Homemade Applesauce
This homemade applesauce recipe turns a bag of fresh apples into a warm, cinnamon-scented sauce in under an hour, no fancy equipment or canning experience required. It is naturally sweet, ready in one pot, and just as good spooned over pork chops as it is eaten straight off a spoon.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy bottomed large pot
- Cutting board
- Apple Corer and Peeler to speed up prep
- Potato masher for chunky sauce
- Immersion blender for smooth sauce
- Wooden spoon
- Airtight storage jars for the fridge or freezer
Ingredients
- 4 pounds apples 1.8kg; a mix of sweet and tart varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, and Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 cup water 240ml; or substitute apple cider for a deeper flavor
- 1/4 cup brown sugar 50g; adjust up or down depending on how sweet your apples are
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 15ml
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3g
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1.5g
Instructions
- Wash, peel, core, and cut the apples into rough 1 inch chunks. Keep cut apples in a bowl of water with a splash of lemon juice to prevent browning, then drain before cooking.
- Add the chopped apples to a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Pour in the water, then add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to coat evenly.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to medium low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until a fork slides through the apples with almost no resistance.
- Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Mash with a potato masher for chunky sauce, or blend with an immersion blender for smooth sauce. If too thin, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
- Taste and add more sugar if the apples were tart, or a pinch more cinnamon or lemon juice if it tastes flat. Cool to room temperature before transferring to storage containers.
Notes
- Mix at least two apple varieties for the best balance of sweetness and tartness.
- Cut the apple pieces roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- Keep the lid on while simmering to trap steam and speed up cooking.
- Stir occasionally near the end of cooking to prevent scorching on the bottom.
- Start with less sugar than you think you need, then adjust once the apples are tender.
- For chunky applesauce, skip the blending step and leave the pieces mashed but rustic.
- For spiced applesauce, add a pinch of nutmeg, ginger, and cloves alongside the cinnamon.
- For maple applesauce, swap the brown sugar for maple syrup.
- For slow cooker applesauce, combine everything in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen applesauce overnight in the fridge, and reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in short microwave bursts, stirring in between.
- To can, process in a hot water bath following standard USDA guidelines for shelf-stable jars.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 23gSodium: 40mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin C: 4mg
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