No Sugar Added Homemade Applesauce
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What do you get when you mix sweet, crisp, juicy apples with warm, cozy spices, a bit of both lemon and orange juice, and some vanilla extract? This delicious No Sugar Added Homemade Applesauce!
Homemade Applesauce is a perfect low-fuss dish to have on hand for busy mornings, after-school snacks, or for when late night sweet treat cravings hit. We love this recipe in my home, especially in the fall when I’m craving all things apple, pumpkin, and maple.
Table Talk with Tawnie
This recipe is a staple in our home and soon to be yours too! I love having a homemade applesauce recipe that’s full of flavor and not loaded with added sugars. I think homemade applesauce is so fun to make because it fills the house with a wonderful cinnamon-y smell and you can pretty much eat it at breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert – whenever you want! If you’re feeling crazy, a little bit of this applesauce warmed up with some vanilla bean ice cream is h.e.a.v.e.n!
Ingredient Notes
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Apples: I recommend using a mix of 2-3 different kinds of apples. I like to use Pink Lady and Granny Smith.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves bring so much flavor and warmth to this applesauce. It’s amazing what a tiny amount of these spices can do for the overall flavor!
- Lemon juice: The acidity of the lemon juice balances the sweetness of the apples and helps the applesauce last longer in the fridge.
- Water: Helps to thin the applesauce and make it the desired texture and consistency after mashing the apples.
- Orange juice: Has a mellow sweetness that deepens the flavor of the applesauce without needing to add any extra sugar. The liquid also helps with the consistency of the applesauce.
- Vanilla extract: The secret ingredient that makes this No Sugar Added Applesauce so delicious. Vanilla enhances the natural sweetness of the apples, balances the tartness from the lemon and orange juice, and adds a warm, cozy aroma that pairs perfectly with spices.
- Cinnamon sticks: These are totally optional, but they add extra depth of flavor when boiling the apples.
For the best flavor, make sure you’re using freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice. The pre-bottled stuff isn’t nearly as good, and buying an extra orange and lemon at the grocery store won’t run up your bill too much.
What are the best apples for applesauce?
You can use any apple you’d like in this homemade applesauce. I like to use a combination of apples.
Personally, I prefer firmer, slightly tart apples in my homemade applesauce (think: Pink Lady and Granny Smith). You should also feel free to use a blend of apples when making this recipe. 2-3 different kinds of apples is the perfect amount!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Prepare the Apples
Peel, core, and chop the apples into evenly sized chunks for even cooking.
Combine Ingredients & Cook
In a Dutch oven, add the chopped apples, and all remaining ingredients except the vanilla. Bring the mixture to a boil, then once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for ~25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft and breaking down.
Mash or Blend
Remove from heat. Discard the cinnamon sticks, if used. For chunky applesauce, mash the apples with a potato masher. For a smoother texture, blend with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches.
Finish with Vanilla
Stir in the vanilla extract. Taste and adjust spices, if desired.
Serve or Store
Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.
Can you freeze applesauce?
Yes, homemade applesauce freezes really well! To freeze, let it cool to room temperature before dividing it amongst freezer-safe containers or bags. When you’re ready to eat the frozen applesauce, let it thaw in your fridge overnight.
Can I sweeten my applesauce?
Of course! But if you use in-season apples you likely don’t need to add sweetener. If you do use a sweetener, I highly recommend using pure maple syrup. It has a rich flavor that perfectly complements the sweet apples.
Tips for the best homemade applesauce recipe
- You can make this unsweetened applesauce in a slow cooker or on the stove. I just decided to use the stove this time for faster cooking.
- I like to make my homemade applesauce with both cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon, but you can omit the cinnamon sticks if you don’t have any on hand.
- This applesauce recipe is easily customized to suit your own tastes, so have fun with the spices!
- You can use homemade applesauce in so many different ways — as a pancake topping, a smoothie ingredient, in BBQ sauce, served with a scoop of ice cream or mixed into your oatmeal! It’s tasty warm or cold — whatever you prefer!
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No Sugar Added Homemade Applesauce
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds apples (a mix of Pink Lady and Granny Smith recommended) (peeled, cored, and chopped )
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional, for added depth of flavor)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prepare the Apples: Peel, core, and chop the apples into evenly sized chunks for even cooking.3-4 pounds apples (a mix of Pink Lady and Granny Smith recommended)
- Combine Ingredients: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add the chopped apples, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, lemon juice, water, and orange juice. Add cinnamon sticks, if desired.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, Juice of 1 lemon, 1 cup filtered water, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- Cook: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for ~25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft and breaking down. Start Timer
- Mash or Blend: Remove from heat. Discard the cinnamon sticks, if used. For chunky applesauce, mash the apples with a potato masher. For a smoother texture, blend with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches.
- Finish with Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract. Taste and adjust spices, if desired. Feel free to add 1-3 Tbsp maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar if you want it a bit sweeter or if your apples are really tart and don’t mind a little added sugar!1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Serve or Store: Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- You can use any apple(s) you’d like in this homemade applesauce. I like using a blend or two or three different varieties.
- As the apples are cooking, if they need more liquid, add more water or orange juice.
- Storage:
- Let the applesauce cool completely before storing.
- Transfer to airtight containers or glass jars with lids.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 7–10 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This recipe was originally posted in December 2019. It was updated with new photos and additional tips and tricks in September 2025.
📸 Photography by Marie Dubé
Third time in a week making this! Really easy and delicious! ☺️
I love it!! Thank you!!
We had a surplus of apples. This recipe was perfect! With a 8 month old and a 3 year old it was delicious without adding any sugar. The recipe was clear and simple! Thank you for another great one!
I am so glad this recipe came in handy! Did you babies love it?! I thought mine would but I can’t get either of them to try it haha!
Apples vary in size dramatically. It would be helpful if you posted the amount of apples in pounds or cups. Thank you
Hi Donna! I’m actually in the process of updating this post and that was one of the things I am adding to the recipe card. It should be about 3 lbs.
I am giving 5 stars because I can make with or without sweetener. I did not have all the ingredients in the recipe and substituted mandarin for orange, used store bought lemon juice and used ginger instead of cloves. I used 2 tsp of maple syrup. This is a great recipe, will definitely be making this again!
So glad you loved this one, Carla! 🫶🏻
This is such an awesome recipe! Literally the best applesauce I’ve ever tasted. I used a combination of pink lady and Granny Smith apples, and then at the end I actually added about 3 tbsp of maple syrup and it added a nice flavor.
Sounds perfect! thank you so much 🙂
Very good recipe and easy to make, I used gala and Fuji as they are what I had on hand, next time I might cut the cloves in half or omiit them all together, still very solid recipe, thanks
Thank you so much! 🙂
I left the peels on while I cut the apples into slices. My grandson made this into his main course at his birthday dinner and I sent what I had made for leftovers to freeze home with him. He ate it the following day and has asked for more. I added a slice of organic lemon peel to the cooking process and removed at completion. I have made new batches and frozen several containers for use over winter.
Delicious and easy to put together. I only had Cox apples that were quite sour so I added a tiny bit of jaggery to balance the flavours, and it worked out just right. We had this as a side with roast pork and it was delightful! Thanks for a great recipe!
Can I “can” this applesauce recipe? I have an abundance of apples from my tree that fell during a storm and want to be able to make something with them that I can easily store.
I have not tried but I don’t see why not 🙂
Hello,
Can I use the whole apple? Should I puree the peels vs blending after cooking?
Hello! You can leave the skin on if preferred. Maybe use a fine mesh strainer to remove the skin if you don’t want it in your applesauce.