This Easy Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce recipe is super simple to make. It contains only apples, with a little lemon to prevent browning. If you make your homemade applesauce sugar free, you can sweeten and spice your applesauce however you like when using it in recipes.
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Homemade applesauce could not be any easier, and canning it means you have it in the pantry to use in recipes. Homemade applesauce, like Apricot Jam, Pepper Jelly, or Asian Plum Sauce are always a welcome holiday gift, too.
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Why You'll Love This Applesauce Recipe
- Besides some fresh lemon juice, this homemade unsweetened applesauce is just apples, that's all.
- Many applesauce recipes have added sugar, but this is a refined sugar free applesauce recipe.
- This applesauce is super easy to make.
- Your homemade applesauce will keep for a year in the pantry.
- Homemade applesauce is handy to have on hand. Especially if you use applesauce for baking, like I do with this Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread, or Gluten-Free Carrot Cake. You can eat it as a snack, stir it into Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats, or as a topping for ice cream. This unsweetened applesauce is delicious with pork. Try it with Grilled Pork Tenderloin, or Pork Chops with Apples & Onions.
- Sugar free homemade applesauce is ideal for babies, and kids love it too.
- Once you know how to make this easy applesauce recipe, you'll never want to buy store bought applesauce again.
Ingredient Notes
Apples Since we're making this applesauce sugar free, you may want to use a sweeter variety of apples. Try any of these varieties or a combo:
Sweet Apple Varieties
- Ambrosia
- Honeycrisp
- Golden Delicious
- Red Delicious
- Crispin
- Fuji
However, a combo of tart and sweet apples can make your homemade unsweetened applesauce a bit more interesting. Try one of the sweeter varieties mentioned above in combination with a tart variety. Here are a few:
Tart Apple Varieties
- Granny Smith
- Pink Lady
- Gravenstein
- Cortland
- Macintosh
Just be sure to use apples at the peak of ripeness, and don't use bruised or soft ones. The taste of your sauce will reflect the freshness of the apples that you use.
How To Make Applesauce Step by Step
- Peel, core, and slice apples.
- Combine apples pieces, lemon juice, and water in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apples.
- Ladle the hot sauce into hot jars
- Apply lids and bands to the filled jars.
- Process jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes
- Allow the jars to cool, making sure they are sealed, label them with the date, and store in the pantry until ready to use.
Tips for Canning Applesauce
- If you are new to canning, you can find a more detailed guide here: Using Boiling Water Canners
- Jars and bands can be reused, but new lids are required.
- Check each jar for any chips or nicks and do not use those for processing.
- Sterilize the empty jars for ten minutes in the water bath canner you are using for processing, keeping the water simmering so that it's ready to bring to a boil for processing the filled jars.
- Cooking time for the apples will depend on how big your pieces are. Larger pieces will require longer cooking time.
- Use a canning funnel to fill the jars with hot applesauce.
- When filling the jars, leave ½ inch headspace.
- Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars clean before applying the lids.
Applesauce Canning FAQ's
You don't have to peel the apples. In fact you will have a more nutritious applesauce if you leave the peels on, albeit a chunkier one. For baking and other recipes, I prefer a smoother puree, so I peel the apples.
Browning (called oxidation) occurs when the cut surfaces of the apple are exposed to air. Adding lemon juice to the slices stops or slows the oxidation process. To limit browning, add apple slices to the pot with lemon juice as you slice them.
Yes, apples will loose their flavour if they are cooked too long. Cook just until the apples are fork tender.
As they cool, you will hear the satisfying pop as each jar seals. To check, press the center of each jar lid with your finger. The lid should be concave and will not move when pressed. If the center of the lid gives to your finger pressure, it is not sealed.
If, after cooling completely, a jar fails to seal, refrigerate and use the applesauce within 5-7 days.
Serving Suggestions
Eat it as a snack or use your homemade unsweetened applesauce to top yogurt, oatmeal or pancakes. It's great with pork and can be used in many baked goods.
Variations
- Change the fruit. You can use pears, or a combo of apples and pears.
- Spice it up. Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom.
- Make it sweet. You can add sugar if you want this unsweetened applesauce recipe to be a sweet applesauce. Add sugar in ¼ cup increments, tasting until it's as sweet as you like. Sugar should be added after the apples are pureed and brought back to a boil.
- Make it chunky. If you like a chunky, rather than a smooth applesauce, coarsely crush half the cooked apples and puree the other half before combining them.
Equipment I Used for this Recipe
- Apple peeler/corer/slicer This inexpensive tool makes short work of prepping, but isn't necessary. It's great to have for making pies and other apple recipes.
