How To Make Applesauce Just Like Grandma

Learn how to make applesauce with just one ingredient, apples and no sugar added.  This classic homemade applesauce is the same recipe I feed to my babies when they were being introduced to solid food. 

What is applesauce?

Apple sauce is the result of cooking down apples so that they become soft enough to be easily pressed or sauced. A single variety of apple could be used or a combination of apples to make the sauce. A variety of spices and sugar can be used but are not necessary. 

What apples do you use for applesauce?

I like to use a variety of apples in my applesauce. McIntosh, honey crisp, Golden delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Jonathan gold apples are all ones that are available in my area and I will use a mixture of any of these in any given year. But my favorite combination of apples is half honey crisp and half granny smith.

What type of apple is used for applesauce? 

I do my best to use seconds when it comes to the types of apples I use for my applesauce recipe. Seconds are the apples that my have a bruise, a hail mark, a bug bite, misshapen or in any other way not a perfect apple. These apples are often sold at a reduced rate and are perfect for making applesauce. 

Do you need to peel apples to make applesauce?

It is not necessary to peel and core apples ahead of making them into apple sauce. I use a Squeeze-o that removes the skins and seeds but a food mill will do the same task. 

If you do not have either one of these kitchen tools, you will need to at least remove the core and seeds from the apple before cooking them. Peeling the apples is up to you. I leave them unpeeled to the apples have added nutrition and fiber. 

How to make applesauce with whole apples.

1. Wash the apples. 
2. Give the apples a rough chop. 
3. In a large pot, sweat the apples down till they are mushy.
4. Apples should be fork tender.
5. If using a squeeze-o or food mill, carefully scoop the hot apples into the hopper and turn the crank to force the apple pulp out of the fine mesh cylinder. The seeds, core and skins will be pushed out the center of the cylinder. 
6. Allow the sauce to cool, portion into freezer safe containers or can the sauce. 

How to make applesauce without a food mill.

1. Wash the apples. 
2. Peel, core and slice the apples.

3. In a large pot, sweat the apples down till they are mushy.

4. Apples should be fork tender.
5. Use an immersion blender to puree the apple sauce to the consistency of your choosing. 

6. Alternately, a food processor can be used to make puree the apples.

7. Cool the sauce and portion into freezer safe containers or can the sauce. 

How To Make Applesauce

Sarah Mock

Learn how to make homemade applesauce with just one ingredient, apples and no sugar added. 

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark, toggle to button to the right to turn GREEN

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 24 (2 cup) portions

Equipment

• Food Mill 
• Sauce Pro
• Hand processor 
• Food Processor

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Apples 1 bushel

Instructions

 

• Wash the apples. Get all the dirt off them and send any little bug that might be hitching a ride for a swim.
  
• Give the apples a rough chop. Don’t worry about coring and peeling.  The Squeeze-o will take care of them.
  
• In a large pot, over medium heat add a 1/2 cup of water to the apples in the pot and sweat the apples down till they are mushy.
  
• After about a half hour the apples should be fork tender.
• If using a squeeze-o or food mill, carefully scoop the hot apples into the hopper and turn the crank to force the apple pulp out of the fine mesh cylinder.
  
• The seeds, core and skins will be pushed out the center of the cylinder.
  
• Allow the sauce to cool, portion into freezer safe containers or can the sauce. 
  

Notes

I do recommend to take the first round of seeds and skins and running it back trough the process again. This will force more sauce from your skins. This second pressing will be more fibrous so you will want to blend it in with your first pressing.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Applesauce making tips:

• I do recommend to take the first round of seeds and skins and running it back trough the process again. This will force more sauce from your skins. This second pressing will be more fibrous so you will want to blend it in with your first pressing.

Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 12 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

published sept 21, 2011