Homemade Applesauce Recipe for Canning or Fresh Eating

This homemade applesauce recipe is the one I have been making since I was a child. It’s easy.

So many people look at me in surprise when they hear that I make applesauce instead of buying it at the store.

It has simply never occurred to them to wonder how to make applesauce, they’re so used to buying it at the supermarket.

I’m here to tell you that this applesauce recipe is easy and well worth it.

I grew up on an apple farm. When one grows up on an apple farm, one gets a bit picky about applesauce. It should be nice and chunky, with lots of cinnamon, and it must be made from Gravenstein apples.

Of course, that last rule is entirely flexible depending upon your preferences, but I assure you that Gravenstein apples are the best.

My applesauce recipe doesn’t require any measuring. How simple is that? 

No need for perfection

You’ll save a substantial amount of money if you track down a farmer who is willing to sell you her culls or seconds.

These apples are bruised or blemished, but perfectly fine for turning into homemade applesauce. Just trim out the bad parts and use the rest.

Homemade applesauce recipe

There’s a recipe below, complete with measurements. In reality, though? You don’t need to measure. You can easily make a batch of applesauce to suit your needs.

I’ve made this in a huge stock pot. I’ve made a small batch of homemade applesauce in a saucepan.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Peel, core, and cut apples into roughly 1″ chunks. Use enough apples to fill your chosen pot. Use a saucepan for a small batch or a stock pot for a large batch.

2. Pour apple juice into your pot to a depth of about 1″ for a small batch, 2″ for a large batch.

3. Cover your pot and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally until apples become tender. Use a potato masher to break them up until your sauce reaches desired consistency.

Alternatively, you can do this in your slow cooker. Same drill: Fill the slow cooker with apple chunks, put about an inch of apple juice in the bottom, and cook on low all day.

4. Stir in plenty of cinnamon. I don’t use sugar, but if you like your applesauce sweeter, by all means stir some in.

5. Serve warm or chilled, or proceed with canning steps below.

Related:

• Grandma’s Apple Pie Recipe From Scratch
• Gluten Free Apple Crisp Recipe Fresh from the Farm
• Skillet Apple Pie: How to Make Apple Pie in Cast Iron

Preserving your applesauce

This recipe can be processed in a water bath canner to make it shelf stable. (See instructions below.)

If you’ve got more than you can use but don’t want to go through the canning process, you can freeze it, too.

We eat this homemade applesauce by the bowlful, but if you’re looking for more ways to use canned applesauce, check out these sweet and savory ideas!

 ★ Did you make this homemade applesauce recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★

4 from 2 votes

Print

Homemade Applesauce Recipe

This fresh applesauce recipe is easy to make at home when apples are in season

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 24 1/4 cup servings

Calories 36 kcal

Author Kris Bordessa

Ingredients

• 3 cups apple juice or water
• 8 cups apples chopped
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Peel, core, and cut apples into roughly 1" chunks. 

2. Combine apples and apple juice (or water) in a large stock pot. 

3. SHORTCUT: You can skip measuring the ingredients entirely and simply fill a pot with apple chunks. Add juice or water to a depth of about 2" and cook as directed. 

4. Cover the pot and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally until apples become tender. Use a potato masher to break them up until your sauce reaches desired consistency. 

5. Stir in cinnamon.

6. Serve warm or chilled, or proceed with canning steps below. 

   
   

   If you've got more than you can use but don't want to go through the canning process, you can freeze it, too.

Home canning your applesauce

1. Ladle hot applesauce into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. 

2. Wipe rims with a damp cloth (to assure a good seal), screw lids on, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. (Click through for a complete tutorial on water bath canning if you’ve never done it before.)

Recipe Notes

Alternatively, you can do this in your slow cooker. Same drill: Fill the slow cooker with apple chunks, put about an inch of apple juice in the bottom, and cook on low all day.

_____________________________________

This applesauce recipe can be made with varying amounts of apples. See text above for more.

This post was originally published in August, 2013. Updated, August 2018.