This post is all about how to freeze apples for later so you can preserve fresh apples during apple season and use them all winter long.

If you have more apples than you know what to do with, freezing them might be one of the easiest ways to preserve them.

There are no canning jars involved.

You don’t need a water bath canner.

And you can freeze a few apples at a time instead of waiting until you have enough for a big batch of something.

Frozen apples are perfect for pies, crisps, cobblers, muffins, breads, oatmeal, and all kinds of other recipes.

So if you have a basket of apples sitting on the counter that needs to be used, let’s get them into the freezer!

Can You Freeze Fresh Apples?

Yes!

Fresh apples freeze really well when they’re prepared properly.

The texture will become softer after freezing and thawing, so I wouldn’t expect a frozen apple slice to have the same crisp texture as a fresh apple.

But that’s completely fine when you’re using them for cooking and baking.

Frozen apples are especially useful for recipes where the apples are going to be cooked anyway.

Why I Love Freezing Apples

Canning will probably always be one of my favorite ways to preserve food, but sometimes freezing is just easier.

You don’t have to process an entire canner load.

You can freeze whatever amount of apples you happen to have.

And you can portion them based on how you plan to use them later.

If your favorite apple crisp recipe uses six cups of sliced apples, freeze six cups together.

Then when you want apple crisp in the middle of winter, you can grab one bag from the freezer.

Simple.

What Are the Best Apples for Freezing?

You can freeze most apple varieties, but firm apples tend to hold up better after freezing.

Some good choices include:

Granny Smith

Honeycrisp

Pink Lady

Fuji

Braeburn

Jonathan

Golden Delicious

If you’re freezing apples specifically for pies or baked desserts, choose an apple you already enjoy baking with.

I also like combining sweet and tart varieties.

It gives baked apple recipes a little more flavor than using one very sweet variety.

What You’ll Need to Freeze Apples

You don’t need much for this method.

Fresh apples

Ascorbic acid solution or another tested anti-browning treatment

Freezer bags or freezer-safe containers

Knife

Cutting board

Apple peeler, optional

Apple corer

Baking sheet

Parchment paper, optional

Permanent marker or freezer labels

That’s it!

How to Freeze Apples Step by Step

Step 1: Wash the Apples

Start by washing your fresh apples thoroughly.

Choose apples that are ripe and in good condition.

Cut away any bruised or damaged areas.

Step 2: Peel the Apples

Peeling is optional depending on how you plan to use the apples.

For pies, crisps, cobblers, and most baked desserts, I prefer peeling them before freezing.

It’s much easier to do the work now than deal with apple peels after they’ve thawed.

If you don’t mind apple skins in your recipes, you can leave them on.

Step 3: Core and Slice the Apples

Remove the apple cores.

Then cut the apples into slices.

Try to keep the slices roughly the same thickness so they’ll freeze and cook evenly later.

You can also dice the apples if that’s more useful for the recipes you normally make.

Step 4: Keep the Apples From Turning Brown

Once apples are cut, they begin browning pretty quickly.

To prevent darkening, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid in 3 tablespoons water. Sprinkle over the fruit. Or, apple slices can be steam blanched for 11/2 to 2 minutes.

The Best Way to Freeze Apple Slices

You can package apples for freezing in several ways, including syrup, sugar, or dry packs. For a simple everyday method, I especially like freezing individual slices first so they don’t turn into one giant frozen block.

Step 1: Arrange the Apples on a Baking Sheet

Place your prepared apple slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Try not to let them pile on top of each other.

Step 2: Freeze Until Firm

Place the baking sheet into the freezer.

Let the apples freeze until they’re firm.

This initial freeze helps keep the individual slices separated.

Step 3: Transfer to Freezer Bags

Once the apple slices are frozen, transfer them into freezer bags or freezer-safe containers.

Remove as much excess air as possible.

Seal the bags tightly.

Step 4: Label Your Apples

Don’t skip this!

Write the contents and date on each bag.

You may think you’ll remember what’s inside that mystery freezer bag six months from now.

You probably won’t.

I also like writing the amount on the bag.

For example:

Apples – 6 cups – August 2026

Now you know exactly how much you have when you’re ready to bake.

How to Freeze Apples for Apple Pie

If you know your apples are eventually going into a pie, make things easier on yourself now.

Peel, core, and slice them just like you would if you were making a fresh apple pie.

Then freeze them in the amount your favorite pie recipe requires.

If your recipe uses six cups of apples, put six cups in each freezer bag.

When you’re ready to make your pie, you’ve already done most of the prep work.

Can You Freeze Apple Pie Filling?

Yes, apple pie filling can also be frozen.

That’s a little different from freezing plain apple slices because you’re preparing the apples with the other filling ingredients before freezing.

If you simply want apples that can be used for many different recipes, I’d freeze them plain.

