Freezing Apples
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Here’s my easy step-by-step guide to freezing apples that taste fresh once thawed. All you need is fresh apples, water, and salt.
Did you know you can freeze fresh apples? If you end up with an overwhelming haul of apples from the orchard or your garden this fall, don’t think you have to bake lots of apple pies (although I also have an excellent frozen apple pie recipe). Instead, it takes just a few easy steps to freeze apples to use later.
The only things you need for freezing apples are fresh apples, salt, water, and some ziplock freezer bags for storage. I’ve included step-by-step instructions below and in the printable recipe card for easy access. This is the method my mama’s stepmother taught her back in the day. But blanching fresh apple slices in salt water prevents them from turning brown. So once they defrost your apples will still look and taste fresh. How good is that?
You can use whichever apples you have on hand. Keep scrolling for some recipes that would be perfect to make with these frozen apples. They make a great and can be used in muffins, cakes, and so much more.
Okay, who’s ready to learn how to freeze apples?
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh apples
- Salt
- Water
How to Freeze Apples
First, pour about a cup of warm water into a large bowl and add about 1/4 of a cup of salt.
Stir until salt dissolves.
Add the remaining water.
This water should be cold.
Now we’re gonna peel our apples and slice them up one at a time.
Cut apples however you prefer.
I usually do sections.
Be sure to remove the core.
There we go!
As you cut them, place all of the fresh apple slices in the salt water.
I left the skins on some of mine because I prefer my fried apples to have the skin on.
Push them down in the water a bit and make sure they all get submerged well at some point.
After they have soaked for a few minutes, drain them in a colander.
Then place the sliced apples in a freezer bag and label it.
Laying them out flat like this when you freeze them will keep them from sticking together and allow them to thaw more quickly.
Here is a bag of apples a few days later, frozen and still beautiful thanks to the wisdom of the “old folks”.
Storage
Your apples will last in the freezer for up to 12 months when stored properly. Thaw them at room temperature or in the fridge, but you can also use them in baking straight from frozen if you like.
Recipe FAQs
What are the best apples to freeze?
This method works for any type of apple, like or . Today I am freezing Jonagold and Fuji. If you’re going to be freezing them for an apple pie later, you might want to cut up a few Granny Smith apples and include some in each freezer bag.
Can you freeze whole apples?
You can. However, it’s much easier to freeze apple slices if you’re going to use them for baking purposes later on. It’s also easier to store apple slices in the freezer.
Can I freeze apples with the skin on?
Yes, you can either peel the apples or leave the skin on, the choice is yours.
Do frozen apples have a salty taste?
No, the salt water solution doesn’t leave the apples with a salty taste.
Is there another way to blanch apples?
Yes, before freezing apples you can blanch them in a lemon water solution instead. Substitute the salt for 2 tablespoons of lemon juice but follow the remaining directions.
What can you make with frozen apple slices?
Here are some recipes you can make with frozen apple slices:
- Apple Cake With Caramel Fudge Icing
- Apple Bran Muffins
- Homemade Apple Fritters
- Apple Bread
- Apple Butter in the Crock Pot
- Snickers Caramel Apple Salad
- Apple Crisp in the Slow Cooker
- Apple Snack Cake (Right From The Orchard)
Ingredients
- apples
- 1 gallon water
- 1/4 cup salt
Instructions
- Place one cup of warm water in a large bowl and stir in salt until it dissolves. Add the remaining cold water.1 gallon water, 1/4 cup salt
- Peel and slice apples (you can leave the skin on them if desired).apples
- Place each apple slice in the salt water as you go along. When done with all your apples, stir the water a bit to make sure all slices have been submerged. Drain in a colander.
- Place immediately in a freezer bag, label, and freeze.
“The wisest mind has something yet to learn.”
~George Santayana.
My mother’s mother used to tell us teenagers: There ain’t nobody out after midnight except drunks, druggies and drag-nasties.
I have come to realize that she was exactly right!
Along that line, that reminds me of what my Mother-in-Law was taught….”Nothing good ever happens after midnight”. Sort of another version of your quote. Love it!
If you hoot with the owls, you can’t soar with the eagles!
Hello, Christy-
Nice post, and useful tutorial.
My Grandmother on my Dad’s side often said “The world is at the public library.”
My Grandmother on my Mom’s side said “Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.”
My favorite Great-Aunt said “Be kind, tell the truth, and it will work out.”
Lawrence
Another sweet and heartfelt post…thank you for sharing again with us and gently “nudging” us to pause and remember how fortunate we are to have been taught many beautiful life lessons. The key now is to make sure we pass them on to our children. My Mom always said to me…”pretty is as pretty does”! Says a lot doesn’t it? My version to my sons is…”everything you do says something about who you are” (the pretty thing just doesn’t go over well with them!! 🙂
Bountiful Blessings!
You will learn a lot more with your mouth shut, rather than open.
Do at least one random act of kindness every day without letting anyone else know you did it.
I love this conversation! 😀 My granny was my hero….on the funny side, when we would pout or make faces she would tell us to stop that or it would get stuck like that. Also, she always told us we would never get us a husband unless we got our room cleaned! But the most important thing I learned from her was to keep your word! If you tell someone you are going to do something, DO IT!
This post has given me a hankering for some fried apples or some apples and dip! Yum! Thanks for a wonderful website, I look forward to reading it each day! 😀
I never thought about freezing apples! I’m going to have to try that for sure. I may even make the husband buy me that deep freezer this weekend! I just do NOT have enough freezer room in my side-by-side.
My mama was big on the Golden Rule – Treat others how you want to be treated. But my husband made a good point once. A lot of people treat others the way they GET treated, instead of how they WANT to be treated. (Maybe he’s wiser ’cause he’s got an extra year on me!)
And my daddy is a carpenter and he always told me “Measure twice, cut once.” And truthfully, that really does apply to more things than just cutting wood. 🙂 I guess like double check yourself before you do something you can’t take back. You can’t uncut wood and you can’t unspeak words, you can’t un-do a lot once the damage is done.
My precious namesake Granny who just died last Aug at 92 always said…..
#1 “Kissing dont last but cookin do”
#2 I like to shop so she always told me”stay out of the stores and you will not want for anything”