Make Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce with 2 ingredients in 30 minutes! You'll never want to reach for the store-bought version again!
And if you use red apples, the applesauce will be pink!
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably have learned that I joke about being a 'wannabe homesteader,' lol. Making applesauce is the perfect example.
When I'm making this homemade unsweetened applesauce recipe, I feel pretty self-sufficient. It's not hard, but it sounds pretty impressive if you ask me. 😉
I've been making my own applesauce since I was in college (over 20 years ago, yikes!). At the time, I preferred chunky applesauce and had a lot more time on my hands. So, I would peel the apples, cook them on the stovetop, then mash them with a fork.
Over the years I've learned how to cook much more efficiently. My mother-in-law first taught me how to make smooth applesauce using a food mill. Then a few years later a friend suggested that I use my Vitamix to turn cooked apples into applesauce. Genius!
In fact, the smooth consistency of this applesauce allows it to be more versatile than chunky applesauce, especially when it comes to baking.
Speaking of baking, have you made my Apple Oatmeal Bake yet? It calls for both applesauce and chopped apple. It's so good!
I just love cooking with real fruit! Now let me show you how to make your own homemade applesauce! 🤩
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe Even though this is a basic applesauce recipe, it tastes so much better than the store-bought verson. You literally just cook the apples in water and blend them.
- No added sugar Sweet apples make sweet applesauce while tart apples (like Granny Smith) make tart applesauce. Makes sense, right? 🙂 Seriously though, use sweet apples or a combination of apples that includes sweet apples, so you get a nice level of sweetness with no added sugar.
- Kid-Approved Unsweetened applesauce makes a healthy snack that kids love. Here where I live, it's also common to serve homemade applesauce as a side dish with dinner. I used to think it was strange, but now it makes complete sense. Afterall, eating applesauce is a delicious way to help meet your fiber needs.
- Two ingredients This applesauce recipe is made with apples and water, that's it. There's no need to add lemon juice, ascorbic acid, sugar, or other 'added sweeteners'. 🤩
- Perfect for meal prep This is a great recipe for meal prepping because it makes about 8 cups of applesauce. Once cooled, store it in airtight, freezer-safe containers (you can even use ice cube tray) and freeze for up to a few months.
Dietitian Tips
Any apple can be used to make applesauce. Still, it's important to remember that apples vary in color, texture, level of sweetness, and cost.
And, because there is no sugar added, this applesauce will only be as sweet as the kind of apples you are using. Feel free to use a variety of apples. These apples work especially well for making applesauce: Cortland, Jonagold, Fui, Golden Delicious apples, and Gala apples.
One more tip: don't be fooled by applesauce recipes labeled as "sugar-free applesauce". Apples right from a tree naturally contain sugar (fructose). So, while 'no added sugar' is possible, to call an applesauce recipe made with real apples "sugar-free" is misleading.
Ingredient Notes
Apples That's it! Good apples are the main ingredient. In my opinion, homemade applesauce tastes the best when it's just made with apples and water! Apples are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. They also contain phytochemicals and pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber.
How to Make Unsweetened Applesauce
Here's a quick overview of how to make homemade applesauce. For the full list of ingredients and specific instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Wash, core, and slice the apples.
- Place water and apple slices in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for about 10 minutes, until the apples are mushy.
- Either use an immersion blender to smooth out the apple mixture OR carefully pour apples and water into a high-powered blender that can handle hot liquid. I use my Vitamix for this step.
- Let cool. Serve and enjoy OR store for later use.
How to Serve Applesauce
Here in Pennsylvania, applesauce is often served with just about every meal. I thought it was strange at first, but now I get it! Little did I know that applesauce goes with so much more than just pork chops! 😆
Applesauce is a great way to add fruit to meals. It can be eaten alone or used in a variety of recipes. Here are some of my favorite ways to use and serve applesauce.
- Topped with granola I know it sounds strange, but some people love it this way! There are so many ways to eat granola, try it with applesauce!
