densi just reading how to freeze fruit great I have all the trees and I end up giving away so now I know how to freeze thank you so much
Denise Bustard says
Hi Jean! Glad to hear this post was helpful. Take care!
Alexandra says
Hi! Can you use a lime instead of the lemon? (I only have a lemon) Also how essential is the step of freezing them on the cookie sheet first?
Denise says
Hi Alexandria! A lime should work just fine. The reason we freeze on a cookie sheet is that it prevents them from freezing into a big clump. If that doesn't bother you, then sure you can freeze right in a bag 🙂
Jenny says
Is it important to remove the skin and why?
Denise says
Hi Jenny! It depends on what you intend to use them for. I removed the skin for these photos because I used them for smoothies, but if you are using them in a recipe where skins don't matter, then you can for sure leave the skin on!
Lisa in Las Vegas says
Why remove the skins if freezing for smoothies?
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Lisa, it comes down to personal preference! You could definitely leave the skins on for smoothies but will likely get a smoother texture by removing them. 🙂
John says
I froze apple slices in exactly this way, plus, stored them in vacuum-sealed bags. As they thawed they turned a dark and increasingly unappetizing brown.
Kat says
I have found the lemon wash excellent for saving fresh fruits for salad, but when it comes to freezing-add Fruit Fresh & Sugar for best results. Especially if freezing for longer periods.
Rose Ann Olejnicak says
Do you. mean we should sprinkle the apple slices after the lemon bath with sugar to preserve them even better? I'm going to use my apple peeler/corer machine which will make very thin slices. I'm also going to chop them in to 1/2 pieces so they are ready for apple crisp... I hope they won't dry out if they are sliced thinly?THANK YOU! Rose
Lucy says
So many other recipes add sugar to the bag.
Absolutely love this idea. I have been freezing peaches in a similar manner with the skin.
Do you think this method would work for pears as well?
Thanks for sharing your recipe! 💖💖💖
Denise says
Hi Lucy! Glad you like this method! I have not tried pears. I think you would need to do the same with the lemon water to prevent browning. Good luck!
Marie says
Works perfectly! We love using them in smoothies!
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for your review!
Mallorie says
Thank you for showcasing a reusable freezer bag option!
Denise says
I am loving these bags for small portions! Now I just need to find a larger option to ditch my big freezer bags 🙂
Boyd Kobe says
Hi Denise,
I love this "Step seven- freeze for up to 1 year!" lol
Thanks for the good tips.