Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce is delicious, versatile, and so easy to make. It only takes a couple simple steps and is so much tastier than store-bought! Adjust this recipe to taste with your favorite spices, sweeteners, and apple varieties.
We always keep some homemade apple sauce in the refrigerator. We love it mixed with oatmeal or Greek yogurt for breakfast or on top of vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. It can also be enjoyed with savory dishes, like latkes and pork chops. We also use when we bake as a butter or oil replacement. If you are looking for a richer apple spread, check out our Easy Cinnamon Apple Curd.
Homemade applesauce is easily customizable. It can be sweetened with date sugar, honey, sugar, or your favorite sweetener. The taste can also be adjusted with spices, like pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and more.
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About Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce
- Taste - Unsweetened applesauce is surprisingly sweet despite the lack of added sugar. It also tastes delicious with so many foods!
- Texture - This unsweetened applesauce can be chunky or smooth depending on your preference. We prefer it thick so we can enjoy the apple chunks.
- Effort - Making applesauce is simple and straightforward.
- Time - It takes a few minutes to prepare the apples then about 20 to cook them down to a sauce.
Ingredients
- Apples - Use a crisp apple like fuji, honey crisp, or granny smith apples. Crisp apples have a more dynamic taste and texture.
- Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon adds a warm and woody flavor.
- Lemon juice - Fresh lemon Juice adds brightness.
- Water - The water keeps the sauce thin and light.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Brown sugar - Use brown sugar for extra sweetness. Brown sugar has a rich caramel, molasses-like flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar - In lieu of lemon juice, use 2½ teaspoons of apple cider vinegar if you prefer the flavor.
- Meyer lemon juice - Instead of regular lemon juice, use meyer lemon juice for added sweetness.
- Pumpkin spice - Instead of cinnamon, use warm spices or pumpkin spice for warm flavor. Pumpkin pie spice consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and ginger.
- Nutmeg - Use nutmeg instead of cinnamon for a more subtle woody flavor.
Variations
- Pears - Add peeled and cubed pear to the apples for a pear applesauce.
- Peaches - Add peeled and cubed peaches in the summer for a peach applesauce.
- Vanilla - Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or paste for a vanilla flavor.
- Nutmeg - Add warm spices like nutmeg for a seasonal spin.
- Extra Lemony - Add more lemon juice or lemon zest to pack this applesauce with extra lemon flavor. The combination of lemon and apple is delicious.
- Extra sweet - Add date sugar, honey, maple syrup, or your sweetener of choice in the first step to make this applesauce extra sweet.
- Skin on - You can also make applesauce with the apple skins on if you like the texture and want the extra nutrition.
Instructions
- Prepare and cook apples - Peel, core, and dice the apples into small pieces (½-inch pieces). Place the diced apples, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and stir. Place the lid on and bring the apples to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Occasionally stir until the apples are tender and soft, about 15-20 minutes.
- Mash or puree apples - For chunky applesauce, use a fork or potato masher in the pot and mash until you reach the desired consistency.
- For smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender in the pot or transfer the apples to a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth. Work in batches using a food processor or blender if necessary and transfer the purée back to the pot and allow to cool with the lid off.
- Serve or store - Serve warm or cooled, then store.
Pro tip: The type of apple will affect the sweetness of the applesauce. If you want a tarter sauce, pick a tart apple like granny smith. If you want a sweeter applesauce, pick a sweeter apple like a honeycrisp.
How to Store Unsweetened Applesauce
This sugar free applesauce can be refrigerated in an air-tight container or lidded jar for up to 1 week. You can also freeze this easy homemade applesauce in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Just be sure to leave a little space at the top because applesauce expands when frozen.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, homemade applesauce contains the same good nutrients as apples. However, store bought applesauce can contain unhealthy additives and more calories.
Essentially yes. The only difference is that applesauce for babies may be more finely processed. Just blend or mash according to the baby's age.
Applesauce can be enjoyed as a snack or mixed with other foods. It can also be used as a healthy replacement for oil or melted butter in baked goods.
Applesauce is a healthy hydration source when you are sick. This is especially true when you are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, both of which increase your risk of dehydration. Also, due to a high concentration of pectin in applesauce, it is easier on the stomach than most other foods and helps remove waste from the body.
Cooking Tips
- Make extra so you have enough healthy applesauce to store for the whole week or even freeze it for 3 months and thaw it as you use it. Just be sure to store it in a freezer safe an air-tight container or lidded jar.
- If you use an immersion blender, be careful if your dutch oven has an enamel base or it will scratch.
- If using a blender or food processor, work in batches and allow the apples to cool slightly to prevent steam from building in the vessels.
- If using a blender, you may need to add a splash of water for the blender to blend evenly. Add the puree back to the pot and cook on low-medium heat to thicken the sauce if necessary.
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Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce (Sugar Free)
Ingredients
- 4 medium crisp apples such as Granny Smith, Fuji, Honeycrisp peeled, cored, and diced in ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup water
- 1½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare and cook apples - Peel, core, and dice the apples into small ½-inch pieces. Place the diced apples, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and stir. Place the lid on and bring the apples to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Occasionally stir until the apples are tender and soft, about 15-20 minutes.4 medium crisp apples such as Granny Smith, Fuji, Honeycrisp, ½ cup water, 1½ tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Mash or puree apples - For chunky applesauce, use a fork or potato masher in the pot and mash until you reach the desired consistency.
- For smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender in the pot or transfer the apples to a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth. Work in batches using a food processor or blender if necessary and transfer the purée back to the pot and allow to cool with the lid off.
- Serve or store - Serve warm or cooled, then store.
Notes
- The type of apple will affect the sweetness of the applesauce. If you want a tarter sauce, pick a tart apple like granny smith. If you want a sweeter applesauce, pick a sweeter apple like a honeycrisp.
- Make extra so you have enough healthy applesauce for the whole week or even freeze it for 3 months then thaw it as you use it. Just be sure to store it in a freezer safe an air-tight container
- If you use an immersion blender, be careful that your dutch oven has an enamel base or it will scratch.
- If using a blender or food processor, work in batches and allow the apples to cool slightly to prevent steam from building in the vessels.
- If using a blender, you may need to add a splash of water to make it blend evenly. Add the puree back to the pot and cook on low-medium heat to thicken the sauce if necessary.
- Refrigerate applesauce an airtight container for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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