Whether you came home from the orchard with a bushel too many or found a great sale on fresh apples at the grocery store, you might be wondering: Can you freeze apples? The short answer is a resounding yes! 

Freezing apples is a fantastic way to prevent food waste, lock in peak flavor, and keep fruit on hand for year-round cooking and baking. Frozen apples lose a bit of their raw, crisp bite. They are ultimately better suited for recipes than raw snacking. And their flavor and nutritional value stay wonderfully intact. 

With just a few simple prep steps, you can stash a steady supply of apples in your freezer ready for pie, smoothies, or homemade apple cider whenever craving strikes.

Peel, Core, Cut

Before your apples hit the cold air, proper prep work is key. Start by giving your apples a thorough wash under cool running water.

Peeling: You can leave the skins on if you prefer added fiber or plan to blend them into smoothies, but peeling them gives you the most versatile result for baking.

Coring & Cutting: Remove the core and decide how you want to cut them based on future recipes. Slices are best for pies, galettes, and crisps. Cubes or diced is great for muffins, oatmeal toppings, and quick applesauce.

Try to keep your cuts uniform in size so they freeze and thaw at the same rate!

Lemon Juice Bath

If you’ve ever left a sliced apple on the counter for a few minutes, you know how fast oxidation turns the flesh brown. To keep your apple slices looking bright and fresh in the freezer, treat them with a quick bath of lemon juice.

Add your slices to a bowl. Simply squeeze the lemon juice on the apple slices. Mix them together to make sure they all are covered in lemon juice. The citric acid naturally stops enzymatic browning without altering the sweet taste of the fruit. Gently pat the pieces dry with a clean kitchen towel before moving to the next step.

Flash Freeze

If you throw fresh apple slices directly into a bag together, moisture will cause them to freeze into one giant, solid clump. Flash freezing solves this completely.

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Arrange your prepped apple slices or cubes in a single layer. Make sure none of the pieces are touching.
3. Place the baking sheet flat in your freezer for 1 to 2 hours (or until the apple slices are frozen solid).

Once flash-frozen, each piece remains individual. This means you can measure out exact amounts for recipes later without having to thaw the entire batch.

Storing & Freezing

Now that your apples are individually frozen, it’s time to pack them up for long-term storage.

First, transfer the frozen apple pieces into heavy-duty freezer bags, vacuum-seal bags, or airtight freezer-safe containers. Then, remove all of the air. If using zip-top freezer bags, press out as much excess air as possible before sealing tightly to protect slices from freezer burn.

Finally, label each bag with the apple variety, cut style (sliced vs. cubed), and the date stored. Properly stored frozen apples will maintain peak flavor and quality for 6 to 12 months in your freezer.

How To Cook With Frozen Apples

The best part about frozen apples? In most cooked recipes, you don’t even need to thaw them first! Adding them directly from frozen helps retain their juices and structure during baking.

• Baked Goods: Toss frozen slices straight into pie crusts, galettes, cobblers, and crisp recipes. Remember, you may just need to add a couple of extra minutes to your total bake time.
• Stovetop Comforts: Dump frozen apple cubes directly into a saucepan with butter, cinnamon, and a splash of maple syrup for a quick warm pancake topping or instant applesauce.
• Breakfast & Smoothies: Blend frozen apple chunks straight into morning smoothies for extra fiber and sweetness, or stir them into simmering oatmeal.

Freezing apples is an effortless produce hack. It saves you time, cuts down on food waste, and keeps the crisp taste of autumn right at your fingertips all year long. Next time you find yourself with an abundance of apples, skip the stress! Grab your peeler, set up your lemon bath, and let your freezer do the heavy lifting!

Apple Recipes We Love

• Apple Cinnamon Waffles
• Copycat Apple Crumbl Cookies
• Apple Blondie Cupcakes
• Bakery Style Apple Slices
• Sheet Pan Apple Pancakes
• Air Fryer Apple Fritters
• Caramel Apple Smoothie
• Apple Cobbler

Looking for more inspiration? Check us out on Pinterest or Instagram, and join our community of Produce Moms!