We had some apples this year that needed to be preserved and used up. They weren’t sweet and delicious to eat, they were tart and small and green – so after using some to make a delicious apple crisp I wanted to try making my own applesauce! I’ve never made homemade applesauce before so this was an exciting adventure. I found the original recipe on thekitchn.com and made a few changes of my own.

I know that traditionally homemade applesauce is canned – so that it is shelf stable and preserved without needing refrigeration. But at this point I’m just not quite ready to jump into canning – it scares me that I’ll do it wrong, and I don’t have the equipment you need. Maybe next year! So I found this recipe for a slow cooker applesauce and thought it was the perfect first to try. It was so simple and easy I couldn’t believe it! Essentially 4 steps: chop, dump, sweeten and contain.

CHOP APPLES

Into around the same sized chunks – smaller if you want smoother applesauce, bigger if you want it to have more chunks/texture.

DUMP INTO SLOW COOKER

All the apples along with some lemon juice, cinnamon and water.

STIR, TASTE AND SWEETEN

Let me tell you my kitchen smelled AMAZING at this point! I loved the beautiful apple cinnamon scent wafting through my house… better than any candle! After about four hours in the cooker the apples will be breaking down and nice and soft – stir them up a bit, puree them with an immersion blender if you want it completely smooth, taste it (when it’s cool enough) and add a sweetener if needed. I really think the kind of apple you use will determine whether and how much sugar to add. These were pretty tart so 2 Tbsp of maple syrup made a big difference – otherwise it made me pucker up!

COOL AND CONTAIN

Once the sauce is all cooled down, stick it into a container with a lid and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat – or you can freeze it for later too!

Have you made applesauce at home before?? How’d it go? What do you use to sweeten and spice your applesauce? I’d love to hear back!

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Slow Cooker Applesauce

Ingredients

• 8 medium apples
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp real maple syrup or to taste

Instructions

1. Peel and chop the apples.

2. Combine all ingredients except maple syrup in slow cooker.

3. Cook on high for 4 hours, stirring a few times while it cooks.

4. Puree the applesauce if desired (in a blender or with an immersion blender)

5. Cool and taste. If it is too tart for your taste, add the 2 Tbsp maple syrup til it tastes to your liking.

6. Divide between containers. Cover and store in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com: How to Make Applesauce in the Slow Cooker