Life at Cloverhill

Recipe

Homemade Applesauce

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My grandfather gave us a gigantic bushel of apples this year, so I’ve been trying to make as many apple recipes as I can to use them up.
 

Making your own applesauce is much easier than you would think. It freezes really well, you can control the taste and it’s cheaper than store-bought.

Ontario apples are everywhere in the grocery stores right now, so take advantage of our great produce and make yourself some applesauce today! I have some stored in the freezer now for winter.

Easiest Way to Chop an Apple

To core and chop the apples, cut off all four sides around the core.

You end up with two big pieces and two small pieces.

 Cut the small pieces in half and cut the big pieces into 6 pieces.

All chopped up and ready to become sauce!

 
 

How to Make Homemade Applesauce

 
Toss the apples into a large saucepan. Add the sugar.
 
 
Add the cinnamon. This is one of the best parts of homemade applesauce, because the kitchen just gets this great apple pie smell as the apples and cinnamon cook together. Yum!
 
 
Add the water and lemon and give it a stir, combining everything together well. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes.
 

The apples should be tender and broken up.

 
To make a nice puree, I use an old food mill that has been in my family forever. All the baby food my mother made for us went through this sucker, and it’s still in great shape. If you don’t have a food mill, you can use a potato masher instead for a chunkier sauce.
 
 
Run the apple chunks through the food mill, and discard the skins. It will come out into the bowl as a nice puree.
 

Return to the saucepan, and simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Adjust season with sugar, cinnamon or lemon juice.

 I just love the rosy colour that you get from cooking it with the skins on.

 
To freeze it, I pour it into mason jars and then pop them in the freezer without the lids on. Once it is completely frozen in a couple of hours, I screw on the lids. This prevents the liquid from expanding and bursting the glass jar.
 
 
This applesauce is great warm or chilled. I also like to use it in recipes as a substitute for oil when I am trying to make something lighter. I hope you enjoy this easy Fall treat!
 
Homemade Applesauce

Homemade Applesauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds of apples (You can use any mixture of sweet apples: Cortland, Golden Delicious, Gala, McIntosh, Quinte, etc.)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup water
  • juice from ½ a lemon

Instructions

  1. Chop the apple into large chunks, with the skin still on.
  2. Toss the apples into a large saucepan. Add the sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Add the water and lemon and give it a stir, combining everything together well. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes. The apples should be tender and broken up.
  4. Run the apple chunks through the food mill, and discard the skins.
  5. Return to the saucepan, and simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Adjust season with sugar, cinnamon or lemon juice.

Notes

  • FREEZER FRIENDLY: Pour it into mason jars and then pop them in the freezer without the lids on. Once it is completely frozen in a couple of hours, screw on the lids. This prevents the liquid from expanding and bursting the glass jar.
  • BAKING SUBSTITUTE: Applesauce is a great subsitute for oil in some baking recipes.

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    © Amanda - Life at Cloverhill
    Cuisine: Side Dish / Category: Recipe


    Comments

    1. Hi Amanda! I love your apple sauces recipe (and all the other ones)!!! Here’s my recipe:

      1. Peel and slice apples (any kind you like)
      2. Put the apple pieces in a slow cooker
      3. Add 2 or 3 sticks of cinnamon (depending on how much you enjoy its taste)
      4. Cook for about 3 hours on HI or 6 hours on SLOW.
      5. Stir from time to time.
      6. Remove cinnamon sticks once the apple sauce is ready

      It’s super easy, it smells AMAZING and it’s super healthy as there is absolutely nothing added besides pure apple deliciousness! Enjoy!

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