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There is nothing quite like a jar of homemade applesauce. This simple recipe is a wonderful way to use up a big harvest of apples and fill your pantry with jars of delicious applesauce to enjoy all year long.
Wash, peel, core, and slice your apples. If you're working with a large quantity, you can prepare the apples in batches to make the process more manageable.
Place the sliced apples into large pots on the stove. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of each pot to keep the apples from sticking while they begin to cook. The apples will release quite a bit of their own juice as they soften.
For an 8- to 10-quart pot, the USDA's tested applesauce recipe calls for about ½ cup of water. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they are completely tender and can easily be mashed.
For a small batch, you can leave the cooked apples right in the pot. If you're making a large batch, transfer the cooked apples to a large crockpot or roasting pan.
Mash the cooked apples until they reach your desired consistency.
For a really smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender to blend the apples. This also makes it easy to thoroughly mix in your cinnamon and other spices.
Add ground cinnamon to taste. You can also add other warm spices if you like, such as a small amount of nutmeg.
If you prefer sweeter applesauce, sugar can be added to taste. The USDA's tested applesauce recipe does not require sugar, so it is completely optional.
Taste your applesauce and adjust the cinnamon and sweetness until it's just right.
If you're making a large batch, canning is a great way to preserve your applesauce for later.
Prepare your boiling-water canner according to the manufacturer's directions. Wash your canning jars and keep them hot until you're ready to fill them. For a process of 10 minutes or longer, jars do not need to be separately sterilized, but keeping them hot helps prevent thermal shock when filling.
Ladle the hot applesauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Remove any trapped air bubbles, wipe the jar rims clean, and place the lids and screw bands on according to the lid manufacturer's directions.
Place the filled jars into the boiling-water canner and process according to your elevation.
| Jar Size | 0–1,000 ft | 1,001–3,000 ft | 3,001–6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pints | 15 minutes | 20 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Quarts | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 30 minutes | 35 minutes |
These are the current USDA/National Center for Home Food Preservation processing times for hot-packed applesauce.
When the processing time is complete, carefully remove the jars and allow them to cool undisturbed at room temperature. Check the seals once the jars have cooled.
Canning note: For food-safety purposes, use tested canning recipes and follow the specified processing times and elevation adjustments rather than shortening the processing time.