Making your own unsweetened applesauce is a great way to enjoy the natural sweetness of apples without added sugar or preservatives. With this simple recipe, you can make it chunky or smooth and add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for extra flavor.
You can store this sugar free applesauce in the fridge or freezer, making it an easy snack option that’s always ready when you need it! And if you love this recipe, try out sugar free apple butter.
Here is Why This Applesauce Recipe Works
Unsweetened applesauce is the way to go if you want to use it in baking because you won’t have to worry about adjusting the sugar in your recipe. It also makes an excellent topping for oat groats, pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast treats!
- No added sugar or preservatives – just pure apple flavor
- Versatile – enjoy as-is, or use in recipes
- Perfect for canning and preserving
- Makes a great snack or side dish
- Easily customizable – Add your favorite spices and flavors. Leave the skin on the apples or peel them.
The Ingredients for Unsweetened Applesauce
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for homemade unsweetened applesauce. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Apples. You can use any type of apple for this recipe. Some suggestions are Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or McIntosh. You can also combine a variety of apples for a more complex flavor (that’s how we like to make our Dutch apple pie and apple slab pie.
- Lemons. Lemon juice helps prevent browning and adds a bit of acid to bring out the fresh flavors of the apples.
- Water. You can also replace the water with apple juice or apple cider to give the applesauce a more concentrated flavor.
- Salt. A pinch of salt brings out the sweetness of the apples.
How to Make Unsweetened Applesauce
Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with this unsweetened applesauce recipe. It only takes a few minutes of prep time and it is even quicker if you leave the skin on the apples. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples then place them in a large pot. (you can leave the peel on if you prefer).
- Add the water or apple juice, lemon juice, and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the apples are soft.
- Use a potato masher to mash the apples to a chunky consistency or use an immersion blender for a smooth consistency.
- Continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes to concentrate the flavors and thicken the applesauce. Let the applesauce cool to room temperature before transferring it to airtight containers.
Ways to Use Applesauce
This applesauce is perfect with granola, Greek yogurt, or on top of our French toast bake. It’s also great with savory dishes like pork chops, brats, and grilled chicken.
Tips for Success
- If you want to can your applesauce to preserve it in the pantry, check out the Center for Home Food Preservation for directions.
- Use fresh lemon juice if you have it available but bottled lemon juice will work fine.
- For chunky applesauce, use a potato masher or a pastry blender to roughly smash the apples.
- For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender or a food processor to make it smooth enough for baby food.
Variations for Flavored Applesauce
This homemade sugar-free applesauce serves as a great canvas for various flavor twists! Here are some recipe variations you can try, and don’t forget, the beauty of homemade applesauce is that you can adjust the flavors to suit the season.
- Spiced Applesauce Recipe: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice to create a warmly spiced unsweetened apple sauce.
- Mango Applesauce Recipe: Substitute a quarter of the apples with fresh mango chunks for a tropical twist.
- Berry Apple Blend: Add a cup of mixed berries like blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
- Pear Applesauce Recipe: Replace half of the apples with pears. You can also toss in a vanilla bean for added aroma.
- Gingery Applesauce Recipe: Stir in a tablespoon or two of freshly grated ginger to the mix for a punchy, spicy note.
To make apple butter, simmer the mixture over medium heat for 2 to 2-1/2 hours until it is thick and jammy.
For sweet applesauce recipe, add up to 1/2 cup of sugar or maple syrup.
How to Store Applesauce
Keep the applesauce in your refrigerator for up to a week, or store it in the freezer for a year. If you freeze it, remember to leave one inch of space at the top of its container.
Frequently Asked Questions
The acid in lemon juice brightens the flavor of the apples. It also acts as a preservative and prevents them from browning.
We like to use firm apples for apple pie and apple pie filling, but you can use any variety of apples for applesauce. We usually like to use a combination of two or three different types for more flavor complexity.
Some of our favorites include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh. Since there is no added sugar in this recipe, the level of sweetness from your apples will influence the sweetness of your applesauce.
Making your own applesauce is easy. With this simple recipe, you can make it chunky or smooth and add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for extra flavor.
The result is an incredibly delicious homemade applesauce that pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream or makes for a healthy snack on its own!
Homemade unsweetened applesauce offers far more than just good taste – it’s also easy to store, free from preservatives and additives, and versatile enough to use in baking recipes.
Helpful Tools
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- Apple-peeler-corer for quick prep
- Dutch oven
More Apple Recipes You Will Love
If you love apple-based desserts, then you should try our easy French apple cake, the classic Apple bundt cake, apple skillet cake, and the ultimate indulgence: caramel apple cake.
Our ginger apple muffins are tender and moist. You can replace some of the butter with unsweetened applesauce for a lightened-up version.
Our apple empanadas are like mini apple hand pies. Serve them with vanilla lavender ice cream or whipped cream.
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Unsweetened Applesauce
Ingredients
- 12 fresh apples any variety or combination
- 1/2 cup water or apple juice
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- pinch of salt
- Optional: 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples (you can leave the peel on if you prefer). Cut the apples into quarters and place them in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the water or apple juice, lemon juice, and salt. (add the ground cinnamon if using). Bring the pot to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the apples are soft. Stir the mixture frequently.
- Use a potato masher to mash the apples to a chunky consistency or use an immersion blender for a smooth consistency. You can also transfer the mixture to a food processor for a smooth consistency then transfer it back to the pot.
- Continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes to concentrate the flavors and thicken the applesauce. If it gets too thick, you can add a splash of water or apple juice. Let the applesauce cool before transferring it to airtight containers.
Notes
- For a nice tart applesauce, we suggest using Granny Smith apples. You could also combine the tart with the sweet apples for a great flavor.
- If the apples start to get brown while you peel and slice them, you can add them to a bowl of cold water and a splash of lemon juice. The cold lemon water will prevent the apples from browning while you slice them.
- Store in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 year. If you freeze the applesauce, make sure you leave at least 1 inch of headspace in the container.
- Enjoy the applesauce warm or cold. You can use it with savory dishes like pork chops, chicken, and brats. Or enjoy it with yogurt, granola, and in baked goods.
- You can also make this applesauce in the slow cooker. Add everything to the crockpot and cook on low for six hours or high for 2 to 3 hours.
John/Kitchen Riffs
Wednesday 17th of February 2016
I so rarely make my own applesauce for some reason. Maybe because it's not something we eat all that often? And who would, when you're buying the commercial stuff! This looks superb. And you've inspired me! Thanks so much.
Pat
Wednesday 17th of February 2016
Thanks, John....this is so easy and so worth the little time it takes to make it! :)