How to Make Applesauce

Enjoy applesauce on pancakes, pork chops, or by itself.

Applesauce isn’t just for packing in your kid’s lunch box. Sure, the canned applesauce that comes in those little snack-packs is quick and convenient for your on-the-go needs, but homemade applesauce is a treat — even for adults. Plus, it is one of the easiest and least complicated things (ever) to make from scratch.

Start with about six apples, peeled, cored, and sliced. Place them in a large pot and add in 1 cup apple juice, the juice of one lemon, ½ cup of brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. After the apples are tender, purée them in a food processor until smooth. There you have it — simple, easy, and delicious applesauce made in less than one hour.

So, now that you have all of this delicious and fresh applesauce, what are you supposed to do with it? There are plenty of options instead of eating it alone, which is perfectly fine, too. For low-fat baking, you can substitute applesauce for the fat (butter, oil) in the recipe. Try making applesauce muffins or cakes. It’s also great over pancakes, pork chops, or warmed and spooned over vanilla ice cream.

However you use applesauce, remember that it’s simple and easy to make at home. You can even incorporate other fruits like pears, strawberries, or apricots. Try making applesauce in the fall when apples are at their peak and then canning or freezing to enjoy all year long.