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This homemade applesauce is perfectly sweet and tart. It has such a strong apple flavor, and it’s so easy to make.
I love applesauce, but I usually hate the kind you buy at the store. Most of the time it’s really bland, way too sweet, and pretty grainy. So instead of buying it, I just make homemade applesauce now. And it’s so much better! I grew up with my mom making applesauce from my grandparents apple trees every fall, but even with store bought apples, it is just so much better than the stuff in a jar.
The apples are obviously the star of this recipe. But it’s also packed with lemon juice and cinnamon, with just the right amount of sugar. It’s comforting, cozy, and a little tart, almost like a healthier apple pie. You’ve got to try making it.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Applesauce Recipe
This is one of those recipes that I’m always making. There’s usually a jar of homemade applesauce in my fridge. Here’s why I know you’ll love it as much as I do.
- Easy to make. This recipe is so easy. You only need a few ingredients, and you can practically make it in your sleep. There are no hard-to-follow instructions or difficult techniques in this applesauce recipe.
- Quick. Applesauce seems like a food that would take a long time to make. But that’s not the case with this recipe. It only takes 40 minutes from start to finish! So you can make this homemade applesauce anytime you’re craving it.
- Better than store-bought. I can’t even put into words how much better this applesauce is than the kind you’ll find at the store. It has a strong apple taste, instead of the diluted apple flavor in store-bought applesauce. And the lemon and cinnamon really shine. Unlike store-bought brands, this applesauce isn’t too sweet, either.
- Healthier. This applesauce is also so much healthier than the store-bought kind. It uses fresher apples, less sugar, and doesn’t have any weird ingredients in it.
Ingredients Needed
Here are all the ingredients that you’ll need to make applesauce at home.
- Apples – I think a mixture gives you the best taste
- Sugar
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Ground cinnamon
What Are The Best Apples For Applesauce?
When you make homemade applesauce, you want to use apples that are good for baking. I like to use a mixture of granny smith, gala, and pink lady apples. You can use any varieties you like, as long as they’re baking apples. Otherwise, the applesauce won’t have the right texture or flavor.
How to Make Homemade Applesauce
Here’s how to make this easy homemade applesauce recipe. It only takes 40 minutes!
- Prep the apples. Peel the apples, then cut them into bite-size pieces. Try to cut the apple pieces into similar sizes.
- Mix the ingredients. Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan, but don’t add all of the water.
- Cook. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the saucepan, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes until the apples are fork-tender. Stir the apples halfway through, and add more water if necessary.
- Take the lid off. Once the apples are tender, take the lid off the saucepan. Cook for about 5 more minutes so that the liquid can thicken.
- Mash. Remove the applesauce from the heat, and mash, blend, or puree the applesauce until it’s your desired thickness.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
Here are some of my go-to tricks for when I make this easy applesauce recipe.
- Don’t use overly-ripe apples. Sometimes it’s a good idea to use overly-ripe fruit when cooking or baking because they can have extra flavor and sweetness. Don’t do that with applesauce, because overly-ripe apples get grainy. The flavor might be nice, but your applesauce will be a funky texture if you use apples that are too ripe.
- Fresh lemon. When in doubt, it’s always best to use freshly-squeezed lemon juice instead of pre-squeezed juice. But it’s especially important in this recipe, where the lemon is such a prominent flavor.
- Adjust to your liking. The great thing about this recipe is that you can easily adjust it to your liking. Feel free to add more or less sugar, depending on how sweet you like your applesauce. You can adjust the lemon juice depending on how tart you like it, and add extra cinnamon if you want.
- Add more flavors. You can also add more flavors to your applesauce if you want. More fruits and berries are great in applesauce, and so is nutmeg, ginger, orange juice, and orange zest.
Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite ways to eat applesauce is to pour it on top of yogurt or next to Air Fryer Pork Chops. I also use it in place of store-bought applesauce when an ingredient calls for applesauce, such as in Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins, Peanut Butter and Jelly Baked Oatmeal, and Chocolate Applesauce Muffins.
How to Store Leftover Homemade Applesauce
Leftover applesauce will last for 5 days in the fridge. All you have to do is place the applesauce in an airtight container.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes, you can definitely freeze homemade applesauce. Let it cool completely, then place it in an airtight container in the freezer. It will last for a year.
More Easy Recipes With Apples
Apples are one of my favorite fruits. If you love them as much as I do, then check out some of these other great recipes with apples in them.
Homemade Applesauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds approximately 6 total apples – use any baking apples
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4-1/3 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel and chop all the apples. Try to cut the apples into consistently-sized pieces.
- Add the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar, and 1/4 cup of water to a saucepan.
- Bring the saucepan to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Put the lid on, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the apples are fork-tender. Stir the apples halfway through, and add more water if necessary.
- When the apples are tender, remove the lid and cook for about 5 more minutes, so the liquid can thicken.
- Remove the applesauce from the heat and mash, blend, or puree to your desired thickness.
Notes
- Store applesauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for a year.
- Don't use apples that are overly-ripe.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can this applesauce be canned?
Love applesauce! And sounds so easy to make it at home with your step by step recipe!
I love how easy this is to make! Thanks for sharing!