Harvest Apple Sauce
Slow-cooked homemade applesauce made with fresh apples, brown sugar and warm pumpkin pie spice. Adjust the sweetness to match your apples and enjoy it warm over oatmeal, pancakes or alongside pork and roasted chicken.
Servings: 8
Calories: 173kcal
Cost: $4
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Apple peeler, corer and slicer (optional)
- Potato masher or immersion blender (optional, for smoother applesauce)
Ingredients
- 8 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar light or dark, or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice preferably homemade
Instructions
- Add the apples and water. Place the peeled, cored and thinly sliced apples in the slow cooker. Add the water.
- Slow cook. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the apples are very soft and easily mashed.
- Add the sugar and spice. Stir in the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Continue cooking, uncovered or covered according to your slow cooker instructions, for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- Adjust the texture. For chunky applesauce, stir and mash the apples lightly. For smoother applesauce, use a potato masher or immersion blender until you reach your preferred consistency.
- Serve. Enjoy warm over pancakes or oatmeal, alongside pork chops or roasted chicken, or simply spoon it into a bowl for a cozy snack.
Notes
Choose your apples: Use one variety or mix several. Sweet apples such as Gala or Fuji will produce a sweeter sauce, while tart apples such as Granny Smith add a little more zing. Mixing varieties gives the applesauce extra flavor.
Adjust the sugar: Taste the cooked apples before adding all the brown sugar. If your apples are naturally sweet, you may need less.
Make your own spice: My homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix is an inexpensive alternative to store-bought and works beautifully in this recipe.
For smoother applesauce: An immersion blender makes quick work of turning the cooked apples into a silky sauce. A potato masher works perfectly well if you prefer a little texture.
Make it ahead: Homemade applesauce keeps well in the refrigerator, making it handy for breakfasts, snacks and easy side dishes throughout the week.
Apple prep shortcut: If you're making a large batch, an apple peeler-corer-slicer can save considerable prep time by doing all three jobs at once.
Nutrition
Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.4mg
