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    Home » Recipes

    Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce

    by Patti Estep · Sep 21, 2023

    Jump to Recipe
    Jars of homemade applesauce over a box of fresh apples.

    Learn how to make homemade applesauce without sugar. Perfect for the fall when apples are fresh from the harvest and can be frozen to enjoy during the months ahead.

    Homemade applesauce in jars.

    Today we are talking about preserving. I remember my mother making homemade applesauce from an old apple tree that grew in the back of our property. That's what I'm making today.

    Box of apples from orchard grower

    I don't have any apples growing on my property but we do have a fabulous farmer's market nearby that carries tons of great farm fresh produce. One of them is Dawson's Orchards. Recently we picked up a delicious box of stone-free peaches and this box of apples.

    This post contains some affiliate links (that means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, there’s no additional cost to you, but I will earn a very small commission. ) i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

    Chopped apples cooking in pot. A potato masher, mashes the apples even more.

    Yes, it takes a while to peel and chop the apples, but then you can easily make the applesauce by cooking it on the stove. Sort of like mashed potatoes but with much less water.

    This recipe gives you a slightly chunky applesauce. However, if you are looking for a smooth applesauce try using an immersion blender or move the sauce to a food processor and pulse until you get your desired consistency.

    Applesauce in jar with room at top.

    I was able to fill 12 pint mason jars with a little leftover from the 24 apples. Some I gave away and some were placed in the freezer for future use. 

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    What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

    The best apples are not super crisp like you might use for an apple pie, but one that is soft and easy to mash down. However, feel free to break the rules and use the apples that you have or even a mix of apples would be a fun way to make a unique applesauce blend. Also, consider since you are not adding sugar you might not want to use something tart such as Granny Smith apples.

    Examples of Softer Apple Varieties

    • Golden Delicious
    • Red Delicious
    • McIntosh
    • Fuji
    • Gala
    • Jonathan

    Freezing Homemade Applesauce?

    Yes, you can freeze the applesauce in mason jars or freezer bags. Just remember to leave space at the top for expansion. Also, use good quality mason jars with wide mouths. Not the type with rounded shoulders. The straight sided jars hold up better with freezing and expansion during the thawing process.

    According to the National Center for Home Food Preparation, you can freeze applesauce for 8 - 10 months. So why does my label say 3 months? Well, I know that in my house anything frozen for a long time is less likely to ever get eaten.

    Apple label

    If you would like to use these cute apple labels for the top of the jars just click on the image for a PDF page of labels.

    Jars of homemade applesauce with labels.

    This homemade applesauce is a good source of vitamin C and provides a decent amount of fiber for your diet. 

    You don't just have to serve it with pork chops. It makes a great snack or topping to french toast and vanilla ice cream. Also, did you know that you can substitute applesauce for oil when baking things like brownies?

    Just another good reason to make a big batch of your own, no added sugar applesauce this season.

    Patti signature

    More Apple Recipes

    • Homemade Apple Dumplings
    • Mom's Dutch Apple Pie
    • Baked Apple Pie Oatmeal
    • Baked Apples with Cinnamon
    • Apple Crisp with Oats
    Pint mason jars filled with homemade applesauce with no sugar and handmade labels.
    Homemade applesauce in jars.

    Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce Recipe

    Homemade applesauce is easy to make and you don't need to add sugar to make it taste great. The natural sweetness and flavor of the apples is enough.
    4.80 from 20 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 190 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 24 apples peeled and chopped
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Place apples and water in a large pot with a heavy bottom.
    • Simmer on medium heat covered for about 10 minutes.
    • Remove the lid and stir.
    • Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the apples are soft.
    • Use a potato masher to mash up all the larger pieces.
    • Remove from heat and let cool.
    • Stir in cinnamon. 
    • Fill pint jars leaving 1/2 inch open at the top for expansion if you are going to freeze them.
    • Makes about 1 dozen pint jars.
    • Keep refrigerated and eat within one week. Otherwise, freeze for up to 3 months.

    Notes

    If freezing in mason jars make sure that they are wide-mouth jars with no shoulders and are in good shape from a brand name manufacturer.
    You can add other spices in addition to cinnamon for more flavor. Toss in some nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or even an apple pie spice blend.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2gCalories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSodium: 4mgFiber: 9gSugar: 38g

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

    Tried this recipe?Tag @hearthnvine on Instagram

     

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue W

      November 11, 2022 at 4:01 pm

      Happy early holidays! Just a quick question about this recipe----Can I freeze this yummy looking applesauce without the usual long, drawn-out heat preserving process that I tend to avoid at all costs?

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        November 12, 2022 at 6:43 am

        Sue, you don't need to do any of the canning processes if you are going to freeze the applesauce.

        Reply
    2. Kecia and chad Hemphill

      September 17, 2021 at 10:05 am

      I wasn’t able to find the labels.Thanks

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        September 17, 2021 at 10:09 am

        Kecia, Sorry to hear that you are having trouble with the labels. It might be a pop-up blocker. Either way below is the direct link. Let me know if you are still having trouble.
        https://hearthandvine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/dozen-apple-rounds.pdf

        Reply
    3. Michelle Marine

      September 12, 2018 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Homemade applesauce is the best and your labels are so cute, Patti! Thanks for sharing. I have a loaded apple tree - just waiting for a light frost and then I'll be making applesauce too. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Diane Williams

      September 11, 2018 at 4:49 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is going on my stove soon! Our trees are LOADED with ripening apples.
      It's a great idea to use applesauce in recipes. I need to do this more often. What a great natural sweetener!
      Thanks for the great recipe and useful tips.

      Reply
    5. Jami

      September 11, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      5 stars
      Oh I love applesauce, though we don't eat it as much now with the kids grown. 🙂
      And your labels are so cute!

      Reply
    6. Judy Ewing

      September 11, 2018 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      BEEN MAKING APPLESAUCE FOR YEARS. I can some and freeze it in plastic peanut butter jars. I use a Foley food mill for the fine mesh applesauce that I put in recipes that call for a lot of oil, and I like the chunck style to eat with meats and dessert. You can add other fruits to it too, like strawberries and blueberries , the kids like to guess what other fruit I put into it. I need to make more every year. When you want to use some sugar, try brown sugar, it gives it a different flavor. Sometimes I use apple pie spice too.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        September 11, 2018 at 5:45 pm

        Thanks for the input Judy. I particularly love the idea of adding other fruit. So simple but such a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    7. Shelly

      September 11, 2018 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yum! We love homemade applesauce. I usually can my applesauce but I should try freezing a few jars this year too.

      I make applesauce each year because we eat so much of it. Seeing yours make me think I need to get ours made for this year too.

      I love this chunky version of applesauce, I rarely make it chunky since my kids don't eat it good. But I'm going to make a few jars for my hubby and myself chunky this year.

      Reply
    8. Carole West

      September 11, 2018 at 8:08 am

      Such a beautiful presentation and love how simple you made this. I use to make applesauce with my grandmother and still have her cone shaped applesauce strainer. This makes it so you don't have to peel the apples. It was always fun and when the kids were younger I trained them how to do it also. Love those labels! Applesauce and toast, we use to call it breakfast at our house.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        September 11, 2018 at 9:14 am

        Applesauce and toast for breakfast! I love it. And thanks for the tip about the strainer. That would be a huge help.

        Reply
    4.80 from 20 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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