A simple tutorial on How to Make Applesauce including step-by-step photos and tips for canning applesauce and how to making applesauce for baby!
Before you mash all your fresh apples, make sure you save a few to make Fresh Apple Cake and Apple Crisp! Oh, and if you have an Instant pot, don’t miss my Instant Pot Applesauce! Or, if you just love healthy homemade recipes, check out my favorite homemade granola!
After making homemade applesauce, there’s a really good chance you will never buy store-bought applesauce again. You’ll see just how EASY it is to make applesauce yourself! It only takes a few minutes, it tastes soo much better, and I love being able to control how much added sugar goes in it.
5 steps to EASY applesauce:
1. Peel, core, and cut the apples. Wash the apples well. Then I use a johnny apple peeler to do all three steps at once. Fast and easy!
2. Cook apples in a large pot with one cup of water until they’re soft enough to mash.
3. Mash. Mash with a potato masher (for chunkier applesauce) or put apples in a blender or food processor until smooth.
4. Sweeten (optional) with sugar or brown sugar, if desired. Enjoy or see steps for canning below!
The Best Apples for Applesauce:
My favorite kind for apples for making applesauce are golden delicious apples, or a combination of two different kinds, however, you can truly use any kind of apples! And, as my mom used to say, “save the bad apples for applesauce”, meaning save the apples that are more “beat-up” or aren’t as pretty or expensive.
Applesauce for baby:
If you’re making applesauce for your baby or toddler, I’d recommend making it less sweet in one of two ways.
- No added sugar: You can completely cut out the added sugar (apples are naturally very sweet so this is what I would recommend).
- Reduced sugar: add just a teaspoon or two of sugar.
Canning Applesauce (everything you need to know):
I grew up canning applesauce with my mom every fall season! At our house we always had canned peaches, tomatoes, applesauce, pears, salsa, jam etc…on hand. (Find all of my canning recipes here). I probably took for granted how lucky I was to have Raspberry Freezer Jam available all the time!
- Make sure everything is sterilized! Be sure to sterilize your jars. (I usually run them through the dishwasher before I begin). You will need NEW lids, clean rings, equipment, countertops and workspace. Let’s be safe by making sure we have a clean working environment and equipment!
- Peel, core, and cut the apples (unless you use a food mill/strainer). Wash the apples well. Then I use a johnny apple peeler to do all three steps– peel, core and slice– at once!
- Cook apples until they’re soft and mash-able. Place apple slices in a large pot and add 1 cup of water. Cook the apples over medium heat, stirring often, until tender. Mash the apples with a potato masher. If you want an even smoother consistency, puree them in a blender.
- Sweeten with sugar or brown sugar, if desired (remember that applesauce will sweeten naturally over time)! At this point you can add a little extra water if you need to, depending on how thick or thin you want your applesauce. I like to reach the consistency of slightly runny pudding.
- Pour into jars: Fill jars with applesauce leaving 1/2” of headspace. Use a small rubber spatula to scrape down the inside of the jar and remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims clean. Don’t skip this step! Place lids and rings securely on the jars.
- Process in water-bath canner. Process in your water bath canner for 20 minutes (for altitudes less than 1,000 ft). Adjust cooking time for your altitude, if necessary. For more details, follow water bath canning instructions here.
- Store. Canned applesauce is good for up to one year when stored in a cool, dark place.
Tools needed to can applesauce:
- Apple Peeler, Slicer And Corer or Food mill
- Ball Wide Mouth Canning Jar-Quart
- Waterbath Canning Kit
- Potato Masher
Storing applesauce:
If canned applesauce is properly stored, it will last for one year (at best quality), and is often safe to eat after even longer than that. If you are worried about whether your applesauce is safe to eat, do the following:
- Check for leaks. Always make sure your mason jars do not show signs of leaking or rusting. Press down on the center of the lid: it should not pop back. If it sits flat it is safe, but if it pops back, it has not sealed properly.
