How to Make Easy Apple Pie Filling for the Freezer
Inside: A recipe for easy apple pie filling that you don’t need to cook before freezing. It’s super simple to make. Half your work is done for an apple pie when you have this easy apple pie filling waiting in the freezer.
Do you have plans to make apple pies for the holidays? Or does your family love pie but you hate the work that goes into making just one pie?
I know it’s so much easier to pick up a pie at the store but the cost always makes me cringe. I mean $8 for an apple pie that can be made for so much less? No, thank you.
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Make Your Own Easy Apple Pie Filling and Freeze It
Instead of succumbing to those high pie prices at the store, you can tuck away the apple pie filling in the freezer and have half the work done. You can also make your own pie crusts and freeze them too.
Or in a pinch pick up the pie crust in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. You only have to unroll them and place them in the pan. The price is pretty reasonable too.
Making apple pie filling for the freezer is really easy. The recipe I’m sharing today is good for one nine inch pie. But if you have a bunch of apples you could always double or triple it.
I used Honeycrisp apples for my pie filling since I found them at a great buy. They worked out great but my go to apple for apple pie is usually granny smith apples. I like the tartness of them.
Best Way to Freeze Apples for Pie
This is the best way to freeze apples for pie. All the work is done except placing the apples into the pie crust. Making it so easy to make a homemade from scratch apple pie when you need one.
I like this way to freeze apples for pie because it’s easy to do. There isn’t any cooking involved, just slice, stir, and place in a freezer bag. It’s also easy to make enough for a bunch of pies at one time when you have lots of apples on hand.
What You’ll Need for this Freezer Apple Pie Filling
Only a few ingredients are needed for this freezer apple pie filling. In fact, just four, plus bags to freeze the apple pie filling in.
- Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Nutmeg
- Apples
- Gallon Freezer Bags
The only prep that needs to be done for the freezer apple pie filling is the apples. Core, peel and slice the apples.
If you have an apple corer, peeler, and slicer the job can be much quicker. I have one but I didn’t use it since I only had a few apples. But if I was making a few batches of this easy apple pie filling, it would make the work of preparing the apples a lot quicker.
I made a quick video to show the whole process be sure to scroll down for the printable recipe too.
When you are ready to prepare the apple pie, just thaw the apple pie filling. Place it into the pie crust add the top pie crust or crumble topping and bake.
I know around the holidays having this easy apple pie filling in the freezer will make for quick pie assembly.
Related Post: How to Make Pie Crust with Video Tutorial
Easy Apple Pie Filling for the Freezer
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons Flour
- 6 to 7 cups Apples sliced
Instructions
- Peel, core, and slice apples. Slice apples about one-fourth of an inch thick.
- Place the apples into a bowl add the flour, nutmeg, and brown sugar to the bowl.
- Stir or toss to mix well.
- Place the apple mixture into a gallon freezer bag, label and freeze.
- To Prepare Pie
- Thaw the apple pie filling mixture overnight in the refrigerator.
- Place filling into pie crust, add top crust or crumble topping, and bake.
Do you think this easy apple pie filling would make it easier for you to make apple pies for your family? I know it helps me take most of the work out of baking apple pies.
More Yummy Apple Recipes to Try
Easy Apple Fritters
Mini Apple Muffins with Nut Crumble Topping
Apple Crumble Pie
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I absolutely love this idea! Thanks for sharing : )
Since I’m not a piecrust fan, I’ll probably use it for a cobbler or crumble, or some such thing – but it’s a great concept : )
I’m with you…I hate buying pies from the grocery store because they are so expensive, and oftentimes, they don’t taste very good. Homemade tastes a lot better, although I do like the refrigerated pie crust, and use it often.
Thanks for sharing such a good tip!
tried this for the first time 2 weeks ago, and said might as well make a pie to try, loved it.
That’s great Margaret, so glad you liked it.
Hi, I was wondering if you think it would be okay to freeze the apples using this method then make the pie, and refreeze pie? For instance, if I make the pie but have leftovers and want to refreeze remaining pie.
