You can’t go wrong with making apple pies. You likely have fond memories of enjoying them with your family when you were younger.
Some families even have special pie recipes that they pass down from generation to generation. Whether you’re making a family recipe or you just want to enjoy a traditional dessert, apple pie is a great choice.
You might not always have fresh apples available to you, though. Some people choose to freeze apples so that they will have them available when they need to use them.
If you have frozen apples in your freezer right now, you might be wondering if they could be utilized to make a pie. Keep reading to find out whether or not you can put those apples to use.
Using Frozen Apples Is Fine
You’ll be happy to hear that using frozen apples to bake a pie will be perfectly fine. There’s no reason why you can’t use them for baking purposes.
That being said, there are some things that you’ll need to consider. Using frozen apples will be a bit different than using fresh ones, after all.
You can get a better pie overall if you’re using the right type of apples. The way that you’re freezing them can play a role, too.
Below, you’ll be able to learn more about how to approach freezing apples to use in baking. It should help you to get the best results so that you can enjoy your pie to the fullest.
Pick Good Apples for Freezing
Picking out good apples for freezing will help you to have a better experience. Some apples respond better to freezing than others.
You want to use apples that will maintain a firmer texture even after being frozen. Otherwise, you’ll be using ones that will feel a bit mushy in your pie.
The best types of apples that you can use for freezing when your intent is to bake a pie are Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Empire, Cortland, and Jonagold. Pick one of those varieties to freeze if you want the best results.
These apples will stay firm after freezing and they’ll still have a very strong flavor as well. Many apple pie recipes specifically call for Granny Smith apples anyway.
Good Freezing Methods
Using the right freezing methods will be for the best, too. You don’t want to try to freeze whole apples when your intention is to make pies at a later time.
Instead of placing whole apples in a freezer, it’s going to be wise to use the “sugar pack” method. Essentially, you’re going to peel and then slice apples into slices.
Next, you mix half a teaspoon of ascorbic acid into three tablespoons of water. You take this and you sprinkle it over the top of the apple slices so that they won’t brown.
Measure out half a cup of sugar for every quart of apples that you have. Get some freezer containers and pack the apples tightly before placing them in the freezer.
You should leave around one inch of space at the top of the freezer pack. So long as you don’t pack them right to the top of the freezer container, things should be fine.
How Long Will the Frozen Apples Stay Good?
You’re likely wondering how long frozen apples will stay good. If you choose to freeze some slices to use for baking, how long will you have until you need to bake a pie?
Technically, the frozen apples should stay good for up to one year in the freezer. However, it’s recommended to use them before six months have passed.
Once six months have passed, the flavor and texture of the apples will start to be impacted. You want the slices to be very crisp in your apple pie.
Just remember to write down the date that you placed the apples into the freezer. Some people write this information right on the freezer pack or freezer bag for the sake of convenience.
You’ll be able to peek at the package and know how long it has been since you froze the apples. Make an effort to use them up while they’re still fresh.
Do the Frozen Apples Need to Be Thawed?
You can thaw the frozen apples out before using them if you want to, but it’s probably not a good idea if you’re going to bake a pie. When frozen apples thaw out, they tend to get a bit mushy.
Since you want the apple slices in your pie to be crisp, it makes sense to just place them directly in a pie for baking purposes. Mix your pie filling up and get ready to bake the pie so that you can enjoy a tasty dessert.
Using frozen apples can alter the recipe slightly, though. You might need to bake the pie for slightly longer than usual for everything to finish due to using frozen apples.
Just keep an eye on your pie so that you don’t go overboard. You don’t want to burn it because you weren’t watching it closely.
Final Thoughts
Now you know that it’s perfectly fine to use frozen apples to bake an apple pie. You’re able to do so pretty easily so long as you’re paying attention to how you freeze your apples.
Apples need to be frozen in such a way that they will stay fresh for as long as possible. You want them to be good when you’re ready to use them to bake a pie.
Using the right type of apples is going to be an important consideration as well. Most people choose to use apples such as Golden Delicious or Granny Smith when they intend to make an apple pie.
These apples stay firm and tasty even after being frozen. Your frozen apples should stay good for up to a year, but you should use them before six months have passed for maximum freshness.
You don’t need to thaw the apples out to use them to bake a pie, either. Just prepare your filling and get ready to bake your pie when it’s time.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.