Quick and Easy Applesauce

Darian Letkeman
Aug 19, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Sep 27, 2024

JUMP TO RECIPE

Applesauce is one of the easiest foods you can prep, with just 3 ingredients and about 30 minutes of your time. This recipe is great to enjoy as a simple snack or use it in baking for a healthy swap!

I love this recipe because it freezes really well so I don't have to bust out all my canning supplies if I don't have that kind of time. I typically store it in freezer bags in 1 cup portions that I can easily pull out as a snack or to use in some baking or cooking. Homemade applesauce also gives me a great way to use any apples that come off our apple tree damaged or a little past their prime, without wasting them.

I prefer to make my applesauce without any sugar because I usually use it in baking recipes which often have sugar in them. It's just another way that I try to manage how much sugar is going into our food. However, if you'd prefer to add a little sweetener, you can always add some white granulated sugar or maple syrup to taste. You can also add honey, but be mindful if you're prepping this for a baby since they shouldn't have honey until after they're 1 year old.

What are the best apples for applesauce?

There really is no 'perfect' applesauce apple. It all depends on what your personal preferences are. I don't really enjoy tart apples, so even when I'm baking a pie or crisp I always veer away from a Granny Smith. Honeycrisp and Cosmos are my all-time favourite apples, but I always feel it's such a waste to turn such a beautifully crisp apple into sauce. So, I will usually steer towards the cheaper sweet apples, such as McIntosh, if I am planning to buy the apples I'll be using. But otherwise, all our applesauce is made from the apples that grow in our backyard; which are some kind of Crabapple. Some of the best apples (in my opinion) for applesauce are:

McIntosh
Fuji
Gala
Golden Delicious
Pink Lady

How to Store applesauce

This recipe can be easily frozen or canned, depending on where you'd like to store the sauce. I typically opt to freeze it, simply because shelf space is precious in my house.

To freeze applesauce, allow it to cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers or bags. If you skip this step, you'll end up with a lot of condensation build up in your containers which results in a thick frost that can change the taste and texture of your sauce.

Applesauce is a high-acid food so you can use the water bath technique. However, if you plan on canning this recipe, please follow proper canning protocols to avoid the risk of cross-contamination or bacterial contamination.