There are so many different things that you can do with cooked apples. You can make a pie, crumble, cake, or turnovers. Add them to cooked red cabbage or make an apple sauce out of them.
However, what if you have apple trees and they are all ready to eat at the same time? Is there a way you can preserve them to enjoy at a later date? Yes, there is. You can freeze apples either cooked or uncooked but in this article, we will be taking a look at freezing cooked apples.
It works out to be time-saving as you can batch-cook the apples (see also Can You Freeze Stewed Apples?), freeze them, and then just defrost as much as you need.
How To Freeze Cooked Apples
1. Cook your apples.
Either heat the apples on the hob or bake them in the oven. Add any spices you want. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves are all good choices.
2. Cool down the apples.
Put them on your countertop and cool them down at room temperature. It should take around an hour. You don’t want to put them in the freezer while they are still warm as they could bring up the temperature. Other foods may start to defrost and when they refreeze, they will spoil.
3. Put the cooked apples in freezer bags or airtight containers.
It is a good idea to split the apples into meal-size portions so that you only defrost as much as you need. This saves on wastage.
If you are using freezer bags, make sure that you squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn will ruin the taste and texture of your apples. Put labels on the bags or containers with the contents and the date frozen.
4. Freeze.
Tips For Freezing Cooked Apples
- Squeeze out the air from the freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
- If you are worried that your cooked apples are going to turn brown in the freezer, add a little lemon to them before you put them in the freezer. This will help to preserve them without altering the taste of the apples.
- Add spices to the cooked apples to enhance their flavor. It is a good idea to write what spices are in the apples on the label as you might forget. You might also like to flavor the portions differently for different uses. For example, you might want to make apple pie flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg and apple cake flavored with vanilla.
- If you already know what you want to do with your cooked apples, you can freeze them in a dish such as an apple pie or apple crumble (See also Can You Freeze Apple Crumble?). However, remember that you won’t be able to use the cooked apples in anything else if you change your mind.
For How Long Can You Freeze Cooked Apples?
You can freeze cooked apples for about five months so you will have them even when they are out of season. Do remember that if you are freezing a dish, the storage time might be less, for example, apple crumble only freezes for three months.
The good thing about freezing cooked apples is that the texture really doesn’t change, unlike some fruits. They are already soft so you don’t have to worry that they are going to go mushy. The color can be maintained by adding some lemon juice to the apples before freezing.
How Do You Defrost Cooked Apples?
It is best to defrost cooked apples slow and steady as this helps them to retain their texture. Put them in the fridge overnight and they will turn out just as they were before you put them in the freezer. The same goes for dishes with cooked apples such as pies and crumbles.
However, if you have forgotten to do this and you want to use the cooked apples sooner rather than later, you can put the bag or container in a bowl of room temperature water. This can make them mushy and it also increases the risk of bacteria forming. If you do this, use the apples straight away.
Don’t microwave your frozen cooked apples. They will thaw too quickly and end up mushy.
Can You Refreeze Cooked Apples?
It is completely safe to refreeze cooked apples but we don’t really advise it. You can expect some textural changes if you freeze, defrost, and then freeze again. Your cooked apples will probably go mushy.
If you are making a pie or a crumble, you will probably want some chunks of apple, not a mushy mess. However, if you are making something like apple sauce, it shouldn’t matter so much. The same goes for apple cake.
You can avoid refreezing by freezing in meal-size portions. By doing this you will only defrost what you need. If you suddenly decide that you are going to need more than one freezer bag of cooked apples, you can easily defrost two.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Cooked Apples?
Yes, it is. Cooked apples freeze very well, with little change in taste or texture. If you have a lot of apples, it is a good idea to cook them in bulk and then freeze them in meal-size portions. In this way you can enjoy them for months to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing cooked apples but in case you are still curious, we have answered a few questions here.
Can you freeze uncooked apples?
Yes, you can. You can freeze them in wedges, cubes, or slices. We don’t recommend freezing whole apples as they will take a long time to defrost.
However, we recommend freezing cooked apples if you intend to make a dish as it will save you a lot of time when you come to make the recipe.
What should I add to my cooked apples if I intend to make applesauce?
You will need lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Remove the lemon peel before you put the apples in the freezer.
What spices go well in apple pie?
The best spices for apple pie are cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg. You could even add a touch of ginger if you want a little kick.
Can you freeze stewed apples?
Yes, you can. After all, they are just cooked apples that have cooked for just that bit longer so that they are more liquid. You might want to freeze them to have on top of cereal or yogurt or to have a dessert with cream or ice cream.
They can be frozen in the same way as cooked apples. After they have cooled, put them in freezer bags or airtight containers in meal-size portions. Squeeze out the air from the freezer bags and then freeze.
However, because they are mushy already it doesn’t matter if you defrost them quickly or refreeze them.
Can you freeze apple cake?
Yes, you can. Once the apple cake is cold, wrap it in a sheet of cling film and then a sheet of aluminum foil. Put it into a freezer bag, squeezing out all the air so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Label and freeze.
Apple cake can be frozen for up to three months. After this time, it will probably still be safe to eat but it will lose taste and texture. It may even go stale.