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Learn how to make Homemade Applesauce using a combination of just 6 simple ingredients – apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Ready in about 40 minutes, you can make it with any type of apple you have on hand!
Quick Look: Applesauce Recipe
- Method: An easy stovetop recipe made in one pot.
- My preferred apples: Gala combined with Honeycrisp or Pink Lady for the perfect balance of sweet + tart.
- Texture: Mash for chunky applesauce or blend for a smooth finish.
- Optional additions: Sugar for extra sweetness and cinnamon for a little warmth.
- Time: About 40 minutes, depending on the apples and how finely you chop them.
- Most important tip: Simmer the apples until they crush easily with a fork and before mashing or blending.
Light, sweet, and loved by all ages, homemade applesauce is one of my favorite ways to use up a bag of apples. Every time I prepare a big batch of this applesauce it’s like digging into a big slice of apple pie! The best part? It can be enjoyed all year long, from apple season and beyond.
Here are some reasons why readers continue to make this recipe over and over again:
- It’s made with just 5 simple ingredients!
- It can be made with whatever apples you have on hand
- Delicious with or without sugar, mashed chunky or blended smooth
- Big-batch and freezer-friendly
- It’s super easy to make
- Everything cooks in one pot (no fancy tools or steps required)
What Readers Are Saying
“This applesauce is absolutely delicious. And so easy. Friends always ask me to make enough to share. It’s the only recipe I use!! Thank you so much for this recipe…” – Dee Lynne
Key Ingredients
This homemade applesauce recipe is made with only 6 simple ingredients. Here’s what you need to make it:
- Apples: Start with 3 pounds of whole apples, weighed before peeling and coring. Apple sizes vary, so weight is more reliable than a specific number of apples.
- Water: A little water helps the apples begin cooking without sticking to the pot. You don’t need enough to cover them because the apples release liquid as they soften.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens the flavor and balances the apples’ natural sweetness without making your applesauce taste like lemons. It also helps slow browning, just as it does in fruit salad. If you plan to can applesauce, follow a tested canning recipe, since adding lemon juice alone doesn’t ensure safe long-term storage.
- Sugar, optional: The sugar is optional, but I love a little sweetness, so I added 1/4 cup. If you a prefer your applesauce to taste a little sweeter, try adding additional sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches your desired sweetness. Any type of sugar will work in this recipe, including brown sugar or white granulated sugar.
- Ground cinnamon, optional: Add it for cinnamon applesauce, or leave it out for a plain version. If you’re making applesauce for another recipe, check whether that recipe calls for plain or unsweetened applesauce.
- Salt: A small amount helps bring the flavors together without making the applesauce taste salty.
In other words, you’re eating apples. But that’s the point, right?
What are the Best Apples For Applesauce?
I like to make my applesauce with a mix of apples, usually sweet Gala with Honeycrisp or Pink Lady for a little tartness. That gives it the sweet-tart balance I love, but you can absolutely make a batch with just one variety.
That being said, the best choice will depend on how YOU like your applesauce:
- Sweet: Gala, Fuji, or Golden Delicious. Good choices for a sweeter applesauce that may need little or no added sugar.
- Sweet-tart: Try Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, or McIntosh. These offer a balance of sweetness and acidity, so you can use them on their own or mix them with a sweeter apple. McIntosh apples have softer flesh that breaks down easily, making them especially useful if you plan to mash your applesauce by hand.
- More tart: Granny Smith. Use them on their own for a more tart applesauce, or combine them with sweeter apples for a milder flavor.
Firmer apples, like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Fuji, and Honeycrisp, may take longer to soften, so cook until the pieces crush easily with a fork before mashing or blending.
How to Make Applesauce
Below you’ll find detailed instructions for making this recipe. Feel free to skip ahead to the recipe card for the full printable recipe. Note: Cinnamon and sugar are optional; both are included in the batch shown.
- Prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into roughly 1-inch chunks and transfer them to a large pot. They don’t need to be perfectly uniform, but try to keep the pieces similar in size so you aren’t waiting for a few large chunks to catch up.
- Add the water and lemon juice. Pour the water and lemon juice over the apples. There won’t be enough liquid to cover them, and that’s exactly what you want. The water helps keep the apples from sticking while they begin to soften and release their own juices.
- Add the seasonings. Stir in the salt and the cinnamon, if using. You can add the optional sugar now, or leave it out until you’ve tasted the cooked applesauce. If you’re unsure how sweet your apples will be, wait. You can always add a little later.
- Cover and simmer until soft. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for about 25-30 minutes at a gentle simmer, with small bubbles in the liquid around the apples. Stir every 5-10 minutes, checking that the apples aren’t sticking to the bottom. They’re ready when one of the larger pieces crushes easily with a fork or the back of a spoon.
- Mash or blend to your preferred texture. Remove the pot from the heat. Use a potato masher if you like your applesauce chunky, or an immersion blender for a smoother finish. Let a spoonful cool before tasting, then add a little sugar or cinnamon if you’d like. Stir well to let the sugar dissolve before tasting again. Enjoy warm or refrigerate for later.
