Make the easiest homemade applesauce with just 3 ingredients! Chop apples, add sugar, cinnamon (optional), and water, and simmer. Done!
How to Make Homemade Applesauce
- Cook the apples. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and three-quarters of a cup of water to a pot. Stir to combine and put the lid on. Simmer on medium for 25 minutes or until the apples are soft. Remove from the heat.
- Blend. Blend the mixture until smooth using an immersion blender or potato masher. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Store.To freeze, allow the applesauce to cool completely. Spoon the applesauce into ice cube trays. Freeze until solid. Pop the applesauce cubes out of the trays and transfer them to freezer bags. Label the bag with the date and what’s in there and store it.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
To Make Ahead: Applesauce can be made a few days in advance. Store it in a reusable jar in the refrigerator. It will stay good for up to a week.
To Freeze: Place the ice cube trays on a level surface in your freezer to prevent spillage. Freeze until set. Mark a ziplock bag with the date and mention what’s in there. Put the now-frozen applesauce cubes in the zip-lock bag and freeze. They’ll stay fresh for up to three months frozen.
Homemade Applesauce Variations
Apple cider applesauce: Replace water with apple cider for a richer flavor. Use one cup of apple cider instead of water and follow the same cooking instructions.
Maple cinnamon applesauce: To add natural sweetness, replace the white sugar with a quarter cup of maple syrup and continue with the recipe as usual. You can also go half-half on the sugar and maple syrup.
Ginger spice applesauce: Add some heat by including half a teaspoon of ground ginger along with the cinnamon.
3-Ingredient Homemade Applesauce
Ingredients
- 4 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon and ¾ cup of water to a pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes or until the apples are soft.
- Remove from the heat.
- Using an immersion blender or potato masher, blend the mixture until smooth.
- Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
- To freeze, allow the applesauce to cool completely.
- Spoon the applesauce into ice cube trays.
- Freeze until solid.
- Pop the cubes out of the trays and transfer them to freezer bags labeled with the date and the contents.
Notes
- Peeling tip: Start on one side and peel the apples until you don’t see any skin left over. Any skin on the apples will affect the texture of the applesauce.
- Doneness check: After 20 minutes of simmering, test the apples’ softness by piercing them with a fork to avoid overcooking.
- Blending tip: If using an immersion blender, blend the applesauce in short bursts to prevent splattering. Start at the bottom and slowly lift the blender until all the applesauce is smooth.
- Storage tip: Label freezer bags with the date and contents for easy identification when freezing the applesauce cubes. Store homemade applesauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months.
- Sweetness check: Taste the applesauce after blending and add more sugar or a teaspoon of honey if needed, stirring until dissolved.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
