Nothing says fall like homemade applesauce, sweet and delicious, made with freshly picked apples. This recipe is so unbelievably easy that you will wonder why you ever bought applesauce at the store! Made with just apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice, this applesauce is full of flavor without having artificial ingredients or extra sugar (though you would never believe that this is unsweetened by tasting it)!
The key to this applesauce and what makes it so special is that it doesn’t use just one kind of apple. For this recipe we use a combination of McIntosh, Granny Smith, and Honey Crisp apples to get it’s awe worthy flavor. These varieties give you everything you need in an applesauce; natural sweetness, just the right amount of tartness, and a little bit of tang at the end.
Why did we pick those apples? The method to our madness (with amazing results!):
- McIntosh Apples: Crunchy tart apple, sweet with an light acidity. Be careful because this apple’s great flavor fades the longer it is stored.
- Granny Smith Apples: Crisp, sharp taste with high acidity. This apple, unlike the McIntosh, sweetens the longer it is stored.
- Honey Crisp Apples: Sweet, crisp apple with light acidity but high in water content.
You are free to use whatever kinds of apples you prefer, as the cooking method would be the same but we highly recommend trying it with this specific variety of apples. If you want more information on apples that are suitable for applesauce, check out this article from Good Housekeeping.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Granny Smith Apple about 2 large apples
- 2 lb McIntosh Apple about 4 large apples
- 1 lb Honey Crisp Apple about 2 large apples
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup water
- 4 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel and core apples. Cut McIntosh and Honey Crisp apples in approximately ½" cubes, cut Granny Smith apples half that size. Place in a sauce pan large enough to fit all the apples.
- Add water, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the pan. Place on medium heat, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when the apples have broken down in the liquid. You can use a fork or potato masher to break up any apples that didn't completely break down to achieve your preferred consistency. Let cool and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
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