Why make homemade applesauce?
Homemade unsweetened applesauce does take some time, but is so worth it! It is way more flavorful and nutrient dense than store-bought and stays yummy about as long as store-bought applesauce. Every year our family picks our apples from our honey crisp tree and our Norland apple tree. We use some for applesauce, mulled apple cider, pie filling, tart filling, apple cobbler, and then eat the rest fresh. It’s a fun tradition! If you don’t have homegrown apples, you can still join us in our fall tradition and head to your nearest grocery store to buy 4 pounds of honey crisp apples or your favorite apples of choice to make this delicious and easy recipe.
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Ingredients & Substitutes
- Apples, peeled & cored (we like using honey crisp apples) *See notes. We love honey crisp apples from Costco. They are simply the best in sweet flavor and crispness. That being said, use whatever apples you like the most! If you like a more tart apple, then Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Pink Lady apples may be your ideal apples of choice. But if you like a bit of tartness mixed in with some sweetness, then Golden Delcious, Braeburn, and Red Delicious may be your favorite. And if you’re like me and you love a super sweet apple, then honey crisp, Gala, Norland, and Fuji are great options to meet your expectations.
- water.
- lemon juice, OR apple cider vinegar.
How to make Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce
To make homemade unsweetened applesauce, begin by putting your apples, water, and lemon juice into a large pot on medium high temperature. Cover with a lid.
Bring to a rolling boil and then continue cooking on medium low for 30-40 mins, or till apples are very soft.
Pour the apples into a blender and blend till smooth. However, if you like your applesauce chunky, mash with a potato masher.
While still hot, pour your applesauce into mason jars and put on an airtight pop lid. Since the liquid is hot, the lid should pop down and be fresh on your shelf, till you open it. Once opened, it is good for 1-2 weeks in your fridge.
Other Apple Recipes
Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce — Allergy Friendly
An applesauce recipe that can be made chunky, smooth, with or without peels, and can be made citrus free! We love to harvest our apples from our tree every year and make this to store in our pantry. It’s so delicious! This recipe makes 48 oz applesauce.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 48oz 1x
Ingredients
- 4 pounds of apples, peeled & cored (we like using honey crisp apples) *See notes
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp lemon juice, OR apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Put your apples, water, and lemon juice into a large pot on medium high temperature. Cover with a lid.
- Bring to a rolling boil and then continue cooking on medium low for 30-40 mins, or till apples are very soft.
- Pour the apples into a blender and blend till smooth. However, if you like your applesauce chunky, mash with a potato masher.
- While still hot, pour your applesauce into mason jars and put on an airtight pop lid. Since the liquid is hot, the lid should pop down and be fresh on your shelf, till you open it. Once opened, it is good for 1-2 weeks in your fridge.
Notes
*If you plan to blend your applesauce into a fine purée, you can leave on the skins and will not taste them in the end. The skins are also full of nutrients, so I try to save the skin when I can! But, if you plan to make chunky applesauce, I recommend peeling your apples for a good consistency.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40