Easy Homemade Applesauce

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This simple unsweetened homemade applesauce recipe is made with only one ingredient, apple! It’s a healthy fruit puree you have on porridge, yoghurt, or just by itself as a healthy snack. It’s easy to make and perfect to use in baking and cooking too!

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Applesauce is a versatile addition to have in your kitchen, especially if you are a home baker or a cook! I’ve been loving using it in my baking recipes like cakes and loaves, it creates a lovely texture in them. There are many variations of applesauce but this recipe is the simplest of all of them, the only ingredient you need is apple! No sugar or other spices are needed, the sweetness comes entirely from apple. 

I also love just eating this classic homemade applesauce as a healthy snack while working on my blog or as a light dessert after dinner. You can also add it to your breakfast porridge, cereal, yoghurt, etc for added nutrition and fibre! It’s really handy to have a jar of applesauce in the fridge.

Main ingredients and substitutions

Apple: You only need one ingredient for this simple applesauce recipe, apple! I used Fuji apples to make it this time but you can choose whatever apple you like to use! 

Other ingredients: water.

Recommended equipment for this recipe

Pot or deep pan: Use a pot or deep pan that is big enough to distribute heat evenly to all apples while cooking them. 

Wooden spoon: Use a large wooden spoon to stir the apples while cooking! 

Blender, food processor, or hand blender: Use one of these tools to puree the apples. I used my hand blender but a high-speed blender or food processor will do the job too!

Mason jar: Prepare a clean Mason jar to pour the applesauce in and keep in the fridge!

*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

How to make this healthy applesauce recipe

Step 1: Core and cup the apples

First of all, let’s core and cut the apples! You can either cut them into cubes with the skin on or peel it then cut them into cubes. I recommend peeling if the main purpose of using this applesauce is baking as it creates smoother applesauce. Using the whole apple including the skin is great too as it adds a lovely texture and pink colour to the applesauce! Cut them into 1-2 inch cubes. 

Step 2: Cook the apples

In a large pot or deep pan, start cooking the apples with water on high heat and reduce to low once it gets to a boiling point. Cook with the lid on until they are soft and shrunk in size, about 10-15 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent the apples from burning at the bottom.

Step 3: Puree

Once the apples are cooked, let them cool down slightly. You don’t need to cool, but I recommend you to do that because the apples can splash while blending and it’s quite hot if it gets on your skin! Make sure to place the lid correctly when pureeing with a blender or food processor.

Puree the apples until smooth puree. If you want some chunks of apples in the puree, pulse until you get the consistency you like. Pour in a mason jar with an airtight lid, cool completely and store in the fridge. Use for baking, have as a snack or with your breakfast!

Want to learn more about baking with apples? Read this Baking with Apples Guide with 14 amazing vegan apple recipes!

Expert tips and tricks

Choose your favourite apple!

You can make this applesauce recipe with any kind of apple, so choose the one that you like! Some apples are sweeter than others, and some are more tart. Try using different types and find which apple makes the best applesauce for your taste!

Mix different types of apples

Try experimenting with mixing different types of apples! Mixing sweet and tart apples can create a perfect balance of both worlds. 

Cut apples into the same size pieces

Cut the apples into the same size pieces to cook them evenly! If you mix big and small chunks, they cook unevenly and the texture of the applesauce won’t be nice and smooth. 1-2 inches cubes are a good size!

How to store

Keep the applesauce in a Mason jar with an airtight lid and store in the fridge for up to 7 days. Use while fresh! You can also store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Q and A

Can I use any apples to make applesauce?

Any apples will work for this applesauce recipe! You can use soft and sweet ones, or crunchy and tart ones it all depends on what kind of texture and taste you are looking to get for your applesauce.

For unsweetened applesauce, try using a variety of apples and mix them up – sweet ones, tart ones, crunchy ones, whatever you desire. I would use all sweet apples or 70/30 sweet and tart for unsweetened applesauce. If you are adding sweeteners, try using tart ones!

If you want something chunky, use a mix of crunchy apples. For example, if you want to make chunky applesauce with added sugar, use Gala and Honeycrisp apples together!

Can you leave the skin on apples for applesauce?

You can definitely leave the skin on your apples for applesauce. The skin adds a lovely pink colour and nice texture and is full of nutrients. It also has a lot of fibre, which is good for digestion and helps keep you feeling satisfied longer. It also contains a lot of nutrients that get lost if you peel them, including fibre, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants. Peeling the apples will make smoother applesauce, but it also means you’ll lose out on all the nutrients that are found in the skin of an apple.

However, if your main purpose to use it is baking, using peeled apples is better as smoother applesauce blends better with other ingredients!

How can I make my applesauce better?

If you are looking for ways to upgrade your applesauce, try adding some sweetener and spices! You can add:

• sweeteners like caster sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc. to sweeten it up
• cinnamon, clove, cardamom, or nutmeg to spice it up
• lemon juice to add tanginess
• other fruits like blueberries, peaches, etc. to make fruit applesauce

Can I make applesauce without a blender?

If you want to make this applesauce without a blender, you can use a fork to mash the apples too! It’s not going to be as smooth and paste-like but it’ll still be delicious with more texture!

Why is my homemade applesauce brown?

If you left peeled apples for a long time before cooking them, there’s a great chance that the apples were oxidised and turned brown. To prevent them from turning brown, place them in a bowl with water with bit of salt or lemon juice. This will stop the apples from turning brown!

If your applesauce turned brown after cooking them, it’s possible that you didn’t cook the apples long enough. When you cook apples, the enzymes in apples that causes browning are destroyed by heat. So cook the apples thoroughly until they are soft and shrunk in size by about 2/3.

Can I make my applesauce thicker?

If you want to make your applesauce thicker, reduce the amount of water by half and simply cook it longer until more water is evaporated! 

Can homemade applesauce go bad in the fridge?

Yes, it can. When applesauce goes bad, it has an unpleasant smell and moulds grow on the surface. Make sure to get an airtight lid for the container you are storing your applesauce in, and use it within the next 7 days of making it. Once it goes bad, do not eat and toss it away.

Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!

You will LOVE this healthy applesauce recipe because it’s:

• easy to make
• simple
• healthy
• great for baking
• a delicious light snack
• perfect with your favourite breakfast
• great for cooking

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious sauce/spreads and apple recipes you might enjoy!

• Lemon curd
• Apple cinnamon muffins
• Apple crumble cake
• Apple crumble bars

Visit the recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe in the comment section below if you like this recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!

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