This Applesauce Recipe has amazing fresh apple flavor, is so simple to make, and can be made either smooth or chunky. Surprisingly, my kids won’t touch storebought applesauce, but they can’t resist refills when it’s homemade.
Read on to see how to make applesauce and I’ll include canning tips for longer storage.
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We love fresh apples but we love baking with them even more. We think they taste better baked into Apple Crisp, or as Apple Turnovers with flaky puff pastry, and we can’t resist a warm bowl of this homemade applesauce recipe since it tastes just like the filling from our favorite Apple Pie.
The Best Applesauce Recipe
My parents have several apple trees and they always produce way too many apples to eat, so we make tons of applesauce. It’s easy to make a large batch (this recipe makes 8 pints or 16 cups), and if you use very ripe apples, you don’t even need to sweeten them.
Pro Tip:
This applesauce recipe is a great way to use up overripe apples. If you use very ripe apples, you may not even need to add extra sugar. This is why we wait until the end of the season when the apples are starting to get soft.
The Best Apples for Homemade Applesauce Recipe
Since applesauce cooks down to almost a puree, the type of apple you use is not critical, but experimenting with different apples is a fun way to change up the flavor which is something you can’t really get in store-bought applesauce.
These Golden Delicious apples came from my parent’s tree, but you can use any apple really. The best apples for this applesauce recipe are ripe apples and if you have overripe apples – that’s even better! The riper they are, the less sugar you need to add.
The Fastest Way to Peel Apples
If you have access to a bunch of apples and love to bake with apples, you need this apple peeler in your life. I loved mine so much that I bought a second one for my Mom who taught me how to make this applesauce recipe. An apple peeler not only quickly peels the apples (without any waste), but it also cores and slices all in one swoop.
How to Make Applesauce
This process couldn’t be easier, especially if you have an apple peeler. Once you have the apples on the stove, you’ll just let them simmer and putter away for a while before blending.
- Prep Apples – Peel, core, and slice apples.
- Simple Syrup – In a large stockpot, add 1 1/2 cups water and 2 Tbsp sugar (optional) and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
- Add sliced apples, return to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The apples will shrink down. Mash or puree apples to the desired consistency.
- Serve sprinkled with cinnamon.
Chunky Applesauce or Smooth?
The right consistency for applesauce is completely personal preference and so the beauty of this homemade applesauce recipe is you can choose.
- For smooth consistency: use an immersion blender or an electric hand mixer at the end, or transfer to a food processor to reach your desired texture.
- For chunky applesauce: you can mash it up with a potato masher or just stir with a whisk to keep some of the chunky texture.
Make-Ahead
Our homemade Applesauce recipe keeps well when refrigerated, frozen or canned (see instructions for canning below).
- To Refrigerate: cool completely and then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: Cool completely and package in freezer-safe zip bags leaving a little room for expansion. for up to 3 months
- To Reheat: Thaw in the fridge or by running the bagged applesauce under cold water. Once thawed, use within a week.
How to Can Applesauce
Easily store this applesauce recipe for up to a year. If canned properly, our applesauce recipe will have a shelf life of about 1 year. If you are new to water bath canning, you’ll love this canning kit, and be sure to read up on the canning process in detail here.
- First, wash and sterilize 8 pint-sized jars and lids
- Use a funnel to transfer piping hot applesauce into each sterilized jar, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Wipe the rims clean with a paper towel. Cover with lid and tighten the lid to secure (don’t overtighten).
- Carefully transfer jars using a jar lifter to a canning pot and process in boiling water for 20 minutes with the water going 1 to 2 inches above the jars.
- Carefully remove jars and let them cool to room temperature until lids suction in and seal. If the jars did not seal correctly, refrigerate and enjoy within 2 weeks.
Delicious Ways to Serve Applesauce
Of course, you can enjoy this applesauce with a spoon as an irresistible snack, but you can take it a step further and enjoy it with these great recipes:
- Side Dish – easy way to add a fruit side to banana pancakes, waffles, or any breakfast. Also, try a dollop as a side dish with Pork Chops or as a traditional side for Potato Latkes.
- Steel Cut Oats – swirl it into a hot bowl of oats
- Overnight Oats – serve applesauce as a topping or on the side
- Substitute for Eggs – Try 1/4 cup applesauce in place of an egg in a baking recipe. Try it in our Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Swap for Butter or Oil – substitute applesauce for half the butter in baked goods as we did with our Healthier Carrot Cake, or substitute 1:1 with oil. (Tip: Replace either the eggs or the oil, not both in one recipe)
Pro Tip:
When replacing oil, butter, or eggs with applesauce in a recipe, be sure to substitute only one or half of the ingredients with applesauce to maintain the same texture of the food.
More Apple Recipes to Love
If you love apples as much as we do, check out some of our most popular apple recipes below. You’re sure to find a new favorite here:
- Apple Pie
- Apple Fritters
- Rice Pudding with Apples
- Apple Cake
- Baked Apples
- Sauteed Apples
- Caramel Apples
- Apple Banana Muffins
- Carrot, Apple and Walnut Salad
- Apple Crisp
Easy Homemade Applesauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 lbs apples, very ripe (any variety)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, (optional), or add to taste
- cinnamon, (optional), to serve
Instructions
How to Make Applesauce:
- Peel, core and slice all of the apples.
- Into a large stockpot, add 1 1/2 cups water and 2 Tbsp sugar. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Add all of the sliced apples, reduce heat to low then cover with lid and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Mash apples to desired consistency, using either a potato masher, an immersion blender, or an electric hand mixer.
- Once applesauce is at room temperature, serve with cinnamon if desired. Refrigerate, freeze, or can for longer storage.
To Can Applesauce:
- Wash and sterilize 8 pint-sized jars and lids. Use a ladle and funnel to pour hot applesauce into sterilized jars. Wipe the jar rims clean with a paper towel.
- Fill a large canning pot 1/3 full with water and bring to a boil. Place applesauce jars into the hot water, making sure they are covered by 1-2 inches of water. Return to a boil and process for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the water using a jar lifter and place them right side up until they reach room temperature and lid suctions in and seals. The lids should not pop when sealed correctly. If any jars do not form the seal, refrigerate and enjoy within 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Which apples are the best for this, to many different kinds.
Hi Mariann. See the section in the blog post above titled, “The Best Apples for Homemade Applesauce Recipe.”