How to Freeze Fresh Apples

Apple season is coming to an end, and if you have a giant heap of apples that are starting to go bad, you don't have to work yourself to death cooking applesauce and canning apple butter. With just a little bit of preparation, you can freeze them for later use - in cooking or (my favorite) cut into small pieces in my microwaved oatmeal each morning!

All you really need are apples, a knife, 1/4 c. lemon juice in 3 c. water, a couple of bowls, a flat pan or cookie sheet, and freezer bags. I used an apple corer/slicer to make the job easier, but if you don't have one, you can just slice and core the apples with a regular knife. The lemon juice is the trick to keeping your apples from turning brown, so don't slice and freeze without it!

Get everything ready by mixing the lemon juice and water and thoroughly washing all your apples.

Core and slice your apples, removing any bad spots as you go. If you prefer, peel your apples prior to slicing. I like to leave my peels on, but that's just a personal preference.

Dunk each slice into the lemon juice mixture, then place it onto a flat baking sheet. Once you have the sheet filled in a single layer, place it into your freezer. Leave it there overnight to ensure everything is frozen.

The following day, place all the frozen pieces into a freezer bag, label the bag with the date and contents, and place back into your freezer. Whenever you need some apples, you'll be able to just take out and use the amount you need and leave the rest in the freezer.

Now, you can enjoy your fresh, local apples any time of the year!