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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce Recipe
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
Nutrition
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.
Sue W
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?
Patti Estep
Sue, you don't need to do any of the canning processes if you are going to freeze the applesauce.
Kecia and chad Hemphill
I wasn’t able to find the labels.Thanks
Patti Estep
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
Michelle Marine
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. 🙂
Diane Williams
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.
Jami
Oh I love applesauce, though we don't eat it as much now with the kids grown. 🙂
And your labels are so cute!
Judy Ewing
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.
Patti Estep
Thanks for the input Judy. I particularly love the idea of adding other fruit. So simple but such a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Shelly
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.
Carole West
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.
Patti Estep
Applesauce and toast for breakfast! I love it. And thanks for the tip about the strainer. That would be a huge help.