Nothing screams fall quite like homemade applesauce. It’s also a great way to use up apples that are just taking up space in your refrigerator.
Homemade applesauce has been a staple in my family for years. We always have it around the holidays (potato latkes with homemade applesauce is the stuff actual dreams are made of) and it holds so many wonderful memories for me.
When I moved into my first apartment, I knew applesauce was one of the first things I wanted to learn to make for myself. I was more than a little surprised at how easy it was. Especially since it tastes so dang fancy. After all these years, it’s still something I look forward to making every fall.
This year has been no exception. I took the girls apple picking this fall and when we came home with a peck and a half of apples, I knew there would be lots and lots of applesauce making in my future.
YES, PLEASE.
I think I ended up making three big batches of applesauce with our bounty. And the only reason I didn’t make more was because I attempted to make an apple pie. I say attempted, because no one in my family ate more than two bites. Needless to say, I’ll never be making another apple pie again.
Back to the applesauce. The hardest part of the entire process is peeling the apples. Which, after a while, begins to feel almost meditative. My brother and I used to have competitions as kids on who could get the longest string of apple peel without it breaking when we would help my mom make it. My own kids are now in on the fun and are always impressed with how I can get through an entire apple without having the peel break.
A note before I share the “recipe” below: This is really more of a how-to manual and less of an actual recipe. You can use as few or as many apples as you want, and I often make a batch whenever we have apples that have been sitting too long in the refrigerator. All varieties work here, so feel free to mix and match and choose the apples you like best.
Also, we prefer our applesauce unsweetened, with a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon, and have always found it plenty sweet.
Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Ingredients
- 8-10 apples any variety
- water
- 1-2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel, core, and chop apples into chunks. Doesn't need to be precise. Place apples into large stockpot and fill halfway up the apples with water (about 1-2 cups). Turn stove to high and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and simmer until apples are tender. Approximately 30 minutes.
- Once apples are tender, take a potato masher and mash apples until desired texture is achieved. If you prefer a smoother texture, feel free to use an immersion blender or food processor.
- Add cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Serve hot or cold.
Notes
