It is incredibly simple to make your own Unsweetened Applesauce at home! With just a few minutes of prep, you'll have applesauce simmering on the stove made with fresh apples cinnamon, and no added sugar.
Why This Unsweetened Applesauce Recipe is So Good
- It's actually unsweetened, without any sugar or sugar-free sweeteners. We'll rely on the sweetness of the apples to make our homemade applesauce completely delicious, and I'll share my favorite sweet apple varieties with you too.
- The Perfect Fall Recipe. If you like to go apple picking in the fall, you're going to need a few recipes to use up all of your pickings! Apple butter, apple compote, and this unsweetened applesauce are all basic recipes that will help.
- Minimal ingredients mean that it's simple to prep this dish. Simply peel and chop the apples and toss them in a pot with some fresh lemon juice and cinnamon.
- Made on the stovetop, so you don't need to pull out your crockpot or any other countertop appliance. This recipe is meant to be easy!
- Unsweetened Applesauce is versatile, and can be enjoyed in so many ways. Try it as a healthy snack, add it to yogurt or oatmeal, or serve it on the side with any of your favorite main dishes.
Do you know what else is delicious added to yogurt and oatmeal? Here's a hint, It's made from the other essential autumn flavor: Pumpkin!
Pumpkin Spice Syrup is a must-make this fall!
Tips and Tricks for Making Unsweetened Applesauce
- Use Sweet Apples. Actually, use a combination of both sweet and tart apples. Avoid apples that don't have much flavor. I always add some granny smith apples to my sauce because I love their bright, tart flavor, but the rest of the apples I use to make unsweetened applesauce are sweet on their own.
- Leave the Peels if you want. If you blend the applesauce with a blender, the peels will blend in too. Peeling apples for applesauce is optional!
- Keep an eye on the pot. It will take about 30 minutes for the apples to cook down on the stove. Stir them every so often so that the apples on the bottom don't stick or start to burn.
- To store: Put your applesauce in a jar or other airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to a week - it might stay fresh even longer than that too. You can freeze homemade applesauce for up to 2 months as well.
What Are The Best Apples for Unsweetened Applesauce?
Tasty apples = delicious applesauce!
Because we aren't adding any sugar, you want to use apples that are sweet on their own, and that have some tartness to them too.
My preference is to use three different apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Gala. This combination is the perfect blend of sweet, tart, and apple-y!
Other sweet apples you can use are Jonagold, Ambrosia, Golden Delicious, and Fuji.
For the tartness, stick with Granny Smith, or try McIntosh or Pink Lady Apples.
Avoid using any apples that taste bland or that are old, mushy, or bruised.
More Recipes To Make with Apples
- Apple Butter is just as easy to make as this applesauce, but we'll use the Instant Pot so that it's ready in half the time.
- If you prefer your apples in chunks rather than blended into applesauce, try making this Apple Compote instead.
- Need a sweet dessert to take to a football party? Apple Snicker Salad is always a hit, and my recipe includes a traditional and vegan option for you to try.
- If you'd prefer a healthier dish, Kale Apple Slaw is another great option to bring to a get-together.
- This recipe for homemade apple chips looks delicious and easy.
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey - If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
Unsweetened Applesauce
It is so simple to make your own Unsweetened Applesauce at home! It's simmered on the stove, and made with 3 ingredients in less than an hour.
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Potato masher, blender, or food processor
Ingredients
- 4 pounds apples a combination of granny smith, honeycrisp, and gala. Or use other apples that you prefer.
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel, core and slice apples into 1-inch chunks.
- Place the apples in a large saucepan with the water, lemon juice and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the temperature to low.
- Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very tender and start to break down.
- Mash with a potato masher or puree the applesauce with an immersion blender or food processor.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- You can use whatever varieties of apples that you like, but since we aren't adding any sugar to this sauce, you'll want to use some that are on the sweeter side. I prefer to use a combination of granny smith, gala, and honey crisp apples. This way I get sweet and tart notes in the finished sauce.
- Mashing the apples by hand will give you a chunky applesauce. For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender or food processor.
- If you would prefer not to peel the apples, you can cook them with the skins on. Blend the applesauce in a blender or food processor rather than mashing so that the skins are cut into smaller pieces.
- Stir the applesauce occasionally as it cooks so that the apples don't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
- Store your unsweetened applesauce in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- You can also freeze the applesauce in small freezer bags for up to two months.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 330mgFiber: 7gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
