Homemade Applesauce

By Laurel Perry

Published May 15, 2024

This homemade applesauce recipe is so quick and easy to make, and tastes absolutely amazing! I love that it’s made with just 4 simple ingredients (apples, apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon) and no nasty additives. Plus, I can make it as chunky or as smooth as my kids like, which has been changing almost daily lately!

A bowl of homemade applesauce with cinnamon sticks and apples. - 5

I don’t know why I never thought of making homemade applesauce before. I’ve been buying the store-bought stuff for so long that it’s almost automatic for me to grab a couple of jars every time I go to the store. It’s so much cheaper to buy a big bag of apples and make it myself, though, and it tastes so much better!

What’s in This Homemade Applesauce Recipe?

Apples: You’ll need 4 pounds of apples for this recipe. Choose an apple variety that works well in cooking recipes. Try fuji, granny smith, or gala. Removing the peels results in a smoother sauce.
Apple Cider: Make sure to use apple cider, and not apple cider vinegar!
Sugar: Brown sugar adds a rich sweetness. The sweeter the apples are, the less sugar you will need.
Cinnamon: A whole cinnamon stick infuses this applesauce with warmth.

Tips for Success

Make sure to use perfectly ripe apples for the best texture.
Cook the apples over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. A gentle simmer ensures even cooking.
For a smoother applesauce, transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth.
Taste the sauce as you go. You can add more sweetener or spices if needed.
To prevent oxidation/browning, mix in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the finished sauce.
For a different method, try making applesauce in a Crockpot .

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover homemade applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy chilled, room temperature, or slightly warmed.

Freeze applesauce in small portions in airtight containers or Ziplock bags for up to 6 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

Applesauce in bowls with cinnamon sticks and apples. - 7

Serving Suggestions

This homemade applesauce recipe is so versatile, and it’s one of my favorite ways to use up apples. It swirls seamlessly into oatmeal , replaces oil in your favorite chocolate chip cookies , and adds a hint of sweetness to potato pancakes or pork chops . And it’s one of the best side dishes to serve with kids’ lunches or dinners –they always love it!

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 4 pounds apples peeled, cored, and cubed
▢ 1 cup apple cider — not apple cider vinegar!
▢ ¼-½ cup brown sugar
▢ 1 whole cinnamon stick

Video

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring it to a simmer. 4 pounds apples, 1 cup apple cider, ¼-½ cup brown sugar, 1 whole cinnamon stick
Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Discard the cinnamon stick and use a potato masher to mash the applesauce to your desired consistency.
Serve warm or refrigerate before serving.

Becky’s Tips

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Applesauce Step by Step

Simmer the Apples: Add 4 pounds of peeled, cored, and cubed apples; 1 cup of apple cider ( not apple cider vinegar!); ¼-½ cup of brown sugar (adjust to your personal tastes); and 1 whole cinnamon stick to a large pot. Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-low heat.

Cook to Tender: Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Sliced apples in a slow cooker on a gray surface. - 9

Mash the Sauce: Discard the cinnamon stick and use a potato masher to mash the applesauce to your desired consistency. Serve warm or refrigerate before serving.

A slow cooker filled with mashed potatoes. - 10

Yes! Homemade applesauce is low in calories, fat-free, and a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Although any kind of apple will work, I recommend you choose an apple variety that works well in cooking recipes, like fuji, granny smith, or gala.

For this recipe, we used 4 pounds of apples. This will yield about 2 quarts of applesauce.

Peeling the apples helps create a smoother sauce, since the peels are tougher and take longer to break down than the flesh.

Yes! As you prep the apples, remove any seeds you come across, since they can add an unpleasant flavor to the final sauce.

Time is your friend here. The longer you cook the applesauce, the thicker it will become. But if you’re feeling impatient, you can add a few spoons of flour or cornstarch to thicken it up more quickly.

If you use overly ripe fruit, it can cause your applesauce to turn out grainy. Make sure to use perfectly ripe apples for the best texture.

There are enzymes in apples that cause oxidation when they are exposed to air. This oxidation is what causes the sauce to turn brown. To prevent this, mix in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the finished sauce.

More Apple Recipes To Try

Apple Butter
Apple Chips
Caramel Apples
Baked Apples
Fried Apples
Apple Crisp
Apple Pie
Apple Cake

A bowl of applesauce with cinnamon sticks and apples. - 11

Homemade Applesauce Recipe

Ingredients

4 pounds apples peeled, cored, and cubed
1 cup apple cider – not apple cider vinegar!
¼-½ cup brown sugar
1 whole cinnamon stick

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring it to a simmer. 4 pounds apples, 1 cup apple cider, ¼-½ cup brown sugar, 1 whole cinnamon stick
Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Discard the cinnamon stick and use a potato masher to mash the applesauce to your desired consistency.
Serve warm or refrigerate before serving.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!