Apples are a great fruit to have year-round but sometimes we end up with just too many of them. We can store them in the fridge or the pantry, but can we freeze apples ?
Well, this is what we’re going to find out today and hopefully you’ll find your answers here.
Can you freeze apples ?
Yes, you can freeze apples like you can freeze any fruit. You need to be careful though since apples are very watery and their texture will be completely ruined after thawing.
You cannot use a thawed apple like a normal apple for a healthy snack, but you can use it in foods and sweets as normal.
Can you freeze apples with skin on ?
Yes, you can freeze apples with the skin on and it won’t affect the taste. But it will affect the texture, since the skin will become leathery after thawing and won’t be very tempting to eat.
We recommend you peel, core, and slice your apples before freezing them, so you get a nice even texture and freeze. Besides it’s much easier to get a few pieces of apple if they’re pre-sliced.
Read Also:Freeze Your Soup
Don’t freeze whole apples
If you were to freeze your apples whole, you’d have a very uneven fruit when thawed. Apples are a fairly dense fruit and when they freeze it takes a long time, if the fruit is whole.
And when you thaw apples, if they’re whole by the time the inside is done the outside is brown and mushy.
Granted all apples will go through this when thawing but you should really cut them into smaller, manageable pieces and only thaw as much as you need.
You can cube them or slice them, according to what you’re planning to do with them one thawed.
How long can you keep apples in the freezer ?
Frozen apples can keep up to 90 days, though you can push that limit if you want.
The longer you keep them the more flavor you lose, and freezer burn may set in. This changes both the flavor and the texture so you may want to eat all the apples before those 3 months are up.
Freezers are great for storage but they do take a toll on our foods. All frozen foods lose texture, especially fruits and vegetables which are full of water.
We recommend storing your fresh apples in the fridge to begin with, this way you won’t have to freeze them for a couple of months.
Try and use resealable freezer bags
When you’re freezing apples try and use resealable freezer bags to let in as little air as possible. If you were to use a plastic container it would still be alright but a malleable bag gives you the opportunity to reduce airflow (and moisture by extension).
That being said if tupperware is all you have then go ahead and use it, the apples will be fine as long as you don’t keep them for more than 3 months.
Frozen apples may turn brown when thawing
A very important note, apples that have been frozen cannot retain their texture. This is because the tiny ice crystals that form in the apples when they freeze pretty much break the cell walls of the fruit.
This is the equivalent of those unsightly brown spots on apples that look and taste… mmmnot great.
Not all apples will do this. If you peel, core and slice them thinly so they thaw quickly then the apples may retain a little bit of their bite and might not turn brown, or at least not that much.
But larger chunks will darken and they won’t be as appetizing.
Read Also:Can You Freeze Pumpkin?
Use frozen apples for pies or jams
Once you’ve thawed your apples you can use them as you like. The most common way is to make apple pie (or any variation of it) since it’s a crowd pleaser and you use up a lot of apples.
But you can also use frozen apples in smoothies as well, in the place of ice cubes.
Jams and preserves are also a great way to use leftover frozen apples, since pectin (the ingredient that solidifies jams) is still present in frozen and thawed apples.
Now you know that you can indeed freeze apples and that you should really use them before those 90 days are up.
If not, well then you can always push it a little and when you take them out throw them directly into a pot with sugar and cinnamon and make a nice pie.
Conclusion
The conclusion is that for sure you can freeze apples, but it really depends if you plan to eat a healthy delicious fruit or to cook/bake with them. If you plan to have an apple as a snack, you should not freeze them. They last long enough in the fridge, usually is no need to freeze them.
If you like apple pies or any apple desert you can have a stash of frozen apples that are already cut into pieces.