I’m sure you could since you would be baking the apples and then placing them back in the freezer in the crust. But I’m not sure how well the crust would hold up. It might get a little soggy during the thawing process and the apple might get mushy too.
I have done that many times Baked pies freeze beautifully – even apple pies.
Do the apples turn soggy and the filling very wet and mushy when thawing in the fridge overnight? I have frozen apples before and when I thaw them they get very wet, mushy and shrink in size.
Donna, I haven’t had any trouble with this filling recipe. The apples will get soft when I baked. I’m sure the apples are a little mushier than they would have been before frozen but I haven’t noticed a big difference in the completed pie using the frozen filling over fresh.
I don’t see that you put cinnamon in your mix. I think I would add some to mine. It just seems like apples and cinnamon go together.
Candy, you could add cinnamon to your mix I know a lot of people like cinnamon and apples. I don’t really like cinnamon so I use nutmeg instead. But yes cinnamon would be great.
I’m not a big apple pie fan (although that may have changed; this year I developed more of a taste for raw apples), but I am a big fan of making stuff out of stuff that grows in your yard. So I make apple pie and plum freezer jam (which I do like but get way too much of and try to give some away). This is a great way to simplify pie-making time. A couple of years ago I made a full pie recipe, but you had to bake it twice: when you made it and then again when you took it out of the freezer. I am much more interested in just freezing the pie filling and starting with new crusts (I use refrigerated crusts because I have no patience with rolling). I just put two bags in the freezer and never want to see another apple again (well, until the tree drops the apples from the top). Thanks for this!
Laurie, glad you found this recipe helpful. I like how you say you never want to see another apple until more fall out of the tree. 🙂
This was a fun way to slice, season & store my apples. It smells delightful. I can’t wait to bake….and taste!!
Can I add cinnamon?
Ken, I think that would be a great addition.
We read this awhile back and decdided to try it with a big apple crop from our 3 trees. To make it easier for making pies we used aluminu, pie plates to freeze the filling in beofore transferring them to heavy zipper freezer bags for final storage. My daughte got married and wanted apple pies for the dessert. What a hit the pies were. We made pastry and froze it ahead and the day before the wedding we just popped the apple pie filling ( designed to fit the pie plate) into the waiting raw shells and decorated them and baked them so they were fresh for the wedding. The compliments were so abundant I was almost emabarrased to say I made them all myself. thank you so much for this great receipe I have been meaning to tell you this long before now. and to those that ask yes the apple turn out great. no weird alter flavouring taste or consistency to the apples. They came out just like I made from fresh ingredients. I have it in my recipe section called ” Never Lose This Recipe! “
Oh, I’m so glad you liked the recipe, thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciate you taking the time. Thanks!
Oops for got to mention… We baked everything from frozen solid… there was no time or room to thaw the ingredients prior to the wedding. Worked like a charm!!!
Would it be ok to use cornstarch instead of flour?
Crystal, cornstarch should work good too.
This all brought a smile to my face! My mom who is 99 always made apple and peach pie filling and froze it in separate pans, along with pie crusts and crumble. When she needed a pie she assembled it right in the chest freezer and pop it in the oven. Love it!
So glad this brought up a good memory for you. Thanks for sharing about your mom.
Is there not a need for lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown?
Joy, I haven’t had a problem with the apples turning brown but you could add lemon juice if you wanted to.
Could you use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar?
Maria, yes you can use granulated sugar instead. I hope you like the apple pie filling recipe.
oh oh….I froze all my apples whole, core, skin and all in the freezer. I would like to make this pie filling receive but how with frozen apples? Perhaps I can still work with a frozen apple or thaw them first, and then freeze the filling with them in again?
Connie, I’m not sure if you can use the frozen apples or refreeze them. I’m not sure how they would hold up to being frozen, then thawed and frozen again. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
Great & easy way to save all these apples my family picked. I’ve got 4 freezer bag right now! I’m thinking of making crust and giving a “kit” to friends over the holidays. Thanks!!
Lynn, that’s a great idea, I’m sure your friends would love it.