How to Make Applesauce

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Here is a foolproof recipe for making applesauce. Homemade applesauce is simply fresh apples that have been simmered in water with sugar and spices to taste.

Homemade applesauce puts the cook in the driver’s seat – make it sweet, tart, spiced or plain. It’s your choice. Eat it plain or use for baking.

Ingredients & substitutions

• Apples: Which apples make the best sauce? There are so many opinions on this! Bottom line: use what you have and like (except Red Delicious and their cousins like Envy apples. They do not cook down well.) Go tart with with Granny Smith or sweet with Galas.
• Sugar: Any type of granular sugar – white, brown, or cane sugar will do. Honey or maple syrup can sub in, too.
• Spices: Cinnamon is the classic. Simmer with a stick or about ½ teaspoon of ground spice. Or try any warm spice, like pumpkin spice mix, nutmeg, or cardamon.
• Water: Used to simmer with the apples for the perfect consistency.

How to make homemade applesauce

Prepare the apples

• Peel the off the apple skins.
• Core using spoon, melon baller or corer.
• Chop into small-ish pieces.

Cook the apples

• Place all your ingredients into a sauce pan.
• Stir to mix well.
• Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
• The sauce is ready when the apples are soft and can easily be pierced with a knife.

Tips for making the applesauce from scratch

1. Choose the freshest, most flavorful apples. This will make a big difference in the texture and flavor of your homemade applesauce.
2. Feel free to mix varieties of apples, especially if you want to blend sweet and tart apples. There’s no rule that says you only have to use one type.
3. Be stingy with your sweetener in the beginning. Wait until the apples are cooked down and then taste and adjust to avoid over sweetening.
4. Check for the moisture level of the applesauce. If your cooked down apple mixture seems very watery, drain a little excess water out before mashing. Some apple varieties are naturally more watery than others.

recipes with applesauce

• Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chai Spiced Muffins
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
• Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Bars
• Carrot Banana Bread
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Frequently asked questions

Homemade applesauce can be eaten on its own or used in baking. Try it mixed into yogurt or cottage cheese or as a side to cooked meat.

MORE COOKING TUTORIALS:

• How to Cook Artichokes
• How to Cook Couscous
• How to Cook Quinoa
• How to Cook Rice
• How to Cook Brown Rice
• How to Cook Pasta

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