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How to Freeze Applesauce
Apple season is just getting good so head to your local farmers’ market, produce stand, or apple orchard and get in on this year’s harvest.
With our apple haul, we do four things: eat, bake, and can and freeze applesauce.
We eat apples fresh until the thought of eating another apple in January is like the thought of picking another zucchini in August. If the“apple a day” motto is accurate, then we are in good shape.
I also bake several apple pies or crisps. Whenmy husband walks through the door after a long day or the bathtubfaucet is leaking or I accidentally run over something with the car that should not have been run over, I soften the blow by casually mentioning, “Oh,by the way, I baked an apple pie today.” His eyes light up, and everything that happened before that sentence is forgotten. Trust me, it is like magic. I speak from experience. When I’m in a tight spot, I just whip out an apple pie. Make sure you check out our Simple Fruit Pie from Scratch tutorial.
If you do not consider yourself a baker, then buy a pre-made crust in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. I used to do this when I worked full-time; the crustsare easy to assemble and don’t taste half bad either.
I have also started canning applesauce at our readers’ suggestion. Check out our step-by-step how to can applesauce guide here.
Finally, freezing applesauce. My littlefamily of four goes through a crazy amount of applesauce. I like to keep our freezer stocked with the homemade stuff because it is super simple to make, and it tastes better than anything you’ll find on the grocery store shelves (see below).
This year, I bought a NorproAppleMate 2 Apple Peeler (Amazon). This baby attaches to your countertop andpeels, slices, and coresthe apples with the crank of the handle. Growing up, my mom had one of these. We just called it the Apple-Peeler-Slicer-Corer. Creative, I know.
Ihave no ideawhy it took me so long to get one of my own. They are a brilliant little invention andmoney well-spent because they are such a huge time saver. Even my toddler got in on the action, cranking out spirals of peeled apples. If you have the time and patience, it’s a great way for little hands to help out.
We used Gravenstein apples because they are a soft variety sothey break down quickly as they cook. Simply toss the peeled, cored, cut apples into a large pot. Add enough water to keep the apples from scorching on the bottom. It doesn’t take muchliquid because theapples will give off quite a bit oftheir ownas they cook. You can always stir and check, adding water as needed.
Let the apples simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. I cook and stirthe applesfor around 30-45 minutes, giving them more time to break down because I like a smoother applesauce. If you like it perfectly smooth, you could even run it through a blender, food mill, or food processor.
For chunkier applesauce, remove it from the heat a bit sooner or mix in other firmer apple varieties that won’t cook down as easily.
This year I froze several small bags of unsweetened applesauce to use as baby food and as an oil-substitutefor baking. I sweetened the rest with some sugar to taste. You could use the sweetener of your choice. I keepthe ingredientspretty simple, but you could also add some cinnamon or other spices, if desired.
You can freeze the applesauce in freezer bags, plastic storage containers (like Ziploc or Rubbermaid), or in ice cube trays if you’re making it for a baby.
Looking for more delicious ways to preserve produce?
Check out our Canning Applesauce Step-By-Step Guide here.
Make sure you also check out our other preserving and canning posts here.
- Canning for Beginners FAQ’s
- Canning Peach Vanilla Bean Jam
- Canning Peaches
- Canning Tomatoes
- Water Bath Canning Guide
- Water Bath Canning Equipment
- How to Can Pears
- How to Can Apple Pie Filling
Looking for more ideas for stocking up that don’t require canning?
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