In this recipe I show you how to make the best applesauce from scratch with just a few Ingredients in 20 minutes! Flavored with fresh vanilla, cinnamon and cloves, your applesauce will be especially delicious!
The Best Homemade Applesauce Recipe
Making your own delicious applesauce with fresh seasonal apples is really super easy and tastes a lot better than store-bought applesauce! With my applesauce recipe you can make a large batch during the apple season, because it has a long shelf life, though it is completely without preservatives!
You can keep the recipe very simple – just apples and a little sugar – or refine as desired with other ingredients. The addition of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves when cooking applesauce creates a delicious aroma that pairs perfectly with the sweet and sour apples!
Fresh homemade applesauce tastes super delicious with pancakes, crêpes, apple rings, potato hash browns and many other dishes!
Making applesauce from scratch is simple, healthy and delicious!
In my childhood, my grandmother often made applesauce from scratch, whereas, I often bought it ready in the supermarket. But this often contained too much sugar and other additives such as preservatives, which are not necessary at all. Since I have tried grandma’s traditional applesauce recipe, I always make it myself! This is also a reason why I always look forward to the apple season.
Apple season starts in August and peaks in September. At this time there are many colorful fresh apples of different varieties!
To make the best homemade applesauce, I like to use tart varieties with good cooking properties, so that the aromatic puree of apples is ready in less than 30 minutes! Then you can fill it into sterile jars and seal them airtight. Unopened, the applesauce will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 months.
What ingredients do I need for this recipe?
As the most important ingredient for this applesauce recipe, you’ll need lots of fresh apples, of course. According to taste and personal preference, you can then add other ingredients. Here is my selection according to grandma’s and mom’s original recipe:
- Organic apples
- Apple juice or water
- Lemon juice
- Agave syrup or sugar
- Cinnamon or cinnamon sticks
- Ground vanilla or vanilla beans
- Cloves or star anise
How to make applesauce from scratch
As always, I recommend watching the recipe video and checking out these step-by-step instructions on how to make applesauce first. You can then find the full recipe with the exact quantities in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Chop and cook the apples
First, wash and optionally peel the apples. Then chop into rough pieces, removing the seeds. Next, put the apple pieces in a pot with apple juice and lemon juice and bring to a boil (if you like you can add cinnamon, vanilla, cloves or other spices and agave syrup or sugar to taste). Cook on low heat for about 15-20 minutes with the lid on until the apples are soft.
Step 2: Puree cooked apples
Once the apples are soft, you can either roughly mash them into apple compote or blend them into smooth and creamy puree with an immersion stick blender or in a blender (if you want it thicker, you can let it cook down a little longer without the lid on or pour off some of the liquid).
Step 3: Bottle and store applesauce
You can then pour the applesauce into sterilized canning jars while it’s still hot. Then immediately seal airtight and allow to cool upside down to make it last longer (3-4 months). Of course, you can also serve it immediately warm or cold with pancakes, kaiserschmarrn, porridge, rice pudding or pickert. Enjoy your meal!
Which apples are best for applesauce?
Apples with a sweet and sour aroma such as Boskoop, Braeburn, Elstar, Jonagold, Cox Orange or Gravensteiner are particularly suitable for making applesauce from scratch. In addition to their delicious flavor, these varieties also have good cooking properties. In fact, they become mushy easily when cooked, which is ideal for blending!
Actually, however, all other apple varieties are also suitable for cooking applesauce! Especially, leftover apples that are already somewhat older and have become soft, can be used up in this recipe!
How to preserve applesauce?
You can make homemade applesauce in larger quantities and preserve them easily. However, you will need clean, sterile jars with screw caps. To make the jars and lids really sterile and germ-free, you should boil them. The best way is to put everything in a sink or a saucepan and pour boiling water over them.
Then you can pour the applesauce into the sterile jars, seal them airtight, and place them upside down on the kitchen counter until they have cooled. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to four months.
Applesauce goes well with many dishes
Grandma’s applesauce recipe goes well with many dishes, both sweet and savory. Not only does it go well with pancakes, kaiserschmarrn, waffles and apple fritter rings, but it also tastes great as a topping on porridge, chia pudding or rice pudding. Of course, you can also enjoy the pure puree or stir it into yogurt or granola for a quick breakfast, dessert or fruity snack.
But you can also eat applesauce with savory dishes like potato pancakes, gnocchi or potato noodles.
FAQ – Questions and answers about making applesauce
Homemade applesauce is delicious and easy to make. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the topic:
Can I use unpeeled apples?
Yes, it is possible if you use organic apples. This not only avoids waste, but also makes the applesauce healthier, because most of the vitamins and minerals are under the skin. In addition, the peel gives the applesauce a nice color. However, some people prefer peeled apple puree because the peel can be a bit bitter and make the puree Chucky.
Why do you need lemon juice?
When chopped apples come in contact with oxygen, they turn brown. This process is called oxidation and can be prevented/slowed by ascorbic acid or citric acid. So adding lemon juice from fresh lemons will not discolor the applesauce.
What is the shelf life of homemade applesauce?
Homemade applesauce can be stored in the refrigerator for about 1-2 weeks. If you want to keep it longer, you can also boil it down as described above or freeze it. This will keep it for several months.
Can I make applesauce without sugar?
Yes, you can make sugar-free applesauce or sweeten it with sugar, syrup or another sweetener of your choice. Try it out and adjust the amount to achieve the desired taste.
What is the difference between applesauce and apple puree?
Applesauce is made in the same way as apple puree, using different finishing techniques depending on the desired thickness and smoothness. While apple puree is always smooth, applesauce can be evenly blended or chunky.
This Homemade Applesauce Recipe is:
- Fresh and delicious!
- Natural
- Without preservatives
- Easy to make
- Creamy
- Fruity
- Flavorful
- Inexpensive
- Delicious
- Perfect for the apple season!
Recipe Video
If you try this vegan applesauce recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a photo of your fruity mush and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your creations! 🙂
How to make Applesauce (Easy Recipe)
Author:Ingredients
- 1 kg organic apples
- ⅓ cup apple juice or water
- ½ lemon juiced
Optional
- 2 tbsp agave syrup or sugar to taste
- ½ tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp ground vanilla or 1 vanilla pod
- 2 cloves or ¼ tsp ground or star anise
Instructions
*Note: Check out the recipe video + tips + step-by-step pictures above!
- Wash and optionally peel* the apples, chop into bite-sized pieces and remove the core.
- Put the apple pieces in a pot with apple juice and lemon juice and bring to a boil (if you like you can add cinnamon, vanilla, cloves or other spices and agave syrup or sugar to taste). Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes with lid on until apples are soft.
- Then either roughly mash into apple compote or blend with an immersion stick blender or in a stand blender into smooth and creamy applesauce (if you want it thicker, you can let it boil down a little longer without a lid or pour off some of the liquid).
- While still hot, pour the applesauce into sterilized canning jars, immediately seal airtight, and let cool upside down for a longer shelf life (3-4 months). Or serve immediately hot or cold with pancakes, waffles, porridge, rice pudding, pickert or other dishes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Sweet and sour apples are especially good for applesauce as mentioned here.
- You can also leave the skin on from the apples, as long as you use organic apples.
- By adding lemon juice, the applesauce does not discolor.
- The amount of sugar can be reduced to taste or omitted altogether.
- More helpful tips, FAQ's and information about the recipe such as tips for preserving, storing, freezing, etc. are mentioned at the top of the blog post!
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