Make your homemade applesauce with this easy recipe! You can use your stovetop, crockpot, or instant pot and only 6 easy ingredients. Full of flavor, easy to freeze, and ready in under 30 minutes!
Homemade applesauce is a great way to use up apples that have gotten a bit mealy or blemished. Use homemade applesauce in my Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins!
Can you freeze homemade applesauce?
Absolutely! Let it cool to room temperature and then store it in freezer bags or containers. It stores in the freezer for a couple of months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight. Give it a stir before serving (sometimes the water separates from the apples).
Do I have to peel the apples?
No, you don’t. But you should know that the peels will make your applesauce more tart and you will need to use a blender or processor rather than simply mashing. Those peels will need more effort than a simple mash.
Don’t forget to pop those apple cores and peels into a pot and just cover them with water. Give the water a good simmer for about 20 minutes. That apple water is great for a cup of tea!
What apples are best for homemade applesauce?
Sweet apples are best. Apples like Gala or Fiji. But applesauce is a great way to get rid of apples that are getting mealy and not great for eating raw. You can adjust your applesauce sugar content based on the apples you are using. Meaning, if you are using tart apples feel free to add additional sugar, if you like.
Can I skip the sugar and make the applesauce sugar-free?
Yes! You sure can. Obviously it changes the flavor. But hey, if you are okay with that…do it! You should also know that the sugar boiling in with the apples helps the applesauce stay fresh longer. You shouldn’t store it more than 5 days in the fridge and 1-2 months in the freezer.
I generally store mine in freezer bags that I fill, lay flat and freeze on a cookie sheet, and once frozen store them in the freezer. Laying them flat to freeze allows for them to freeze in a nice easy sheet.
Stovetop Homemade Applesauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped.
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into a large soup pot and bring to a boil on the stove.
- When boiling, reduce heat to simmer and gently boil for 20 minutes or until the apples are soft.
- Let the apples cool about 10 minutes and then mash them with a wooden spoon, potato masher, immersion blender, or even a fork.
- Store in the fridge to be eaten within a week or let cool completely and then freeze in freezer bags for 2-3 months.
