Make Extra Apple Pie Filling And Freeze It For A Fall Treat All Year-Round

Any time after September is apple season, and no one will fault you for hoarding an apple surplus for all your baking needs. Whether there's a popular type of apple that you often grab from the store or you like plucking them fresh from the branch, having too many apples is the opposite of a problem. Sure, you might not be able to eat all of them individually before they go bad, but you can use them to make extra apple pie filling to store in your freezer. This way, apple season never really has to end, and you can treat yourself to a freshly baked apple pie well into the following year.

The best part is that because there are so many delicious apple recipes out there to choose from, you don't have to strictly use your extra apple filling in pies. When you freeze it, sealed apple pie filling can last for a whole year, which leaves you plenty of time to experiment with baking all manner of apple-infused goodies. Use it as an indulgent topping, mix it into muffin batter, or even blend it into a smoothie — get creative with how you use it, and you might be surprised at how far you can actually take all those leftover apples.

Making filling for an apple pie recipe is fairly easy and can be done in under an hour. Once the fresh mixture has cooled for 30 minutes, the leftovers can then be poured into freezer-safe containers or gallon bags. Be sure not to overfill them, and remember to leave at least ½ inch of space between your filling and the container lid. Your apple pie filling can still be left out a bit longer to reach room temperature, but not longer than 1½ hours. Now you've got 12 months to enjoy your surplus of apple pie filling, tossing it in whatever baked goods your sweet tooth demands.

If making apple pie on repeat is getting a little old, you can always add your leftover filling to pancakes or waffles, mix it into yogurt or granola, or even mold the filling into apple pie popsicles. Of course, it's only natural for bakers to want to use it for other fall-coded bakes like apple cakes or apple pie cookies. You can also drizzle it onto a homemade cheesecake or elevate an ordinary bread recipe into something truly moist and flavorful.