Make creamy, delicious homemade applesauce in less than 25 minutes! Pick your favorite flavor – classic, cinnamon, or mixed berry – for a naturally sweetened way to enjoy your carbohydrates.
Applesauce is one of the most underrated side dishes.
There aren’t many foods that work for breakfast, lunch, dinner, AND snacks!
This easy homemade applesauce recipe is an inexpensive way to stretch a meal further and fill growing bellies! Plus, you can mix it up by adding different fruits to make fun flavored applesauce – the possibilities are endless!
How do you make homemade applesauce?
Applesauce is as easy as cooking apples and pureeing them with a bit of liquid! Knowing the apples good for applesauce and what to add for flavoring without added sugar is just a bonus…
STORE-BOUGHT VS. HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
I hadn’t really thought about making my own applesauce until recently. This is odd because I frequently evaluate what to make from scratch to save time and money.
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I’ve always bought organic unsweetened applesauce that was fairly affordable and had a short and simple ingredient list: apples, water, and vitamin C.
But when the kids started asking me to buy colorful flavored store-bought applesauce, I did a quick label check and voted them down. High fructose corn syrup and MSG? I didn’t realize so much junk was in sweetened and flavored applesauce!
I knew I could do better and learn how to make applesauce myself.
WHY MAKE HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
After making a few batches, I can assure you there are several good reasons to make your own applesauce:
- Homemade applesauce tastes really, really good! The depth of flavor was outstanding – far better than store-bought varieties.
- It’s easy. Quarter some apples, heat them in a pot with a few other goodies, and blend. Done.
- It’s fast. Literally 25 minutes, start to finish.
- Applesauce stores well. It keeps in the refrigerator for at least a week, and large batches can be frozen and defrosted as needed. There’s also the option to can applesauce for longer storage.
- You can control the flavor and sweetness. I had fun fine-tuning the amounts of each ingredient so that the end product came out just right! My cinnamon version tastes like apple pie!
- It’s a great way to put seasonal produce to good use. Apples picked in season will always cost less. You can even go to a you-pick farm for some really great deals and fun!
- Avoid food waste. If you found a great deal on apples but no one is eating them, rework them into something new.
EASY APPLE SAUCE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
This easy applesauce recipe includes just 3 simple ingredients.
- Apples. Of course!
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice. This helps with color and preservation, and the tartness helps balance out the sweetness of the apples.
- Apple Juice. You can use water for cooking the apples, but apple juice gives that extra burst of apple flavor.
APPLES GOOD FOR APPLESAUCE
Whatever apples you like eating, you’ll probably like in this apple sauce recipe!
- I used Jonagold apples from my local grocery store.
- You can use organic apples if you prefer (just know that the cost will increase).
- As far as flavor goes, a more tart apple like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious is often recommended.
- Sweet apples like Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp work too.
- Or try a mixture of sweet and tart to find your own perfect applesauce combination!
TOOLS FOR APPLESAUCE MAKING
- Using a high-powered blender (I love my Blendtec) is the key to achieving a smooth and creamy texture.
- A regular blender or immersion blender will also work, but the texture may be a little different.
- A food processor like this one will also work to give you a silky-smooth apple sauce.
- If you like chunky applesauce, use a potato masher to mash the apples.
- Some people use a food mill, but I don’t think this is necessary if you have one of the above appliances.
HOW TO MAKE APPLESAUCE
Step 1: Quarter the apples, remove the core, and chop into 1-inch cubes. There’s no need to peel the apples first.
Step 2: Place the apple cubes and other ingredients in a large pot and stir to mix.
Step 3: Heat over medium heat to medium-high heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, partially covered, for around 15 minutes until apples are tender.
Step 4: Transfer the mixture to a high-powered blender. Blend on the lowest speed for about 20 seconds, then gradually increase speed until the entire mixture is completely smooth (2-3 minutes total). Alternatively, use your immersion blender or food processor to blend until the applesauce reaches your desired consistency.
Store homemade applesauce in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 4 months.
EASY APPLESAUCE RECIPE VARIATIONS
This is where it really gets fun!
The flavor possibilities for homemade applesauce are endless. Developing flavors got me thinking about all the different varieties we could make using seasonal produce or my kids’ favorite fruits.
