Homemade applesauce is such a simple pleasure! It’s super easy to make and it has a flavor reminiscent of apple pie with fresh apples. We make ours with no sugar and use apples, honey and cinnamon. You’ll be amazed you never made this any sooner, it’s that good!
No Canning Applesauce
This recipe is a no canning recipe. That’s a good thing because it’s so good you’ll probably just eat the entire bowl in a day or two! Basically a no canning applesauce means you make it in a pot on the stovetop, transfer it to a bowl, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (I.e. you don’t can it). If you want an applesauce recipe for canning, here’s a good one!
Best Apples to Use for Applesauce
Homemade applesauce is only as good as the apples you use. The best apples for applesauce balance sweetness and tartness. I used honeycrisp, they’re super juicy with a crisp texture and have a great balance of sweet and tart.
Applesauce Ingredients
Our applesauce only requires 3 ingredients! We opted out of using sugar because we try to do that whenever we can (my 4 year old just doesn’t need any extra energy!). I honestly think using honey made for better flavor than using sugar. The apples are sweet enough on their own, and by using honey, we enhance their flavor versus overpower it. I want to be able to taste the apples in my applesauce!
- Apples
- Honey
- Cinnamon
Some recipes add lemon juice for a touch of brightness, I like mine to taste like pure apples. If you choose to add lemon, I recommend 1 tsp and a the zest of 1 lemon.
Preparing Apples for Applesauce
Give them a really good wash, dry them, and then peel the apples.
- Peeling them is a pain, there is no way around it.
- I used a potato peeler, but you could also get the old school kind like this if you plan on making applesauce more often.
- You CAN make applesauce with the peels on, they do add some fiber. I don’t love the look of peels in my applesauce, and they can be a little bit tough if you have smaller kids.
- Once the apples are peeled rough chop them into 1-2 inch pieces. You’ll want the apple pieces to be about the same size so they cook at the same rate.
Cooking Apples
Add the diced apples to a pot, along with the honey and cinnamon. We’ll add about 1 cup of water to help break them down into a sauce. The water also helps steam them resulting in a soft, saucy texture.
If you want to add more flavor to your applesauce, you could use any type of juice instead of water. Orange, apple, cranberry, pineapple, etc.
As the apples cook, they’ll go through a few stages.
- First they soften, then the start to resemble apple pie apples, then they’ll start to soften.
- This process takes about 20 minutes for them to go from crisp chopped apples, to apples being ready to be mashed for applesauce. Make sure they get soft enough to mash, don’t get impatient! Says the queen of impatient…
Mashing Apples
Once the apples are soft and mashable in texture, remove them from heat and let them cool for about 5-10 minutes. If you have a ground meat masher, they work great for mashing up apples for applesauce! Using the back of a wooden spoon also works really well. The texture of the applesauce is totally up to the discretion of the cook. If you like it chunky, mash it less. If you like it smooth, mash it more. You could use an immersion blender if you really wanted it smooth like the store bought kind.
Once the applesauce is mashed, it’ ready to eat! Super easy, right? Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. If you’re a fellow toddler mom, you could also buy some refillable pouches. There are a ton of options on Amazon.
Recipes that Pair with Applesauce
The range of recipes that pair well with applesauce is a pretty wide net. I’ve put this on vanilla ice cream, and on meat. It’s also good just on its own! Here’s a few suggestions.
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Enjoy your homemade applesauce! – Kathi and Rachel
Homemade Applesauce
Ingredients
- 6 apples (peeled & cored)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- After peeling and coring apples, dice them into 1-2 inch chunks (ensure similar size for even cooking). Place apples in medium sized stovetop pot.
- Add honey, cinnamon and water to apples. Cover with let, and turn stove to medium heat.
- Allow apples to cook for 20 minutes, or until they lightly fall apart when picked up with a fork.
- Remove apples from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before mashing. Mash apples to your liking (smooth or chunky texture).
- Allow to fully cool before storing in refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container with a lid. Enjoy!
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