If there is one thing I can guarantee will disappear out of my fridge, it is this Homemade Applesauce Recipe! I have been making this exact recipe for years and it is highly requested in the fall. When it simmers on the stove it fills our house with the most amazing apple, cinnamon and clove scents. It makes a great cold snack right out of the fridge… but it also is INCREDIBLE warmed up and served over vanilla ice cream, especially if you make it a chunky applesauce!
One of the secrets to really good applesauce is using a mix of apple varieties. Each type brings it’s own flavor and when combined, they create a more complex and delicious taste. The other key is making sure you cook the apples long enough so you have soft applesauce, and it doesn’t turn out gritty.
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Ingredients For Applesauce
Assorted Apples – The best homemade applesauce is made with a combo of apple types. I like to sneak in a tart apple, with some different flavored sweet/crisp apples. Here are a few types that work really well in applesauce:
- Honey Crisp
- Granny Smith (just 1 or 2 for tartness)
- Gala
- Fuji
- Pink Lady
Water or Apple Cider – Just add 1.5 cups of water to the mixture. The apples will also release some juice as they cook. You don’t want to end up with watery applesauce. Also, you don’t want to over-dilute the natural pectin that the apples release (it helps keep the applesauce thick, instead of watery).
You can also SUB IN apple cider for the water, this will enhance the flavor quite a bit.
Lemon Juice – A little lemon juice helps to brighten up the flavor of your homemade applesauce. It also prevents the apples from browning.
Cinnamon and Clove – These are the two spices that pair perfectly with applesauce. Another spice you might like is star anise. You will add these during the second half of cooking, so the flavor is more pronounced in the final dish.
Kosher Salt – The salt content helps enhance the sweetness of the apples.
Brown Sugar – We opt for brown sugar instead of white sugar in this recipe. The molasses content in the brown sugar lends amazing flavor to the applesauce.
How To Make Homemade Applesauce
Step 1
Peel, core and cube the apples.
Step 2
Place in a pot with the water, lemon, and salt. Cook over medium low heat for 30 mins, with the lid on.
Step 3
Add in the brown sugar and spices simmer over low heat for another 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
Step 4
Puree to your desired consistency.
Storing and Freezing
Homemade Applesauce will actually keep in the fridge for quite a while. Let it cool, transfer it to an airtight container and you can keep it for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
You can also freeze homemade applesauce. It will be good in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight to use.
applesauce Recipe Tips
- Use a combo of apple types for the best flavor.
- Optionally sub apple cider for the water.
- Add the spices you like – if you like it to have a stronger cinnamon flavor, add more.
- Cut the apples into similar sizes so they cook in a similar amount of time.
- Make sure the apples are totally soft before you blend, or you may have “gritty” applesauce.
- Blend the applesauce to your desired consistency, or leave it in chunks!
More Recipes For Fresh Apples
Applesauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. Assorted Fresh Apples - pink lady, gala, fuji, granny smith, honey crisp
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- ⅓ cup brown sugar - packed, more as desired to taste
Instructions
- Peel, core and chop the apples into about 1 inch pieces. Keeping the pieces in similar size will help everything cook down at the same time.5 lbs. Assorted Fresh Apples
- Place the apples in a large pot with a lid, add in the water, lemon juice, and salt.1 ½ cups water, 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- Put the lid on and simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat to low, remove the lid and add in the brown sugar, cinnamon and clove.⅓ cup brown sugar
- Cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
PUREE
- If you have an immersion blender you can blend it to your desired consistency right in the pot.
- If you are using a blender or food processor, let the apple mixture cool a bit, then transfer to your blender and puree to your desired consistency.
SERVING
- The Apple Sauce is SO good served warm! It makes a great sweet side dish.
- It is also excellent served warm over ice cream.
- Pop it in the fridge and serve it cold as a great snack or side dish.
STORING
- Keep your Homemade Applesauce in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- You can also freeze the Applesauce for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- Use a combo of apple types for the best flavor.
- Optionally sub apple cider for the water.
- Add the spices you like – if you like it to have a stronger cinnamon flavor, add more.
- Cut the apples into similar sizes so they cook in a similar amount of time.
- Make sure the apples are totally soft before you blend, or you may have “gritty” applesauce.
- Blend the applesauce to your desired consistency, or leave it in chunks!
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