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cooked puree of unsweetened applesauce in a glass container, an up close shot with spoon

Unsweetened Applesauce

Cindy
With just a few minutes of prep, you'll have delicious Unsweetened Applesauce simmering on the stove made with fresh apples cinnamon, and no added sugar. Not only does Unsweetened Applesauce taste amazing, but it will make your house smell wonderful!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings - about 5 cups total
Calories 218 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pounds apples a combination of granny smith honeycrisp, and gala. Or use other apples that you prefer.
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Peel, core and slice apples into 1-inch chunks.
    diced apples on a white and gray cutting board a bowl of apples to top right and green and white town to the left
  • Place the apples in a large saucepan with the water, lemon juice and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine.
    diced cooked apples in a white pot with a mint green spoon. Also a white and green towel to the left
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the temperature to low.
    cooked brown apples in a white pot with green and white towel to the left
  • Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very tender and start to break down.
    cooked brown apples in a white pot with green and white towel to the left
  • Mash with a potato masher or puree the applesauce with an immersion blender or food processor. Serve warm or chilled.
    a white pot full of brown puree unsweetened applesauce

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. 
Keyword unsweetened applesauce