Slow Cooker Applesauce has you covered, from snack time to school lunch, as a side dish or as dessert (Hint: Add a splash of vanilla extract!). But I have to warn you: Once you go the homemade applesauce route, the store-bought alternative won’t stand a chance.
Who knew four simple ingredients and a quick 4 hours in the slow cooker could yield such a healthy indulgence? The first time I made this recipe I found myself hovering over the slow cooker, spoon in hand, fetching bite after bite of warm applesauce before it even made it to the bowl. Best of all, you can rely entirely on the natural sweetness of the apples, which means there’s no excess sugar required. Healthy snacking has never been sweeter.
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Ingredients
- 12 apples (See Kelly's Note)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Peel, core and cut the apples into eight pieces each.
- Add the apples, cinnamon, lemon juice and sugar to a slow cooker, stirring until the apples are thoroughly coated.
- Cook the apples on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Once the apples are very tender, mash them with a fork until your reach your desired consistency. (For extra-smooth applesauce, purée the cooked apples in batches in a blender.) Taste and season with additional cinnamon as desired.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Kelly's Notes:
- The best apples for making applesauce in a slow cooker are Honey Crisp, Gala and Fuji. Opt for a mix of all three varieties for the best blend of flavors.
- The apples provide natural sweetness, so there's no need to add additional sugar. Feel free to customize the sweetness of the applesauce to your personal preferences.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not republish this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Love this recipe!! Was going to can some but there won’t be enough
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Barbara!
Instead of using cinnamon, I use red hots for a pink color and a spicy taste.
Ooooh! Interesting!
Hi Kelly,
I just got back from apple picking—bought 20 lbs of apples, lol. Going to try your slow cooker method, as I’ve always done this via stove top. I’m also going to run out to the store and get some cranberries because throwing in cranberries to some of the batches makes it taste really good! (I add a bit more sweetener– I use combo of some Splenda and Truvia to make up for the sour cranberries).
Will try your recipe today!!
Dave
Love the idea of adding cranberries, Dave! Enjoy!
This recipe could not be any easier to whip up, and the end result is super tasty! And my kids love it, too (which is the best part!).
Love hearing this, Kelsey! SO glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Great idea about canning it! I’ll definitely try that!
Thank you, this is my first attempt at apple sauce from my own little tree. I’ll let you know if it goes well.
I just made this today with Gala apples and after mashing them it was very watery..have you had this happen before?
Hi Lindsay – I’ve never experienced it being watery, but I suppose you could just strain it?
My husband has been making this for a couple of years. He just puts apples and cinnamon in the crockpot. When it’s done, he uses a hand mixer (with a towel over it all so no splatters) to smooth it out. He also cans the applesauce by using clean mason jars warmed in the oven at 225 degrees for 15 minutes. No water bath necessary. Our grandkids only like PawPaw’s applesauce. :)
I made slow cooker applesauce last summer. I froze it in both freezer bags and small 1/2 pint plastic freezer containers. I find the flavor and texture is just fine. One batch I even added some fresh cut up cranberries to the crockpot with the apples. Yum.
Yes! i always want something to make in my crockpot that is not meat! Love it! Homemade applesauce is a million times better than store bought.
Anyone ever freeze homemade applesauce?
Hi Mar – I’ve never tried freezing this so I’m not sure how it’d impact the texture.
This looks so good! Do you know how long it will stay fresh in the fridge?
Thanks, Ginny! I’m not certain how long it’ll last, but I’ve kept mine up to five days in an air-tight container in the fridge and it’s great!
I can’t wait to try this, so much better than store bought!
Oh love this idea. I’ve made apple sauce on the stove top. But this is MUCH easier. Thanks for sharing!
I agree, once you go homemade, you never go back!