Homemade Applesauce (and how to can it)

 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!

Applesauce

Trust me, you will never buy store-bought applesauce again, after you see 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:

• 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!
• Cook apples in a large pot with one cup of water until they’re soft enough to mash.

• Mash.  Mash with a potato masher (for chunkier applesauce) or put apples in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• Sweeten (optional) with sugar or brown sugar, if desired. Enjoy or see steps for canning below!

Which apples should I use 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.

1. No added sugar: You can completely cut out the added sugar (apples are naturally very sweet so this is what I would recommend).
2. Reduced sugar: add just a teaspoon or two of sugar.

How to can applesauce:

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!

1. 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!
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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

How long is canned applesauce good for?

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.

How do I know if my canned applesauce is safe to eat?

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.

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)

How to Make Applesauce including step-by-step photos and tips for how to can applesauce and how to make applesauce for baby.

4.17 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 6 cups

Calories: 118kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

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

US Customary - Metric

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

For canned applesauce: This recipe makes about 1.5 quart jars of applesauce. To make one batch for canning (6 quart jars), use about 12 pounds of apples.

Slow Cooker Applesauce: Add the peeled and sliced apples to your slow cooker. Toss in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and sprinkle with some cinnamon (no water needed)! Cook on LOW for 4 hours. Pour into blender and blend until smooth, or desired consistency.

Instant Pot Applesauce

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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Have you tried this recipe?!

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I originally shared this recipe September 2014. Updated September 2019.