Easy Stovetop Applesauce (in less than 1 hour)

Fresh and healthy Homemade Applesauce is one of those things I always like to have in my fridge. Not only delicious as an apple sauce, it is also a great item to bake with. Oh, and it is ridiculously easy to make at home on the stove with one pot only!

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Ingredients

There is nothing easier than making Applesauce at home. All you need is a few ingredients, a pot and a utensil to blend it.

I love making my own applesauce because it is one of those recipe where you can just throw all the ingredients in a pot, let the heat do its job and done!

Really, other than the peeling/cutting the apples, there is really nothing you will need to do!

To make homemade applesauce, you will need:

• Apples
• Water
• Brown Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Cinnamon Sticks (or ground cinnamon)

How to make Applesauce from scratch

Now, for the steps:

• Peel, core and cut the apples.

• Place the Water, Sugar, Lemon Juice and Cinnamon Sticks in a deep pot on low heat and let the brown sugar dissolve. Then, add the apple cubes. Leave it to cook on low heat for 30 minutes with the lid on, then on medium heat for another 15 minutes without the lid.

• Use an Immersion Blender or your traditional Blender / Food Processor to mix the apples into a sauce. It is up to you whether you want to blend it chunky or smooth!

Smooth vs Chunky Applesauce

Another great thing about this recipe is that once the apples have finished cooking, it is completely up to you to choose the consistency of your applesauce.

I personally blend the apples very finely to get a smooth applesauce, but you can also blend the apples for a few seconds only (or even just use a fork to mash the apples) to get a thick, chunky applesauce. 

How to choose what consistency you need? It probably depends what you will be using the applesauce for…

Ideas for Smooth Applesauce:

• To use as an ingredient for baking like an Apple Loaf Cake or French Apple Cake

• As a topping for Pancakes, French Toast or Waffles

• As a Cake or Pastry filling like my French Apple Tart or Apple Galette

• With Granola or Yogurt

• On its own as a healthy dessert / sweet treats

• Perfect for babies and kids (you can simply remove all added sugar for a healthier option)

How to use Chunky Applesauce:

• To serve with Meats like Pork or Chicken (a very traditional way to eat chicken in Belgium is with applesauce!)

• Like a Compote to enjoy as a dessert / healthy treat

• As a breakfast topping

• As a filling for Pie

What are the best Apples for Applesauce

There are so many varieties of apples that can be used to make applesauce, it is entirely up to you! Different types of apples with create a more or less sweet sauce, different consistency and texture or a tangier / crispier taste.

And don’t feel like you need to use one type of apples only, you can obviously mix different varieties together!

Amongst many, the best apples know to make good applesauce are:

• McIntosh (tart)

• Gala (mild and sweet)

• Fuji (crisp and sweet)

• Golden Delicious (crisp and sweet)

• Red Delicious (sweet)

• Jonathan (sweet and tart)

• Granny Smith (crisp and tart)

• Honey Crisp (sweet and tart)

Read more about how to pick the right apples for baking here

Is applesauce healthy?

The main ingredient of applesauce is Apples, and since there is no added fat and only a low quantity of added sugar to this recipe, we could consider it to be healthy.  

This homemade applesauce is Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free and Vegan. It is perfect for literally everyone (unless you are allergic to apples…).

A homemade applesauce will also often be way healthier than a store-bought one because you can control the amount of sugar you are adding to it and it is preservative-free!

Can I make applesauce without sugar?

If you are looking for an even healthier version of this applesauce, the best recommendation I could give you is to choose a sweet variety of apples and ditch the added sugar all together.

You may want to remove the lemon juice from the recipe. Although absolutely delicious, the lemon juice is balanced by the added sugar in the traditional recipe so it could make the sauce quite tangy without the sugar.

You then get a delicious sauce that is almost entirely made of fruits, without any added sugar and fat!

How long does homemade applesauce last?

It is hard to give an exact time because it will highly depend on the variety of apples you decide to use. As a general rule, always keep your homemade applesauce in the fridge and properly sealed. It will be best eaten within a week.

You can also make canned applesauce for an extended shelf-life, and even freeze it!

Note that if you decide to freeze applesauce, don’t place it in a glass jar. When ready to be enjoyed, let it thaw in the fridge. Freezing applesauce will make it a big soggier so you may want to cook it again for a few minutes to evaporate the moisture.

More Desserts with Apples and Applesauce

• Apple Cinnamon Pul Apart Bread
• Apple Upside-Down Cake
• Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
• Lazy Apple Turnovers from Eight Forest Lane
• Apple Oat Muffins from Kidgredients
• Overnight Oats with Apple and Sultanas from It’s not Complicated Recipes