- Citrus juicer This tool is the best way to get every last drop of juice from lemons, limes, oranges, etc.
- Immersion Blender This is the easiest way to puree the applesauce and it's also great for soups and sauces. If you don't have one, you can transfer the cooked apples in batches to a blender and return to the pot after pureeing.
- Canning kit This contains a canning funnel for filling jars, a jar lifter, tongs, bubble popper, and a magnetic lid lifter. Of course, you can buy any of those items separately, too.
- Water Bath Canner Essentially a large, deep pot with a rack. You can use a stock pot with a rack purchased separately.
- Half Pint Jars with lids and bands Jars and bands can be re-used. Lids must be new.
Recipe
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Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 pounds fresh apples (about 12 large apples) peeled, cored, and sliced or chopped
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Peel, core and slice or chop the apples
- Put apple pieces in a large, deep pot and toss with lemon juice.
- Add water
- Over high heat, bring to a boil, stirring.
- Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender in the pot to puree the apples.
- Keep sauce at a gentle boil while ladling into hot, sterilized jars.
- Wipe jar rims with a damp paper towel, and put lids and bands on jars.
- Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 20 minutes.
- Allow jars to cool, making sure they are sealed, and store in the pantry until ready to use.
Anjali
We love this applesauce recipe!! I make it all the time for my kids and they love it as an after school snack. I love that it's healthier than store bought and I can control all of the ingredients in it!
Colleen
I'm so happy to hear this, Anjali! Pure applesauce is so easy to make and so great for kids. Enjoy!
nancy
this is great that it's 1. homemade, 2. not sweetened - just pure as it is. Store bought ones are soooooo sweet!
Colleen
Hi Nancy, I agree. Even unsweetened store bought applesauce often has other additives, so homemade is best!
Heather
This looks WAY better than the jarred stuff at the store! Cannot wait to make a batch and use in all of my fave baking recipes. Thanks for the tips!
Colleen
Hi Heather! Store bought applesauce cannot compare. You will love this! Enjoy.
Shelby
Homemade is SO much tastier than store bought! I love that there’s only three ingredients.. my kind of recipe lol
Colleen
Hi Shelby! Homemade is always better, and this recipe couldn't be easier!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
I love making my own homemade applesauce! It is so much healthier!! Yours looks delicious!
Colleen
Homemade really is so much healthier, Sam! Thank you.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Homemade is always best. You control EVERYTHING from the spices to the sweetness. No artificial ingredients...just goodness....made in your kitchen.
Colleen
Gloria, I couldn't agree more!
Jenni
I love homemade applesauce! Its so great! We make a big batch every year with the apples my in-laws bring us from their apple trees!
Colleen
Hi Jenni, It's great to have access to all those fresh apples!
Dina
Good idea and so easy. Thanks for posting.
Colleen
Thanks Dina!
Tiffany
I like simple, classic recipes. I will have to make this the next time I make a baked ham. I like mine plain, too.
Colleen
Hi Tiffany, Mmm, baked ham with applesauce is so good!
Sandi
We are huge applesauce eaters...can't wait to try this recipe!
Colleen
Sandi, I hope you try this one. If you like applesauce you'll love this ?
Justine @ JustineCelina.com
It's always great to have these simple, classic recipes in your repertoire! Thanks for sharing -- I've pinned it for future reference. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, Colleen!
Colleen
Thanks Justine, I agree on simple classic recipes. 🙂 Have a lovely Sunday!
Vicky Chin
This is so easy to make! I like it plain too without spices. It's more flexible when you use it in other recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Colleen
Hi Vicky. It's so easy, right? And even plain, it tastes fresh and delicious.
Jessica
This homemade applesauce totally brings back memories of when my Oma made it for us when we were kids! Love how simple the ingredients are - I'll definitely be trying this recipe out!
Colleen
Hi Jessica, its such an old fashioned recipe, and sometimes those ones are the best, aren't they?
Nicole @ What She Ate
I haven't had homemade applesauce in such a long time. You've convinced me to fix that! I'm going to keep my eyes out for sales on apples and make this, stat! Yours looks so perfect and creamy!
Colleen
Hi Nicole! I love how easy it is and so handy to have in the pantry! 🙂
Redawna
Wow, how fabulously simple!
I will definitely give this a try. I absolutely love apple sauce with pork and love the simplicity of this recipe.
Have a fantastic weekend.
Colleen
Hi Redawna, I know, so easy, right? Enjoy your weekend!