The Absolute Best Way To Freeze Fresh Apples For Baking

Fresh apples are a versatile ingredient used in baking a variety of sweet and tart dishes, from apple pie, crisp, and cake to bread, muffins, and applesauce. Baking an apple pie or cobbler from scratch can be somewhat time consuming, which is why it's a good idea to have frozen apples on hand to speed up the process. Moreover, freezing fresh apples will preserve them for several months so that you can continue to make delicious apple pies beyond apple-picking season. 

Freezing apples is easy, but there are a few simple steps you'll want to follow to facilitate your apple baking. While it is possible to freeze a whole apple, cutting them will make it easier to incorporate them in your recipe when the time comes. Bear in mind that how, you prepare your apples for freezing largely depends on what you plan to use them for. For pies, crisps, cobblers, and other desserts, it's common to peel the apples, core them, and cut them into slices or cubes. On the other hand, some people enjoy the nutrient-packed peels and prefer to leave them on for baking apple slices, apple chips, and applesauce. 

After you wash, peel, core, and slice or cube your apples, soak them in a bowl of cold water and lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Freeze as many apple slices as you think you'll need for baking (it helps to know how many apples it takes to make an apple pie). 

After soaking the apples in lemon water, spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and stick them in the freezer. This will help prevent them from clumping together as they freeze. Once frozen, they can be put in an airtight freezer bag or storage container to save room in the freezer. 

Apples can be stored in the freezer for around six months. Freezing them for much longer will cause a significant change in texture and a reduction in flavor. While any apples can be frozen, you might want to consider freezing the best apple variety to use for baked goods. It also helps to choose apples that are more sweet (so the flavor lasts) and on the crisp or crunchy side (so that they don't become overly spongy). Some varieties that freeze well include Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Cortland, Empire, Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala. That being said, feel free to choose any of your favorite varieties for baking as most apples will freeze just fine. 

If you enjoy making apple pies regularly, consider preparing your apple pie filling ahead of time and freezing it in an airtight storage bag or container. Thaw the filling for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator before baking the pie. Don't forget to add an extra ingredient to make your apple pie filling superior.