Homemade applesauce is a favorite recipe for making use of fresh fall apples.

A simple blend of apples, sugar, and cinnamon is all you need for this applesauce recipe. Perfect and fresh!

a bowl of  homemade applesauce being stirred with a wooden spoon

You’ll Love Homemade Applesauce Because…

  • It needs only 3 ingredients plus a splash of water.
  • You can use any variety of apples.
  • It’s healthy and delicious, make it to your liking and add a little or a lot of sugar and spice.
  • This recipe freezes well and makes a great snack, or even a dessert served warm with a scoop of ice cream.

The Best Apples for Applesauce

Any kind of apple is great for homemade applesauce. Try a combination of any of the following: Granny Smith,  Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Jonagold,  or Fujis.

A sweeter apple will make a sweeter sauce, while a tart apple (like Granny Smith) will result in a more tart sauce. You can add extra sweetener if needed.  Try an assortment or mixture of your favorites.

How to Make Applesauce

cinnamon apples in a dutch oven with a white spatula
  1. Peel, core, and chop the apples (recipe below).
  2. Cook the apples with cinnamon, water, and sugar. Stir occasionally.
  3. Mash apples with a masher or blend until smooth.

Serve as a dessert with yogurt or over vanilla ice cream, or as a side with pork chops!

Variations

  • Swap the water for your favorite juice or apple cider.
  • Add extra spices like pumpkin pie spice or a pinch of nutmeg.
  • Sugar can be substituted for a sweetener of your choice. Adjust according to the sweetness of the apple.
  • You can also cook this in a crock pot. Set it on low for about 3 hours.

Holly’s Tips

  • Mash with a potato masher for a chunkier texture or use an immersion blender (or food processor) to create a smoother apple sauce.
  • For a quick kid snack, seal in snack-sized freezer bags, an airtight container, or reusable applesauce pouches, and squeeze out from one corner just like the ones you see at the store.
  • Use applesauce to replace some of the oil in baked goods like carrot cake or muffins or even added to banana breakfast cookies. Or serve them with overnight oats.

How to Store Applesauce

Homemade applesauce will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. Place the applesauce into small containers or freezer bags. I like to freeze it in one-cup portions for up to four months.

Did you enjoy this Homemade Applesauce? Leave a comment or rating below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
a bowl of homemade applesauce being stirred with a wooden spoon
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Homemade Applesauce

Homemade applesauce is an easy way to preserve the fall harvest. Applesauce can be used as an oil substitute and makes baking light and fluffy.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • 3 pounds apples peeled, cored, and chopped, about 6 medium
  • cup water
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover.
  • Cook 15-20 minutes or until apples are very tender. Remove lid and simmer an additional 5 minutes to thicken.
  • Mash apples with a masher for a chunky consistency or blend/puree with an immersion blender for a smooth consistency.
  • Serve warm or chilled.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of applesauce.
*Apple sauce may need more or less sugar based on the variety of apples. If apples are very sweet, reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons if desired. If they’re very tart, add more. 
Mash with a potato masher for a chunkier consistency or use an immersion blender to create a smoother apple sauce. 
Applesauce can be blended in a traditional blender. Ensure the lid is not sealed tightly while the apples are warm or the steam can build up. You may need to add a little bit of liquid to blend smoothly. If you add liquid, the blended sauce can be simmered on medium-low heat until thickened.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week and 4 months in the freezer. 
5 from 145 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 100 | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
easy Homemade Applesauce Recipe
bowl of Homemade Applesauce Recipe
Homemade Applesauce Recipe in a bowl with a wooden spoon and writing
perfect Homemade Applesauce Recipe in the pot with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Excellent! Note that you don’t to peel the apples if using a food mill, and if using red-skinned varieties, the applesauce ends up with a lovely pink hue to it. Just wash, core, and cook as described in the recipe.5 stars

  2. Used apple cider for the liquid. For the sugar I used equal portions of white granulated and light brown sugar. Mashed it with a potato masher.
    Best apple sauce every! So much better than store bought. Family can’t get enough of it.
    Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

  3. What a beautiful recipe! Tastes like Indian summer to me. I particularly like this sauce with savory pancakes. 5 stars

  4. Thank you for the idea to cook it in the slow cooker!! It was better cooked there than on the stove for me. I’ve used this recipe multiple times on the stove and loved it. I needed my stove top and used the slow cooker for 3 hrs as you said. It just really seemed to cook the apples better and my masher was able to make much smaller chunks. Anyhow, thank you again for the recipe.5 stars

  5. I made this last night because the store did not have the apple sauce that my mum likes. It was beyond good! Because we watch our sugar intake I decided to not add any additional sugar and was still delicious. I was a little worried about it not being enough cinnamon so I heaped the 1/2 tsp and then added a little fresh grated nutmeg. Everyone love it, taste soooo good, the only downfall now is this is the only apple sauce mum wants lol!5 stars

    1. Homemade applesauce will keep for about a week in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

  6. I doubled the recipe and used 6 Honey crisp and 6 Cosmic Crisps. I doubled the cinnamon and added a little nutmeg. After softening the apples as per the recipe, I used a food processor on puree to make it smooth.

    Holy cow was this great! Best applesauce I’ve ever had. Super easy recipe.

    I might try half white and half brown sugar next time to see how that turns out.5 stars

  7. Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe. This applesauce totally enhances our potato latkes and made our festive holiday ever brighter and sweeter.5 stars

  8. How many servings does this recipe usually yield? I’m hoping to take some to a large party and want to know if I need to double or even triple it.

  9. This is such a great recipe for using up extra or leftover apples! Every year, we buy a box of “seconds” from a local orchard to use for butter and sauce. I had a LOT this year, so I figured I’d can some big jars of sauce. This recipe is simple and easy to follow, allows for a lot of creativity with the ingredients, or sticking to the original, because either way you’re going to end up with a delicious homemade result! Thanks for sharing!5 stars

  10. Excellent apple sauce!! I put it in a jar in the fridge and will enjoy it as a side quite a few times! Thank you for the recipe!

  11. I always add a hint of nutmeg to my applesauce and we use a food mill or potato ricer to finish the sauce so that we don’t need to peel, core, or seed the apples.
    Also, you can make it in the instant pot as well by pressure-cooking for 3 minutes and then using the saute feature to get it to the desired consistency. I prefer the stove though because the instant pot can splatter.5 stars

  12. I made this last weekend to go with pork chops (come on!) I had to. My family loved it. It was so easy to make, once all the apples were peeled by hand (not the best). But I have made it again this weekend and know it will be a steady in my house!!! Highly recommend.