Every fall, the hillsides around Lake Chelan, Manson, and the Wenatchee Valley turn into one of my favorite sights in Washington: orchard rows heavy with fruit, crates stacked at the end of every lane, and that crisp, sweet smell in the air that tells you apple season has arrived.
Apple season in the Wenatchee Valley
Wenatchee is known as the Apple Capital of the World, and when you live here you understand why. Our long, sunny days and cool nights give the apples their color, crunch, and flavor. From late summer into fall you'll find fruit stands along the highways, U-pick orchards, and farm markets throughout the Wenatchee Valley with varieties you'll never see in a grocery store.
Manson and the north shore of Lake Chelan
Manson and the north shore of Lake Chelan add their own charm, with orchards and vineyards tucked side by side above the water. A fall drive along the lake is one of the best ways to see it.
A tradition that travels: Chelan apples in Arizona
For me, apple season is also a tradition that travels. Before I head south for the winter, I load up boxes of fresh Washington apples and take them home with me to Arizona.
Once I'm there, I spend a few happy afternoons in the kitchen baking pies and freezing them. Some become gifts for friends, neighbors, and clients. The rest wait in the freezer, so when a holiday potluck invitation comes in, I'm ready with a homemade pie that tastes like a Chelan orchard.
Make-Ahead Freezer Apple Pie
The photo above shows my crumble-top version. This card is the classic double-crust pie.
Ingredients
- 6–7 apples (a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), peeled and sliced
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts
- 1 egg, for egg wash (skip if freezing)
Make the pie
- Toss the sliced apples with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice.
- Line a 9-inch pie pan with one crust. Add the filling and dot with the butter.
- Top with the second crust, crimp the edges and cut a few slits in the top.
To bake now
Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then at 375°F for 35–45 minutes, until the filling bubbles.
To freeze and bake later
Skip the egg wash. Wrap the unbaked pie tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze up to 4 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F for 20 minutes, then at 375°F for 45–60 minutes, until bubbling.
Good to know
- When is apple season around Wenatchee and Lake Chelan?
- Roughly late summer through October. That's when you'll find fruit stands, U-pick orchards and farm markets at their best around Lake Chelan, Manson and the Wenatchee Valley.
- Can you freeze an unbaked apple pie?
- Yes. Assemble the pie but skip the egg wash, wrap it tightly in plastic and then foil, and freeze it for up to 4 months. Bake it straight from frozen at 425°F for 20 minutes, then at 375°F for 45–60 minutes, until bubbling.
Come see Lake Chelan in the fall
If you're thinking about a home in the Lake Chelan or Wenatchee Valley area, fall is a wonderful time to visit. Drive the orchard roads, stop at a fruit stand, and see what life here feels like when the harvest is in. I'd love to show you around.