No Sugar Added Homemade Applesauce
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An applesauce recipe that’s full of flavor and not loaded with added sugars. This recipe is a staple in our home and soon to be yours too!
Creating this applesauce recipe
Hi!! I have been MIA forever it seems like! I went to the CAND Annual Conference and the night I got home, my 93-year-old grandmother took a fall and the ambulance rushed her to ER. Thankfully everything is OK and she’s being transferred to a facility where she will receive 24 hour care.
Then the next day, I had a minor surgery on my wrist to remove a ganglion cyst. That sucker hurt and I hope it does not come back! All last week I was in recovery mode, and this week the stitches come out so I am happy about that.
For some weird reason I have been craving applesauce — during my recovery time it has basically been the only thing I’ve wanted to blog about next.
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. 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.
Homemade applesauce ingredients
You guys won’t believe how insanely easy this applesauce recipe is! To make stovetop applesauce, all you need is:
- Apples
- Spices (I used cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves)
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Orange juice
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon sticks (optional)
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.
How to make this homemade applesauce recipe
- To make this unsweetened applesauce, simply peel and core the apples and then slice them. Cutting them into large chunks works well.
- Add the apple slices/chunks to a large pot and throw in the rest of the ingredients. Place lid on and set a timer!
- Cook everything together on low heat until the apples break down, stirring occasionally.
- You want to make sure you stir so the bottom doesn’t burn and also to prevent apples from sticking to the bottom.
- I like my applesauce on the chunkier side and mash it a few times using a potato masher.
- If you prefer smooth applesauce you can easily puree it using an immersion blender. Or, you can (very carefully!) puree the hot applesauce in a food processor or blender.
Can you freeze applesauce?
Yes, applesauce freezes really well! To freeze applesauce, 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 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!
More easy apple recipes:
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No Sugar Added Homemade Applesauce
Ingredients
- 10-12 apples* (I recommend a mix of Pink Lady & Granny Smith)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon (, ground)
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (, ground)
- 1/2 tsp. cloves (, ground)
- 1 lemon (, juiced)
- 1 cup water (, filtered)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice ((optional) Use more water if you prefer not to use.)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- cinnamon sticks (optional )
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
- Peel all of the apples and cut each apple into large chunks. Place apple pieces in a large pot on the stove over medium heat and add in all of the remaining ingredients. Cover with lid.
- Cook on low-medium heat until apples break down, ~30-45 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally. Remove cinnamon sticks when applesauce has finished cooking.
- Mash apples with a potato masher for a chunky consistency. For a smoother consistency, puree the applesauce in a food processor or with an immersion blender.
- Enjoy cooled down or warm! Store in fridge.
Video
Notes
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.
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.
Hi! My 3 year old daughter has been asking to make homemade applesauce so we are going to make this recipe this weekend! Can I ask how long it stays good for in the fridge? Thank you!
yay! thank you! up to 1 week. 🙂
This is my go-to recipe for applesauce. I love it and so do my friends and family. We like that there is no sugar, yet it is amazingly flavorful and sweet! I have a lot of apple trees and can a lot of this applesauce. Sometimes I make it with all the spices listed, other times I just add the cinnamon. I also sometimes add tangerine juice. The recipe as written tastes fantastic also.
thank you soo much!! 🙂
This was so easy and came out great! We absolutely loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I am so glad! Thank you so much!