Making homemade apple sauce is easy and only requires a few ingredients. This Applesauce recipe, besides being a great way to use up any apples you may have lying around, is also easily adaptable to your taste – add more sugar if you like it sweeter, or add a dash of your favorite warm spice for extra flavor. For more Apple Inspired dessert recipes, check out this Apple Bread, Spiced Apple Muffins, Apple Galette, Apple Pie, and Dutch Apple Pie.🍏
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🍎What is Applesauce?
Applesauce is made by cooking apples with water, apple juice, or apple cider. The mixture is boiled to a puree, creating a smooth or chunky mixture. Any type of apple can be used to make applesauce, and you can even mix a variety of apples for a unique flavor. Applesauce can be sweet or slightly tangy, depending on the spices and ingredients added. For example, adding lemon juice gives applesauce a citrus flavor.
This flavor works well with tart apples. For spiced applesauce reminiscent of fall, you can add nutmeg and cinnamon to apples. In European countries, applesauce is often served with pork chops or potato pancakes. In North America, applesauce is served at barbecues with hamburgers and hot dogs. It is also a popular side dish at Thanksgiving dinner.
Applesauce Ingredients
Note: The full ingredients list is provided in the recipe card below.
- Apples: Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh are the best apples for cooking.
- Spices: When it comes to applesauce, there are a lot of different spices that can be used to add flavor. Cinnamon is a classic choice, but nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are also great options. In this recipe, I use cinnamon, but feel free to experiment with the other spices.
- Sugar: This Applesauce recipe calls for brown sugar, but you can use light brown sugar or granulated sugar. You can use maple syrup or honey as substitutes. For unsweetened applesauce, use less sugar or remove the sugar altogether.
- Lemon: Lemon juice protects the apples from oxidation, which keeps the slices from turning brown by acting as a barrier between the apple’s flesh and the air.
Tools You’ll Need
9×13-inch nonreactive baking dish
Heat-resistant silicone spatula or wooden Spoon
How to Make Applesauce
Note: The full instruction is provided in the recipe card below
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the juice of the lemon in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss them until combined. Pour the apple mixture into a 9×13-inch nonreactive baking dish. Pour the apple cider into the baking dish if using. Scatter the chunks of butter evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until all the apples are soft.
Alternatively, you can place all the ingredients into a large pot, set the stove to high heat, and stir the apples for a few minutes. As the mixture heats up and boils, cover the pot and let it cook on medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Mash or blend the apples until you reach your desired consistency. Use a potato masher or fork to break the cooked apples up by hand for chunky applesauce. For smoother applesauce, blend the cooked apples in a food processor, food mill, or immersion blender.
Substitutions
- Apples: Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh are the best apples for cooking.
- Spices: When it comes to applesauce, there are a lot of different spices that can be used to add flavor. Cinnamon is a classic choice, but nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are also great options. In this recipe, I use cinnamon, but feel free to experiment with the other spices.
- Sugar: This Applesauce recipe calls for brown sugar, but you can use light brown sugar or granulated sugar. You can use maple syrup or honey as substitutes. For unsweetened applesauce, use less sugar or remove the sugar altogether.
Variations
- Maple Cinnamon Applesauce: Use Maple syrup instead of brown sugar in this Applesauce recipe.
- Spiced Applesauce: Add 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.
- Apricot: Stir in 1/4 cup apricot preserves.
- Raspberry: Add 1 cup of fresh raspberries while the applesauce is still warm; mash slightly.
- Cranberry-Spice: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 cup dried cranberries while the applesauce is still warm.
How to Serve
Applesauce can be served warm right out of the baking dish or chilled from the refrigerator. If you’re serving your applesauce as a warm dessert, consider adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. If you’re serving your applesauce cold and want to add something extra, you can place a cinnamon stick on top for garnish.
How to Store
To store, place your leftover applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Homemade applesauce lasts 5 days in the refrigerator
Make Ahead
This easy Applesauce can be made ahead for 4 days ahead in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Freeze
Applesauce can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Tips for Making The Best Applesauce
- A mix of different types of apples will give the applesauce more flavor.
- Add lemon zest and apple cider to the apples to intensify the taste of the apples.
- Cut the apples into even pieces, so they cook evenly.
- Add sugar or spices to taste.
FAQ
Is applesauce healthy?
Applesauce is healthy and delicious. It contains antioxidants called phytochemicals. These antioxidants may help to reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Making fresh applesauce using the whole fruit, including the skin, helps ensure you get the most antioxidants possible.
What is apple sauce made of?
Apple sauce is a fruit-based sauce made from apples. The ingredients in apple sauce vary depending on the recipe but typically include apples, sugar, water, and spices.
How can I make my applesauce chunky?
Use a potato masher or fork to break the cooked apples up by hand for chunky applesauce.
How can I make my applesauce smoother?
For smoother applesauce, blend the cooked apples in a food processor, food mill, or immersion blender.
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Did you make this recipe?
📖 Recipe
How to Make Homemade Applesauce
Tools
- 9x13-inch nonreactive baking dish
- Heat-resistant silicone spatula or wooden Spoon
- Oven Mitts
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Tart apples such as Granny Smith apples
- 3 pounds sweet red apples , such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or golden delicious
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch chunks, optional
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar , packed or granulated sugar. (You can use maple syrup or honey as substitutes. For unsweetened applesauce, use less sugar or remove the sugar altogether.)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup apple cider , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the juice of the lemon in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss them until combined. Pour the apple mixture into a 9x13-inch nonreactive baking dish. Pour the apple cider into the baking dish if using. Scatter the chunks of butter evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until all the apples are soft.
- Alternatively, you can place all the ingredients into a large pot, set the stove to high heat, and stir the apples for a few minutes. As the mixture heats up and boils, cover the pot and let it cook on medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender.
- Mash or blend the apples until you reach your desired consistency. Use a potato masher or fork to break the cooked apples up by hand for chunky applesauce. For smoother applesauce, blend the cooked apples in a food processor, food mill, or immersion blender.
Notes
- How to Store: To store place your leftover applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Homemade applesauce lasts 5 days in the refrigerator
- Make Ahead: Applesauce can be made ahead for 4 days ahead in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- How to Freeze: Applesauce can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
