Homemade Applesauce Recipe – No Added Sugar

There is nothing better than making homemade applesauce when apple harvest season is in full force. It is one of the easiest recipes to make, and the taste is so much better than standard store-bought applesauce.

Not to mention, you will know exactly what ingredients are used to make your sauce. Although technically you can make it any time of the year, right now is the absolute best time.

The apples are ripe and ready for picking. That means that they are at their peak of natural sweetness. Therefore, you won’t even need to add sugar to your applesauce!

What Apples Make the Best Homemade Applesauce?

But before you jump to the recipe, you must decide what variety of apples to use. And although you could use any type of apple to make applesauce, there are some that are better to use than others.

In fact, it is best to use a combination of apples when making applesauce, rather than one single variety.

For the best texture, use Golden delicious apples. They have slightly less water content than other varieties. Therefore, the applesauce will hold up nicely and not be too watery when cooked down.

For taste, you can’t beat the flavor of Fuji, McIntosh, or Cortland apples. Because these varieties tend to be softer, they cook down easily and in less time.

Plus their sweetness level is just right for making homemade applesauce that is sugar-free.

There are many other types of locally grown apples that may be perfect to use in your geographical area. Therefore, be sure to check with your local orchard on what type of apples that they recommend.

3 Cooking Methods For Making Homemade Applesauce

So what is the best way to cook applesauce? Ask 10 different people and you are likely to get 10 different answers.

To start, you must decide if you want to peel the apples or not. Some people like to leave the peels on the apples, and some don’t. The choice is really up to you.

My family prefers the texture of applesauce better when I peel the apples. So to make it quick and easy I use an apple peeler, corer, slicer to prepare the apples. And because the apples are cut in such thin slices they cook much faster.

However, if you prefer to keep the skins on the apples it is best to use a simple apple corer/slicer. Although the wedges will be thicker, the increased cooking time required to break down the apple wedges will also help break down the skins as well.

Now that the apples are ready, it is time to get cooking! Here are our three favorite cooking methods for making homemade applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 large sweet apples
• ½ cup of water
• ¼ cup sugar, optional

3 COOKING METHODS

1. Stovetop Method

The traditional method to make homemade applesauce includes cooking the apples in a large pot on the stove.

All that is required is a little water in the bottom of the pan. This helps prevent the apples from burning and sticking to the bottom surface.

However, you don’t need to add a lot of water. Once the apples begin to cook down, they release their own natural juices. Therefore, don’t add too much water at the start or the applesauce will end up too watery.

Stove Top Instructions: Put your apples in a large stockpot. Add the water and sugar (if using) to the pot. Cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until the apples are soft.

2. Slow Cooker

One of our favorite ways to make homemade applesauce is in a slow cooker.

There is nothing better than walking into the house and smelling the aroma of cooked apples filling the air. Plus, they cook down so well that sometimes you don’t even need to puree them.

My 6 quart Crock Pot makes the perfect applesauce in about 2-3 hours. I can even program my slow cooker to turn the cooking time off but keep the applesauce warm until we get home.

Slow Cooker Instructions: Place your apples in the liner of your slow cooker. Add the water and sugar (if using), to the pot. Cook on low for 2-3 hours or until the apples are soft.

3. Instant Pot

But the absolute fastest way to make homemade applesauce is to use an electric pressure cooker, such as an Instant Pot.

With just 7 minutes of cooking time, you can have applesauce on the table in less than 15 minutes!

When I am in a hurry, or if I am looking for a quick, healthy side dish to serve at dinner, this is my preferred cooking method.

Instant Pot Instructions: Place the apples in the liner of your pressure cooker. Lock the lid in place and place valve in the Sealing position. Pressure Cook on HIGH pressure for 7 minutes. Allow to naturally release, or complete a slow controlled quick release of the pressure.

Chunky or Thin Applesauce

Once the apples are nice and soft, you can keep them chunky to make a thick sauce. Or you can use an immersion blender or high speed blender to make thin and smooth sauce.

Also, you can add in a little cinnamon if you prefer. The choices are really up to you and your family’s preferences.

However, whatever method you choose to use, do yourself a favor and take advantage of all those fresh apples this season to make the best homemade applesauce that you have ever had.

Not only is the applesauce great to serve as a side dish or dessert, it is also great to use as a substitute for oil in many cake, cookie, and brownie recipes.

Store In The Freezer

Plus, applesauce freezes well and can be enjoyed for months! Just ladle the sauce in freezer safe containers to be enjoyed throughout the year. Just be sure to leave a 1/2 inch headspace if using mason jars to allow for expansion during the freezing process.

And if you are looking to can a large batch of your homemade applesauce check out our instructions on How To Can Applesauce.

Other Great Apple Recipes

• Crock Pot Apple Butter
• Freezer Apple Pie Filling
• Old Fashioned Apple Pie
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Caramel Apple Pie Bars
• Air Fryer Apple Fritters
• Grandma’s Apple Crisp

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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