And if you’d rather make a shelf-stable version, try my canning apple pie filling recipe instead.

How Long Do Frozen Apples Last?

For best quality, plan to use your frozen apples within about 8–12 months.

They may remain safe longer if continuously frozen, but flavor and texture are generally best when you actually rotate through your freezer rather than forgetting about them indefinitely.

This is another reason I always label everything with the date.

Put the oldest bags toward the front and use those first.

Do Frozen Apples Get Mushy?

They will be softer than fresh apples after thawing.

Freezing creates ice crystals inside the fruit, which affects the structure of the apple.

That’s why I wouldn’t freeze apples with the intention of thawing them and eating them like fresh apple slices.

Instead, use frozen apples in recipes where they’re going to be cooked.

Do You Need to Thaw Frozen Apples Before Baking?

Not always.

For many baked recipes, you can use frozen apples without completely thawing them first.

Keep in mind that frozen fruit can release additional moisture as it cooks, so your recipe may need a little adjustment.

If you’re following a specific pie, crisp, or cobbler recipe, follow its directions for using frozen fruit.

How to Use Frozen Apples

This is why I love keeping bags of apples in the freezer.

There are so many things you can make with them.

Use frozen apples for:

Apple pie

Apple crisp

Apple cobbler

Apple muffins

Apple bread

Baked oatmeal

Pancakes

Waffles

Applesauce

Smoothies

Cooked apple toppings

Once the apples are already washed, peeled, cored, and sliced, making something with them later becomes so much easier.

Freeze Apples in Recipe-Sized Portions

This is probably my favorite tip.

Don’t just throw random amounts of apples into freezer bags.

Think about how you’ll actually use them.

If your apple crisp takes eight cups of apples, make some eight-cup bags.

If you add one cup of diced apples to oatmeal or muffins, make smaller one-cup bags.

You’re basically doing part of your future meal prep while you’re preserving the harvest.

And future you will be very happy about that.

Freezing Apples vs. Canning Apples

There’s really no reason to choose only one.

I like having both.

Freezing apples is quick and easy and doesn’t require special canning equipment.

Canning apples gives you a shelf-stable product that doesn’t take up freezer space.

That’s why I like preserving a big apple harvest several different ways.

More Ways to Preserve Fresh Apples

If you still have apples left after filling your freezer, there are plenty of other ways to preserve them.

Try my canning apple slices recipe if you want shelf-stable apples that can be used in all kinds of recipes.

Make homemade canned applesauce for an easy pantry staple.

Try my canning apple butter recipe for a thick, warmly spiced spread.

Make canned apple pie filling so dessert is already halfway done.

Or try dehydrating apple chips for a simple homemade snack.

How to Freeze Apples FAQ

Can you freeze raw apples?

Yes. Fresh apples can be frozen for later use.

Because freezing changes their texture, they’re generally best used for cooking, baking, smoothies, or other recipes rather than eating as fresh apple slices after thawing.

Can you freeze apples with the skin on?

Yes.

You don’t have to peel apples before freezing them.

Whether you peel them depends on how you plan to use them later.

For pies, crisps, and other desserts, I prefer peeling them before freezing so all the prep work is already done.

Can you freeze whole apples?

You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it for most purposes.

Peeling, coring, and slicing the apples before freezing makes them much easier to use later and lets you portion them for specific recipes.

How do you keep apples from turning brown when freezing?

An ascorbic acid treatment can help prevent cut apples from browning before freezing.

Commercial ascorbic-acid mixtures can be used according to the manufacturer’s directions. NCHFP also provides specific pretreatment options in its apple-freezing guidance. See the tested freezing recommendations

Can you freeze apples without lemon juice?

Yes.

Lemon juice isn’t your only option for preventing browning. NCHFP recommends ascorbic acid as an effective treatment for fruit intended for freezing.

Can you freeze apples for apple pie?

Absolutely.

Peel, core, and slice the apples and freeze them in the amount required for your favorite pie recipe.

That way, when you want an apple pie later, most of the apple prep is already finished.

Do frozen apples need to be thawed before making pie?

Not necessarily.

Some recipes can use apples directly from frozen, while others may work better with partially or completely thawed fruit.

Follow the directions for the particular pie recipe you’re making because frozen apples can release additional liquid during baking.

How long can you keep apples in the freezer?

For best quality, I’d aim to use frozen apples within 8–12 months.

Labeling every package with the date makes it much easier to rotate through your freezer.

What is the best way to freeze apples without them sticking together?

Freeze the prepared slices in a single layer on a baking sheet first.

Once they’re firm, transfer them to freezer bags or containers.

This makes it much easier to grab only the amount you need later.

What can I make with frozen apples?

Use them for apple pie, apple crisp, cobbler, muffins, breads, oatmeal, pancakes, smoothies, applesauce, and cooked apple toppings.

They’re especially useful in recipes where the apples will be cooked anyway.