Find the right one for snacking, baking and more.
Browse varietiesFind the right one for snacking, baking and more.
Browse varieties
Homemade applesauce takes about half an hour and tastes nothing like the jarred kind. Soft, sweet apples cook down on their own, so you can skip sugar entirely.
Mash it for chunky sauce or blend it smooth. Either way, you control exactly what goes in.
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 to 25 min
Total
About 40 min
Makes
About 4 cups
Use about 3 pounds of apples. Softer, sweeter apples break down fastest and need little or no sugar.
Classic
McIntosh
Breaks down quickly into a smooth, tangy sauce.
Sweet
Gala
Mild and sweet, so you can skip the sugar.
Mellow
Golden Delicious
Cooks down creamy with a honeyed flavor.
Extra sweet
Fuji
Adds natural sweetness to the mix.
Tip: a mix of two or three apples gives the best flavor.
Apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 lb
Water or apple cider
½ cup
Lemon juice
1 tbsp
Ground cinnamon (optional)
½ tsp
Sugar (optional, to taste)
1 to 3 tbsp
Salt
1 pinch
Prep the apples
15 minutes
Peel, core and cut the apples into chunks about 1 inch wide.
Simmer
20 to 25 minutes
Put the apples, water, lemon juice and salt in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring now and then, until the apples are very soft.
Mash or blend
2 minutes
Mash with a potato masher for chunky sauce, or blend with an immersion blender for smooth sauce.
Season
1 minute
Taste, then stir in cinnamon and sugar only if you want them. Cool before storing.
About 70
calories
18 g
carbs
0 g
fat
0 g
protein
Estimated for unsweetened applesauce. Each tablespoon of sugar adds about 6 calories per serving.
Refrigerator
Keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer
Freeze in containers or bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
