Make your own applesauce with this simple homemade method. The applesauce can be canned or frozen.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time8 hourshrs
Total Time10 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Course: Side
Servings: 28cups
Calories: 178kcal
Author: Katie Wells
Equipment
Blender, immersion blender, or hand blender
Large pot(or slow cooker)
Ingredients
21poundsapples(adjust amount up or down as desired)
2TBSPcinnamon(adjust amount up or down as desired)
¾cupwater
Instructions
Soak the apples in vinegar and water in the kitchen sink for a few hours to remove any dirt or residue. Rinse well after soaking or there will be a slight pickle taste to your applesauce. This step isn’t as necessary with organic apples, but is still a good way to clean them.
Peel apples if desired. Quarter and core the washed apples.
Put all the apples in a Crock-Pot or large pot on the stove with 3/4 cup of water and cinnamon to taste. I usually add a few tablespoons of cinnamon for each pot full of apples.
Cook the apples on medium heat until soft. Time varies, but expect at least a few hours. The house will smell great all day as they cook!
When the apples are soft and skins are starting to fall off, turn off the heat and let the apples cool until slightly warm. Use a blender, food mill, or immersion blender (not hand mixer) to puree the apples until smooth.
If storing fresh, pour into clean quart jars, top with lid, and store in the refrigerator.
Hot Water Bath Canning
Reheat the now smooth applesauce to boiling and then turn off the heat. Immediately put into very clean jars and can according to your canner instructions.
Notes
This recipe makes roughly 7 quarts of applesauce. One bushel of apples makes about 15 quarts of applesauce. You can easily adapt this recipe to smaller or larger batches.