Slow Cooker Applesauce

This slow cooker applesauce started with a bag of apples from our garden in Bulgaria.

They weren’t picture-perfect. They were small, a little spotty, a few odd shapes.

They were also organic and full of flavor, and they don’t go to waste in my house.

You peel and chop the apples, add a splash of water, cinnamon and vanilla, and let the crockpot do the rest.

Four hours later you blend it, or don’t, and you have a big batch of homemade applesauce for the week.

Why Make Crockpot Applesauce

• It uses up imperfect apples. Bruised, small or mismatched apples all disappear into the sauce.
• Hands-off. About 15 minutes of peeling and chopping, and the slow cooker handles the rest. No stirring, no scorching.
• You control the sugar. Sweet apples need none. Tart ones need a little.
• It’s a real meal-prep staple. One batch goes into breakfasts, snacks, baking and dinners all week.
• It costs less than store-bought. Especially in fall, when apples are cheap, or free from the garden.

Why Make Crockpot Applesauce

• It uses up imperfect apples. Bruised, small or mismatched apples all disappear into the sauce.
• Hands-off. About 15 minutes of peeling and chopping, and the slow cooker handles the rest. No stirring, no scorching.
• You control the sugar. Sweet apples need none. Tart ones need a little.
• It’s a real meal-prep staple. One batch goes into breakfasts, snacks, baking and dinners all week.
• It costs less than store-bought. Especially in fall, when apples are cheap, or free from the garden.

Best Apples for Applesauce

• Sweet, soft apples break down fastest and need no sugar: Gala, Fuji, McIntosh, Golden Delicious.
• Tart apples add brightness: Granny Smith, Braeburn.
• A mix is best. Two or three varieties taste more like apple than a single one.

How to Make Slow Cooker Applesauce

1. Prep the apples. Peel, core and chop them into roughly 1-inch pieces. They don’t need to be neat.
2. Load the slow cooker. Add the apples, water, vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar, if using, and stir once.
3. Cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, until the apples are very soft and fall apart when pressed with a spoon.
4. Blend or mash. For smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender right in the crock. For chunky, mash with a potato masher.
5. Taste and adjust. Add more cinnamon, a squeeze of lemon if it tastes flat, or a little sugar if it’s too tart.

Tips for the Best Homemade Applesauce

• Taste your apples first. If they’re sweet enough to eat out of hand, skip the sugar completely.
• Start with less water. You can always thin applesauce later, but watery applesauce needs time to cook down.
• Too thin? Take the lid off for the last 30–60 minutes so the extra liquid steams off.
• Cut the pieces roughly the same size so they soften at the same time.
• Let it cool a few minutes before blending. Hot applesauce splatters.
• Want it pink? Leave the peels on red apples and blend well. The color is pretty and you skip the peeling.
• Doubling it? A 6-quart slow cooker holds a double batch. Add an hour of cooking time.

How to Store and Freeze Applesauce

• Fridge: 7–10 days in a sealed jar or container.
• Freezer: up to 6 months. Freeze in ½-cup portions or ice cube trays for oatmeal and baking, and leave a little room at the top of jars because it expands.
• Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before using.

Ways to Use Homemade Applesauce

• Breakfast: spoon it over oatmeal, overnight oats, Greek yogurt or kefir pancakes.
• Snack: eat it warm with a pinch of cinnamon, or cold straight from the jar. Pack it in small containers for lunch boxes.
• Dinner: serve it next to pork chops. It’s the classic pairing for a reason. Try it with baked pork chops with apples.
• Baking: use it in place of some of the oil or butter in muffins and quick breads, like these apple donuts.

Cost vs. Store-Bought

A jar of organic applesauce costs $3–5 in the US. A batch made from in-season apples costs about the same and makes more. Made from garden or orchard apples, it costs next to nothing

FAQ

Do I have to peel the apples? No. Peels add fiber and blend in with a good blender, and red peels turn the sauce pink. For the smoothest texture, peel them.

Can I make applesauce without sugar? Yes. With sweet apples like Gala or Fuji, unsweetened applesauce tastes plenty sweet. Vanilla and cinnamon help too.

Can I cook it on HIGH? Yes. Cook on HIGH for 2–3 hours, until the apples are very soft. LOW gives a deeper, more cooked-apple flavor.

How many apples do I need for crockpot applesauce? About 8 medium apples (around 3½ lb) make roughly 4 cups of applesauce. CONFIRM your yield.

Why is my applesauce watery? Juicy apples release a lot of liquid. Cook it uncovered for the last 30–60 minutes, and use less water next time.

Is homemade applesauce healthy? Unsweetened, it’s just fruit: low in calories, with natural fiber and no added sugar. That makes it a light snack and a good swap for oil in baking.

More Apple Recipes

• Apple Muffins With Oats and Pecans
• Baked Pork Chops With Apples
• Apple Walnut Salad
• Apple Donuts
• Slow Cooker Apple Cider
• Baked Pears With Yogurt, Honey and Pecans