How to Store Apples: Expert Tips for Keeping Them Crisp

While apples are available year-round, the best time to enjoy them is during prime harvest time: September and October. Knowing how to store apples properly can help you stretch that season for as long as possible.

Amid apple-picking adventures and autumn market hauls, storing apples correctly can mean the difference between a crisp snack and a mushy mess. However, the best way to store apples depends on whether it's a bag you want to keep for a week or a crate you want to last for months.

We tapped a produce expert for apple storage tips for whole and sliced apples. She also explains the best way to freeze them, so you can enjoy this quintessential fall fruit all season long and beyond.

Shelf Life

A bowl of whole apples makes for a beautiful seasonal display on your countertop, but they'll only last between 1 and 2 weeks, depending on the variety and room temperature, according to Gipe-Stewart. Apples in the fridge last from 2 weeks to several months.

Honeycrisp is among the varieties with least longevity. "It's good to eat fresh and fast," explained Gipe-Stewart. "Everybody loves Honeycrisp for its crunch, but it doesn't store as well as other varieties."

As for long-storing varieties, Gipe-Stewart cited Red Delicious and Cosmic Crisp® among the best. "Cosmic Crisp is a non-GMO variety that launched in 2019 after more than 20 years of research," she added.

Short Term Apple Storage

For maximum freshness in the kitchen, keep a bowl of whole apples out of direct sunlight. For more than a bowlful, Gipe-Stewart recommends storing apples in your refrigerator's bottom-shelf crisper drawer, where they'll last longer "but it really depends on the variety," she stipulates.

When storing in the fridge or anywhere else, be mindful not to store apples next to other fruits and vegetables because apples contain ethylene gas that ripens other produce more quickly. Also, "Apples are porous and absorb flavors around them," Gipe-Stewart says, so storing apples adjacent to onions, for example, is not advisable.

Long Term Apple Storage

If you're prone to acquire apples by the bushel instead of the bag, you may be looking to store apples for the long term, which—in apple terms—means up to a year. A root cellar is the most effective way to store apples long term, but few of us have access to this once-common domestic amenity.

Nevertheless, you may be able to create a root cellar-like environment in your home for storing apples and other produce. A root cellar has these key elements that you may be able to simulate in a nook along a north wall, the back of a closet or pantry, or a spare corner in the basement:

• Temperature – An ideal range for long-term storage is 32 to 40 degrees F, similar to a refrigerator.
• Humidity – High levels, between 80 and 95%, help prevent moisture loss through evaporation.
  
• Ventilation – Adequate air circulation helps deter moisture buildup, which can lead to moldy produce.
• Darkness – Light exposure is the enemy of food storage, so the darker, the better.
  

Here are more tips for storing apples to last for several months:

• Choose perfect, bruise-free apples for long-term storage. Anything that's bruised or dinged deteriorates more quickly, so slice off the bad parts and use the rest to make apple cider.
• Position apples in a single layer—not touching each other—in a box or drawer.
• Wrap each apple in a newspaper (or paper bags, paper towels, or butcher paper), which provides extra protection. This way, any apples that start to spoil won't contaminate the whole batch.

How to Store Cut Apples

Sliced apples make for a tasty, healthy snack, but they don't last as long as the whole fruit. To make the most of your apple slices, try these tactics.

Choose the Right Variety

For the longest-lasting slices, Gipe-Stewart touts the Cosmic Crisp variety, which doesn't brown. "You can put them in your kid's lunchbox, and they'll last all day," she says.

Add Lemon Juice

To keep other varieties of apple slices from browning sooner, toss them in a little lemon juice before putting them in the fridge. And don't worry about your apples taking on a lemon flavor: Lemon juice adds just a subtle tartness that's barely noticeable.

"Lemon or orange juice poured over the slices help prevent oxidation," Gipe-Stewart adds. "This tip is especially great for keeping apples fresh-looking on salads."

Store in an Airtight Container

Keep apple slices in a resealable bag or airtight food storage container in the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Apples?

You can also store apples in the freezer, but it's important to note that freezing makes them lose their crispness. "Freezing degrades apples' cell structure, much like it does for other fruit," Gipe-Stewart says. Nevertheless, frozen apples are ideal for making pies, tarts, applesauce, and apple butter.

As far as varieties go, they're all good for freezing, according to Gipe-Stewart. "Granny Smith has been trending in the juice and smoothie world for a long time now," she adds, citing another popular use for frozen fruit. Here's how to freeze them effectively.

Slice and Then Flash-Freeze

"I like to slice them first and then spread them out on a baking sheet," Gipe-Stewart says about how she prepares apples for freezing. Next, she flash-freezes them for a few hours.

"Then I put the frozen slices in a plastic bag and back in the freezer," Gipe-Stewart continues. With this technique, you can store the bags flat and stack them to take up less space, and avoid having to face a round clump of apple slices frozen together.

Use Without Thawing

When baking with frozen apples, there's no need to thaw them first. Simply place the frozen slices into a pie crust with the rest of your filling, cover with dough, and bake. Just be sure to keep an eye on your pie, as using a frozen filling likely means you need to add about 20 minutes to the total bake time.