Can You Freeze Apple Sauce?

People have been utilizing apples by making them into sauces since the Middle Ages, but the applesauce that we know and love today.

In areas of Europe, it’s used as a complementary sauce for roast pork and in the USA and Canada, it’s more of a popular side-dish. 

Applesauce is super versatile and has multiple uses. It’s great for using as a topping on desserts, sweetening up smoothies, salad dressings and it can even be used as a substitute for butter when making baked goods.

So, what’s it made of?

Well, a lot of apples. It’s made from pureed apples and can be made from either peeled or unpeeled apples. It’s known for its warm flavor which is due to the variety of spices that are commonly added, such as cinnamon and allspice.

It’s extremely common for flavorings and sweeteners to be added. Applesauce typically has high sugar content but it’s very inexpensive and can be found in households across North America, the United Kingdom, and a select few other European countries. 

While applesauce isn’t a difficult recipe to follow, it can be useful to spend some time making a large batch of it and keeping the rest in the freezer.

Yes, you can freeze applesauce. This means you can take small portions as and when you need them, without wasting any leftovers.

How do I freeze applesauce?

Freezing applesauce is simple and shouldn’t affect the quality or taste of your applesauce. It’s also completely safe to freeze both homemade applesauce and its store-bought counterpart. 

If you’re planning on freezing applesauce that you’ve made yourself, it’s important that you leave it out to completely cool to room temperature before putting it in the freezer.

We don’t advise putting warm applesauce straight into the freezer as this may affect the flavor of it once it has thawed. 

You’ll need to place the applesauce in airtight freezer bags or freezer jars. Be sure to leave some space to give the applesauce some room to expand.

You can also can them, simply sterilize your jars, put the applesauce inside, seal them, and then boil them. A lot of people recommend canning them because they make the applesauce safer, but if that sounds too exhausting to you, freezer bags or jars are a great alternative.

Remember to double-check that you’ve sealed them well to prevent fruity spillages. 

Next, you can label the containers with the date the applesauce was made and then put them inside the refrigerator/freezer. 

How do I defrost applesauce?

There are a few different ways that you can defrost your applesauce.

One is by grabbing the bags or containers from the freezer and thawing them in the refrigerator. Leave them to thaw for a few hours or leave overnight.

However, some people suggest taking your applesauce out of the freezer and leaving in to thaw at room temperature, which should take around 30 minutes. If 

You can also thaw your applesauce by putting it in a bowl and popping it into the microwave on the lowest setting. Your microwave may have a defrost setting that can make this a breeze.

Once thawed, your applesauce may appear very watery and separated, but this is easily remedied with a quick stir. 

Factors to consider before freezing applesauce

You may be tempted to season your applesauce before freezing, but it’s much better if you don’t.

Prepare and freeze your plain applesauce and when you need a portion, follow the defrosting steps above. Once thawed, go ham with the cinnamon and the allspice and flavor to your liking.  

If you want to achieve super-smooth applesauce as opposed to the chunky kind, we suggest pureeing your apples with a hand blender or a food processor.  

When stored correctly in the freezer, your homemade applesauce can last up to 12 months before going bad. On the other hand, store-bought applesauce will only last up to about 2 months in the freezer. The ideal temperature for freezing applesauce is 0 F. 

If your applesauce becomes a little too watery once it has thawed, there is a way of thickening it again and returning it to its original consistency. You’ll need to stir together about 1/4 cup of apple juice, cider, or runny applesauce with 1 to 2 teaspoons of arrowroot or tapioca flour in a small bowl.

Gently warm the applesauce in a pan over low heat. Pour in the juice mixture, stirring constantly until the starch cooks clear and the sauce thickens to your liking. 

It should be pretty obvious when your applesauce has gone bad. If you notice an odor, or it has a strange flavor or it starts to grow mold, discard it immediately.

We also advise discarding all applesauce that comes from bottles or packaging that is leaking, bulging, rusting, or severely dented.  

For the best applesauce, try opting for McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples. McIntosh apples are super crisp but also soften pretty easily, making them great for sauces and pie fillings. Golden Delicious apples are a softer apple which makes them perfect for providing a decent base for applesauce. 

To prepare your apples, you have a couple of options to choose from. You can peel, core, and slice to create the perfect chunk. You can even opt to keep on the peel, this will create a thicker pulp.

If that’s not your thing, you can puree them until it’s a smooth saucy consistency.

Summary

Freezing applesauce is an easy, straightforward process that doesn’t require a whole load of effort and next to no supplies.

Now that you know how to freeze applesauce properly, you can always have this fruity puree in stock for baking, as a dessert topping, baby food, or as a tasty side dish.