This homemade applesauce recipe is a staple in our house year-round, but especially during apple season. It’s an easy way to use up a surplus of too-soft or overripe apples, and as it cooks, it fills your house with the aroma of fresh apples and cinnamon. That smell is SO cozy on a crisp fall day. On its own, it’d be enough to make anyone a homemade applesauce convert. But this homemade applesauce recipe gets better. It doesn’t just smell good—it tastes good too! It’s tangy, lightly sweet, and full of spiced apple flavor. You can make it chunky if you like your applesauce with some texture, or you can blend it if you want it totally smooth. Either way, it’s delicious. I think you’re going to love it!
How to Make Applesauce
If you’ve never made homemade applesauce before, you won’t believe how easy it is! My recipe starts with 5 simple ingredients:
Applesauce Ingredients
Apples, of course! This applesauce recipe is a great way to use up apples that are overripe, bruised, or too soft to eat on their own. I like to use a mix of varieties for the best flavor. Find my favorites in the box below! Apple cider vinegar – Its tangy flavor balances the apples’ sweetness. Fresh lemon juice would work here too. Water – It adds moisture to the applesauce and helps the apples steam and soften as they cook. Ground cinnamon – Who doesn’t love apples and cinnamon together?? Its warm, cozy flavor is delicious here. If you like, feel free to add other warming spices like nutmeg or ginger, or replace the cinnamon with apple pie spice. And a little sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
I like to use a mix of sweet and tart varieties to add complexity to my applesauce. Here are some of my favorites:
Sweet apples: Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Golden Delicious, McIntosh Tart apples: Jonathan, Granny Smith
Tip: If you make this recipe with 100% tart apples, you may want to add honey or maple syrup to sweeten it to taste. Brown sugar would be delicious too.
How to Make Homemade Applesauce
You can find the complete applesauce recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post, but here’s a step-by-step overview of how to make it: First, prepare the apples. Peel, core, and chop them, and add them to a large pot or saucepan. Next, start to cook. Pour the water and apple cider vinegar into the pot. Cook over low heat, stirring often to prevent burning, until the apples start to soften, about 4 minutes. Then, cover the pot and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Stir in the cinnamon and salt. Uncover the pot and mix in the spices. Return the lid and simmer for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the apples are very tender and juicy.
Tip: The softer the apples are, the smoother the sauce will be. If you like a chunkier homemade applesauce, cook the apples for less time. If you like yours super smooth, cook them longer.
Finally, mash! Remove the pot from the heat and use a potato masher to mash the apples to your desired consistency. If you want the sauce to be a smooth puree, pulse it in a food processor or blend it with an immersion blender. Quick note if you’re mashing your applesauce—don’t use a metal masher on an enameled cast-iron, non-stick, or ceramic pot (I learned the hard way!). Instead, mash the apples in a large bowl, or use a silicone masher.
How to Serve Homemade Applesauce
This homemade applesauce is a delicious healthy snack or side dish. But the ways to use it don’t end there!
Add it to baking recipes like my Carrot Cake, Cinnamon Apple Scones, or Applesauce Cake. Swirl it into yogurt, oatmeal, or overnight oats. Use it as a topping for pumpkin pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Enjoy it for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of homemade granola.
How do you like to eat homemade applesauce? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Apple Recipes
If you love this homemade applesauce, try making one of these delicious apple recipes next:
Apple Crumble Apple Pie Baked Apples Apple Cake Apple Muffins Cinnamon Apples