- Look for signs of spoilage. If your applesauce starts to develop a fowl odor, become discolored, or if you see signs of mold, these are signs of spoilage and you should discard it!
Love APPLES? Check out these apple recipes:
- Apple Crisp
- Apple Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Apple Butter
- Cinnamon Applesauce Bread
- Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Homemade Applesauce (and How to Can It)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh apples , whatever kind you like--I use Golden Delicious (6-8 apples)
- 1 cup water , plus more if needed
- granulated sugar , optional (to taste)
- ground cinnamon , for topping
Instructions
- First peel, core, and cut your apples into slices. (An apple peeler/corer/slicer may come in handy for this part, but you can do it by hand.)
- Place apple slices in a large pot and add 1 cup of water. Cook the apples over medium heat, stirring often, until tender. Mash the apples with a potato masher. If you want an even smoother consistency, puree them in a blender.
- At this point you can add a little extra water if you need to, depending on how thick or thin you want your applesauce. I like to reach the consistency of slightly runny pudding.
- You can also add sugar at this point, depending on how sweet you want your applesauce. Add a little at a time and taste it until it's how you like.
- The applesauce will also sweeten over time, in the jars, so keep that in mind when adding sugar. I use white granulated sugar because brown sugar makes the applesauce dark, but either will work.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon. Enjoy warm or cold! Store in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.
How to Can Applesauce (see note for amount):
- Make sure everything is sterilized! (I usually run the jars and lid rings through the dishwasher before I begin). You will need NEW lids, clean rings, equipment, countertops and workspace.
- Fill sterilized quart jars with applesauce, leaving 1/2'' of headspace. Use a small rubber spatula to scrape down the inside of the jar and remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe jar rims clean. Don't skip this step! Place lids and rings securely on the jars.
- Process in your water bath canner for 20 minutes (for altitudes less than 1,000 ft). Adjust cooking time for your altitude, if necessary. For more details, follow water bath canning instructions : http://www.simplycanning.com/water-bath-canning.html )
- Canned applesauce is good for up to one year when stored in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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I originally shared this recipe September 2014. Updated September 2019.
Kayla says
Mine turned brown while cooking them down. Do you know why?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Kayle, that is really strange, and I’m not sure what happened. It must have to do with the kind of apples used.
Dianne Greenaway says
Many apples brown when exposed to air. To counter this, you can add lemon juice to the water. I just made a yummy pot of golden delicious applesauce. I filled my largest kettle to the top with peeled/chopped apples, added the juice of half a lemon, plus water, and sprinkled ground cinnamon and a little ground clove onto the apples and cooked down. Delicious! And the apples stayed a nice, light color.
BUT, I have never canned and now plan to follow your directions for it!
Cindy says
Lemon juice works but I really like fruit fresh. You can find it by the canning supplies. I sprinkle the apples or apricots or peaches as I slice them.
Robert Martin says
Hello, I am thinking of canning applesauce this fall, but have a few questions.
1) I have a family member who is allergic to all citrus, I figure that I am safe using white vinegar instead of lemon juice to prevent any safety risks.
2) If slow cooked can it still be canned or should I cook it normally.
Thanks for your time
Lauren Allen says
Hi Robert,
1) There isn’t citrus in the recipe so you should be good there.
2) You can definitely use your slow cooker to make the applesauce, just be sure to follow the water-bath canning instructions for canning it.
Good luck!
Karen Bitzan says
Lauren, have you ever added other fruit to your applesauce such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries? I want to can the finished product but not sure if I have to cook the berries before canning. Can I just purée the berries and add that to the already cooked applesauce—then follow canning process?
Lauren Allen says
I’m honestly not sure how it would effect the safety of it being shelf-stable. I’d consult a canning safety website for that one. Good luck!
Laurie says
You definitely need to cook the other fruits as well! It’s too easy for bacteria to enter your finished product if everything is not heated to a safe temperature.
Aryn says
Could you substitute the white sugar with honey instead? Not thinking of canning it, just eating it.
Lauren Allen says
Yes, you can sweeten it however you like.