How to Freeze Apples

Peeling and Slicing the Apples

Wash the apples under clean running water. Turn on the faucet and place the apple underneath, using your fingers to scrub the apple gently to remove any surface dirt. Once the apple is clean, dry it off with a paper towel or clean cloth. Remove any produce stickers from the apple as well.

Peel the apples using a vegetable peeler. Be careful when using the peeler and go slowly, starting at the stem and working your way around the apple in a circle. Remove all of the skin so that the apple is ready to be sliced. Repeat this process for however many apples you’re using. If you don’t have a vegetable peeler, you can use a paring knife.

Remove the core with a sharp cutting knife. Cut the apples in fourths with the cuts going lengthwise at the stem. Use the knife to carefully cut out the core of each slice so that there aren’t any seeds left. Core the apples on a cutting board to make the process easier.

Slice the apple sections into smaller pieces perfect for freezing. How many slices you have depends on personal preference, but cutting the apple into 8-12 slices is a good size. You can slice them using an apple slicer (which also removes the core), or you can use a knife and cut the apple into slices yourself. Place the apple sections on a cutting board when you’re slicing them. Cut the apple into thin slices perfect for an apple pie, or cut them into square chunks to put in smoothies.

Preserving the Apples

Preserve the apples as soon as you peel and slice them. This prevents the apples from browning too quickly. Choose which way you want to preserve the apples, whether it's using lemon juice, soaking them in salt water, or using a fruit preserver.

Use lemon juice to keep the apple slices from browning. Combine 4 cups (950 ml) of water with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice in a bowl, stirring it thoroughly with a spoon. Put the apple slices in the bowl and let them sit in the lemon juice and water for 5 minutes. Make sure all of the slices are submerged in the lemon juice mixture at some point. Soaking the apples in the lemon juice and water mixture shouldn't alter the taste very much. The ascorbic acid is what helps the lemon juice prevent browning.

Soak the apples in salt water to keep the apples fresh. Pour 4 c (950 ml) of room temperature or warm water into a bowl along with 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of salt (table salt is fine). Stir the mixture until the salt dissolves, and then add the apple slices. Let the apples sit in the salt water for a few minutes before taking them out. Make sure to evenly coat each slice with the salt water to ensure they stay fresh. The salt acts as a preservative, prolonging the amount of time you can store the apple slices without them going bad or getting freezer burn. Once the apples are thawed, they may have a slightly salty taste. Rinsing the apples under clean running water may help with the salty flavor.

Sprinkle the slices with a fruit preserver to ensure they store well. Purchase a fruit preserver from a grocery store and follow the directions on the container to cover the apples. These most often come in a powder form, so apply the fruit preserver in an even coat making sure to cover both sides of every slice. Fruit preservers should not alter the taste of the apples.

Freezing the Apple Slices

Drain the apple slices in a colander if you soaked them. If the apple slices were put in a liquid to sit for a few minutes, pour the bowl of apples into a colander to drain out the liquid. Shake the colander lightly to ensure all of the liquid gets strained. Don’t rinse the slices after they’ve been treated, as you don’t want to remove the lemon juice, salt water, or fruit preserver.

Spread the slices out on a baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the slices from sticking to the pan. Place each apple slice on the parchment paper so that they’re lying flat and are evenly spaced out. It’s important that the apple slices aren’t touching each other on the baking sheet, or they’ll stick together when frozen.

Put the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-3 hours. Make sure the baking tray is put into the freezer lying flat so that the apple slices don’t slide off. Leave the slices in the freezer for a little over an hour if the slices are super thin, or for about 3 hours for thicker slices. Freezing the slices separately helps prevent them from sticking together when you put them in a bag in the freezer.

Remove the apples from the tray and put them in a sealed container. Once the slices are frozen individually, place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag or in a hard plastic container. Make sure you remove as much air as possible from the plastic bag or container to help prevent freezer burn. Write the date on the container before putting it in the freezer, as well as something like “Apple slices” so you remember what the food is. Remove the apple slices from the parchment paper using your fingers or a spatula.

Store the apple slices in a freezer for up to a year. With your apple slices sealed off in a freezer-safe container, they should last several months to a year. Try to use the apple slices before freezer burn starts to form for the best taste. To defrost the apples, place the sealed container in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or put them in a bowl of water for 1 hour or less. If you're only planning on using a portion of the apples, remove only that portion from the freezer so you're not thawing and refreezing them.