When it comes to making and preserving Apple Pie Filling, you have a few choices. You can can it (can can, can you do the can can, can you…). You can freeze it, which I will describe here today. Or (and this is by far the most novel idea of them all) you can put the filling directly into a pie crust and bake it immediately.
It all comes down to how much freezer space you have, how much pantry space you have, if you love canning produce, if you have plenty of jars, or if you really just want to eat an apple pie after dinner on this very day.
But really most of it comes down to apples. You can’t do any of this if you don’t have apples.
So…do you have apples? I have apples. This year I decided that the easiest way for me to preserve Apple Pie Filling is to freeze it.
If you want to can apple pie filling so that you can store it in your pantry, you can learn how to do that here. You should know that I break out in a sweat every single time I type the word p-a-n-t-r-y. I re-read it four hundred and eighty times to make sure I didn’t leave out the “r” because that would bring a whole new unintended meaning to my sentence.
Here’s how to freeze apple pie filling:
1. Wash, core, and slice apples into a large bowl. I leave the peeling on. (Once again I sweat and make sure I added the “l” to p-e-e-l-i-n-g.)
2. Stir in 1/4 cup sucanat or brown sugar plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon per every 5-6 apples.
3. Transfer mixture to quart-sized freezer bags, 3-4 cups of apple pie filling per bag.
4. Label the bag and freeze it for up to a year.
When you’re ready to make an apple pie, simply thaw and dump the contents into an unbaked pie crust, then proceed as you normally would to make an apple pie. Here’s my Whole Wheat Pie Crust recipe. Even easier, use the filling to make an Apple Crisp or a Salted Caramel Apple Crisp.
It’s wonderful having prepared apple pie filling in your freezer, and yes, even in your pantrrrrrrry.
How’s your apple supply? Have you been able to get your hands on plenty of good apples this year?
Ohh, Laura! I work for a government entity where my job is to process requests for public records and public information. One time I was corresponding with a Senator – a SENATOR!! and I forgot the “l” in “public” and the spell-checker didn’t catch it.
I never made that mistake again.
Noooooo! But wow, so funny for the rest of us. :)
I freeze apple and peach pie fillings, but I do something a little different. Maybe it’ll help you out a little… I line each of my pie pans with a dish towel (to simulate the crust) and line the towel with Saran Wrap. Then I pour the filling into the pan and place it in the freezer for a few hours. In the meanwhile, I label 3, gallon size, ziplock bags with what type of filling it is and which pie pan it fits. Once the filling is frozen solid I wrap the saran wrap around it tightly and slip the filling into the right bag. When I’m ready to make the pie, I can make the crust and slip the right sized frozen filling right into the pan. Then I just pop it into the preheated oven and bake without having to defrost it first! Saves me time and hassle! And yes, I too have responded to a text from someone asking if I have some ingredient, with “hang on, I’ll check my panty…” Oops! ????????
Ooh, great idea!
I’ve been meaning to do this with crockpot meals that I pre-mix and freeze. I work full time so I need things to be able to be in the crockpot for at least 8 hours. I find that works better once the food starts out frozen solid.
I like your towel/plastic wrap strategy at lot!!
If I have the space and enough pie plates, I make the whole pie and freeze it unbaked. It is so nice just to take the pie out of the freezer and put it in the oven and in an hour have pie to eat. This year since we have acquired another freezer and several new pie plates, I have 9 pies already to bake.
I do that if I have time too. So nice!
So you don’t have to cook the apples first like when you can them? I just made some yesterday following your canning recipe but placed them in the freezer. That would be such a time saver if I don’t have to cook them first!????
Right, no cooking first! That’s why I love this method now that I’ve discovered it ! :)
I have about 50 apples to enjoy yet after making applesauce, cream cheese apple dip and as of last night I have made and eaten all your apple crisp recipe, TWICE! It is so good!
Thankyou for confirming my theory! Ive got a bunch of apples to process and was sitting here thinking – if I’m freezing them surely thats going to soften them enough they don’t need precooked….. sure enough I find this recipe!
So glad it was helpful!
-Bethany (Laura’s assistant)