Using a countertop blender? Let the apples cool as directed by your blender’s instructions and work in small batches. Never blend hot applesauce in a sealed personal blender.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Applesauce too thin? Simmer the mashed or blended applesauce uncovered over low heat, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick or splatter. Check every few minutes and stop when it’s slightly looser than you want the finished sauce to be. It will thicken a little as it cools.
- Applesauce too thick? Stir in water, one tablespoon at a time, until you like the consistency. Mix well after each addition so you don’t accidentally thin it out too much.
- Apples still firm? Put the lid back on and keep cooking at a gentle simmer, checking every 5 minutes. If there’s very little liquid left in the pot or the apples start to stick, add a tablespoon or two of water. Give them more time to soften rather than turning up the heat.
Serving Ideas and Uses
Applesauce is perfect on its own. But what are some other ways you can dish it up?
- Serve with Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes). When I was an au pair in Germany, this was one of the kids’ favorite snacks.
- Serve with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Use a cup to make these absolutely irresistible baked apple donuts.
- Blend into your favorite smoothie recipe.
- Enjoy for breakfast with yogurt and granola, or whip up a batch of these apple cinnamon overnight oats.
- Add a spoonful over pan-seared pork chops or as a side dish with this savory kielbasa and cabbage skillet.
In other words, enjoy this perfectly spiced applesauce on, with, or in just about everything.
Storage Tip
Always keep leftover applesauce stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. Leftovers will keep for up to one week (sometimes a little longer) when stored properly. Surprise your kiddos and send them to school with homemade applesauce in one of these adorable and reusable storage pouches.
Applesauce FAQs
I get this question a lot, and the answer is yes, you can definitely can this applesauce recipe using a water canning bath. As with all canning, be sure to follow proper canning protocol to prevent accidental cross-contamination.
Yes! To freeze, allow it to come to room temperature before transferring it to freezer-friendly storage containers (freezer bags, jars, containers with lids, etc). Transfer to the freezer for up to two months. Once thawed, do not re-freeze.
Absolutely! I love using it in my apple bread recipe, which calls for 1/2 cup of applesauce to help keep the loaf moist. It can also replace some oil or eggs in certain baked goods, but the results depend on the recipe, so I recommend following a tested substitution.
Aside from cinnamon, try adding a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice. You can also add other fruits like strawberries, pears (my personal favorite), mango, peaches, or nectarines. If you love apples with warm spices, try my homemade apple cider, too!
More Apple Recipes
With an average of 4.83 stars from nearly 350 ratings, this homemade applesauce recipe is a reader favorite here on TFS! If you make it, I’d love to hear which apples you used and whether you left it chunky or blended it smooth. Please leave a comment and star rating below. Your feedback helps other readers, and it means so much to me. Thank you! 💛
Applesauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb apples, approx. 6 medium apples, peeled, cored, quartered and chopped into smaller chunks.
- ½ cup water, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup white sugar, (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the peeled, cored, quartered and chopped apples in a large pot. Stir in the 1/2 cup of water, lemon juice, sugar (if using), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Maintain a low simmer for 30 minutes or until the apples are completely soft and cooked through.
- Once fully cooked, remove from heat. For chunky applesauce, mash the apples directly in the pot using a potato masher. For smooth applesauce, add the apples to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth (if using a blender, work in batches and allow time to cool), or use a hand-held immersion blender and blend directly in the pot.
- This applesauce is delicious served warm or cold.
Video
Notes
- I like to make my applesauce with a combination of Gala + Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples. Other recommended apples are Granny Smith, Mcintosh, Fuji, Gravenstein, Jonagold, and Golden Delicious.
- Feel free to omit the optional sugar for a sugar free applesauce. You can also taste the cooked applesauce before deciding whether it needs sweetening.
- Feel free to add additional cinnamon or even a pinch of nutmeg, if desired.
- Countertop blender: Follow your blender’s instructions for warm foods and work in small batches. Never blend hot applesauce in a sealed personal blender.
- Storage: Refrigerate promptly in covered containers and use within one week. Freeze in freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion, for up to two months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- Canning: For shelf-stable storage, follow a tested canning recipe and its complete processing instructions, such as the NCHFP applesauce procedure.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this recipe today and it is the best apple Sause I have ever tasted it’s 100% better than store bought. I will make it again for sure.
Thank you, Dwaine! I am so happy you loved it and that it beats store-bought by a mile. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and I am thrilled you will make it again! 🙂
I have made your recipe several times and happy that I found it, thank you. So easy and quick to make. I use golden delicious apples and put very little sugar, but I don’t skimp on the cinnamon, my favorite spice.
Thank you so much, Kiki! I am so happy you have made it several times. Golden Delicious are perfect for applesauce, and I love your approach, less sugar and extra cinnamon is the best. Thanks for sharing!
So easy and so good!! This was my first time making applesauce and I will definitely be making this again!
Thank you so much! I am thrilled your first batch of applesauce was a win. 🥳
Just made your apple sauce recipe, it tastes really delicious!
Thank You!
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for trying the recipe and taking the time to share your feedback.
Love this recipe. Delicious spooned over vanilla yogurt. I leave my a bit chunky for extra texture. I also use Fuji apples. Perfect taste – not too sweet or tart. Thank you!!
That sounds delicious, thanks for the feedback and rating JJ 🙂
This is the best applesauce hands down.
Thanks Denise 🙂