Up until now, I have never made homemade applesauce. I have always relied on what I could get from the store in a can or a bottle.
Well, as I was planning what to make for apple week, I decided now was the time to try make my own applesauce. So when I was researching different ways to make it, I decided that homemade crock pot applesauce sounded perfect.
The slow cooker version allows you to get it in the crock pot and leave it. You don’t need much time to prepare it since the slow cooker does the majority of the work. The hardest part of making this is peeling the apples and slicing them. It just takes a little time to do it.
I also love that all it only takes apples, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon to make it. That’s all, just simple ingredients. After the crock pot has completed cooking the applesauce, then you just mash it to the desired consistency. I love to have it chunky and it’s hard to find applesauce in a can or bottle that’s chunky.
If you want a more smooth consistency, then just mash it more, use and immersion blender, or even a regular blender to get it to the texture you prefer.
I love to eat this warm, right out of the crock pot. It is seriously amazing. Just the right sweetness, just the right amount of cinnamon, and just the right texture. If you haven’t made your own applesauce before, here’s you chance. It’s so worth it. I even have a video to show you how easy it really is.
Homemade Crock Pot Applesauce
Ingredients
- 16 apples, peeled and sliced (use a variety – I used fuji, gala, and golden delicious)
- lemon juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3–4 cinnamon stick, 3 large or 4 small
Instructions
- Place apples in the slow cooker, and pour lemon juice over the apples.
- Sprinkle sugar over the apples and then place cinnamon sticks on top.
- Cook on high for 4-6 hours until apples have cooked down. Remove cinnamon sticks.
- Use a potato masher or immersion blender to get applesauce the the desired consistency.
- Taste apple sauce and add in more sugar if needed.
- Eat warm or allow to cool and place in a sealed container. Will keep for 1 week in the fridge or can be frozen for future use. Makes 6-8 cups.
Recipe adapted from Neighbor Food Blog.