To make my two favorite apple sauce recipe variations, follow the directions for the unsweetened applesauce recipe, but add in the additional ingredients when you cook the apples.
Cinnamon Applesauce
- 2 ⅔ lbs apples (I like Jonagold)
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
- 2 Tbsp apple juice (or apple cider)
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp orange zest
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Mixed Berry Applesauce
- 2 lbs apples (I like Jonagold)
- ½ cup fresh or frozen berries (no need to defrost)
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 Tbsp raw honey
HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE IN THE SLOW COOKER
I tested this recipe on the stove and in the crockpot. The prep time was the same, but the cooking time was much longer in the slow cooker (2 hours versus just 15 minutes on the stove).
I was also surprised by how the flavor varied between the two methods. The stovetop version had a much lighter and sweeter flavor than the crockpot method. I really don’t see a benefit to using the crockpot for this recipe unless you’re cooking other food at the same time and just don’t have a burner free to cook the apples.
INSTANT POT APPLE SAUCE RECIPE
You can also make applesauce in the Instant Pot.
Step 1. Load your apples and juices, along with ½ cup of water, into the inner pot.
Step 2. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
Step 3. Drain about half of the cooking liquid (but reserve it) and blend the apple mixture. Add some of the cooking liquid back in if the applesauce is too thick.
HOW TO SERVE HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
Applesauce is a great snack for kids. Or it can be used as a side dish to finish out lunch or dinner.
Other ways to enjoy applesauce:
MACRO-FRIENDLY APPLESAUCE
Applesauce is a great option for adding carbohydrates to your plate. It’s also a chance to enjoy something sweet that isn’t full of sugar!
Don’t be afraid of carbs – the reality is that we NEED carbs to fuel our bodies. They are literally the body’s source of energy. They’re also required for gut health, hormone regulation, and proper digestion.
This naturally sweetened applesauce is an easy and yummy choice to add to your plate when you have carbs available.
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REGULAR AND CINNAMON APPLESAUCE FAQS
Do I need to peel the apples before making this applesauce recipe?
Personally, I leave the peels on produce whenever I can to get the extra fiber and phytonutrients. Plus, I also love the pinkish color that the red apple peels add to applesauce! And the natural pectin in the peels helps thicken the sauce.
When the applesauce is ready, I puree it in my Blendtec to give it a creamy texture. It turns out so smooth that you can’t even tell the peels are there!
You might consider peeling your apples if you don’t own a high-powered blender to achieve the same silky-smooth texture. Peeling the apples also helps if you prefer chunkier applesauce and don’t want to have pieces of peel swirling around.
Can I freeze homemade applesauce?
How do I can homemade applesauce?
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WATCH HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
Homemade Applesauce
Make creamy, delicious homemade applesauce in less than 25 minutes! Pick your favorite flavor – classic, cinnamon, or mixed berry – for a naturally sweetened way to enjoy your carbohydrates.
Ingredients
Homemade Applesauce
- 2 ⅔ lbs apples (I like Jonagold) (1209g)
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of about ½ lemon) (15g)
- 6 Tbsp apple juice (102g)
Cinnamon Applesauce
- 2 ⅔ lbs apples (I like Jonagold) (1209g)
- 1 tbsp orange juice (16g)
- 2 tbsp apple juice or apple cider (30g)
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (40g)
Mixed Berry Applesauce
- 2 lbs apples (I like Jonagold) (907g)
- ½ cup berries (fresh or frozen) (74g)
- 1 tbsp orange juice (16g)
- 1 tbsp honey (21g)
Instructions
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Quarter the apples, remove the core, and chop into 1-inch cubes.
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Place apple cubes and other ingredients in a large pot and stir to mix. For flavored versions, add the additional ingredients at this time.
-
Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, partially covered, for around 15 minutes until apples are tender.
-
Transfer the mix to a high-powered blender. Blend on lowest speed for about 20 seconds, then gradually increase speed until the entire mix is completely smooth (2-3 minutes total).
Notes
- Load your apples and juices, along with ½ cup of water, into the inner pot.
- Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- Drain about half of the cooking liquid (but reserve it) and blend the apple mixture. Add some of the cooking liquid back in if the applesauce is too thick.
The nutrition information below is for the regular applesauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 0.5gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 200mgFiber: 4gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 94IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.2mg