- Packed in school lunches I often pack applesauce in school lunches for my kids. The key is to pack it in leak-proof lunch containers.
- As a side with dinner Applesauce goes well with almost any meal. My family especially loves it served with roasted pork tenderloin and lasagna.
- Topped with dash of cinnamon Served as dessert or light snack.
- Mixed in with plain yogurt.
- As a dip for corn chips My husband especially likes to eat corn chips with applesauce. 🤷♀️
Helpful Tips
- Scrub the apples as you wash them. I like to use a fruit and veggie scrub cloth to wash apples.
- Use an apple slicer to save time coring the apples.
- The amount of water you add will affect the end result. You can always add more water to thin out the applesauce, but you won't be able to drain it if you add too much water.
- For chunky applesauce, peel the apples first. Then, when the apples start to get mushy, use a potato masher to achieve your desired consistency.
- Softer apples will cook quicker than hard apples.
- Use red apples to make pink applesauce.
- Adjust the amount of water, as needed, to achieve your desired level of thickness. My family prefers applesauce thinner than a few other families that we know who make their own applesauce. If you'd like thin applesauce, add a little bit of water at a time until you get your desired consistency.
- You can use a slow cooker to cook the apples, but it will take much longer.
- Because there is no sugar added, the applesauce will only be as sweet as the apples you are using.
- Let the apple and water mixture cool completely first if you are using a blender or food processor that is not made to blend hot liquids.
- Be very careful when transferring and blending the hot apple and water mixture. I use a two-cup liquid measuring cup for this step.
- Let the applesauce cool to room temperature before serving or storing it.
Questions You May Have
Let the applesauce cool completely. Pour the applesauce into airtight containers and place them in the refrigerator or freezer. I wash the jars my honey comes in and reuse them to refrigerate applesauce. For freezing, use freezer-safe food storage containers. If using freezer-safe resealable bags, squeeze as much air out as possible before placing the bag of applesauce into the freezer.
Applesauce can be served as a snack or alongside any meal. My kids especially like applesauce served with lasagna, turkey burgers, pork tenderloin, and even packed in school lunches. Kids also love this applesauce mixed in with plain yogurt - so good!
Yes! My mother-in-law introduced me to this method of storing applesauce. The applesauce needs to be completely cooled. Then, pour it into freezer-safe containers with an airtight lid and store in the freezer.
📖 Recipe
Unsweetened Applesauce
Equipment
- Large Glass Measuring Cup
Ingredients
- 5.5 pounds apples washed well
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Core and slice apples.
- Place apple slices and water in a Dutch oven or large pot.5.5 pounds apples, ¾ cup water
- Cook on medium-high heat on the stove.
- Stir the apples as the cook.
- Cook until the apples are mushy, and skins separate from the apple. Remove from heat.
- Carefully place apple and water mixture into a blender that is made for blending hot food. Blend in batches if needed. I use a Vitamix blender.
- Gradually work up the speed of the blender and blend on high for thirty seconds to one minute, or until the desired consistency is reached.
- Pour into airtight food storage containers and let cool. If your applesauce is still very hot or your food storage containers are not made for hot food, let the applesauce cool first.
- Place lids on storage containers and place in the refrigerator.
- Serve or bake and enjoy!
Notes
- The applesauce will only be as sweet as the apples you are using. Cortland, Gala, Jonagold, Fui, and Golden Delicious apples are all good options.
- Softer apples will cook faster.
- If you want pink applesauce, use red apples. I almost always use Cortland apples to make applesauce.
- If your blender is not made to blend hot foods, allow the softened apple and water mixture to cool first, before blending.
- Be very careful when transferring the hot apples and water mixture. I use a glass two or four-cup measuring cup to do this.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the apples as they cook. This is to help the apples cook evenly and it prevents apples from burning to the bottom of the pan.
- For best results, use a high-speed blender that is made to blend hot food. You can try using an emersion blender, but the consistency won't be as smooth as when using a high-speed blender.
- Adjust the amount of water to achieve your desired level of thickness.
Leave a Reply