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Bowl of homemade applesauce with cinnamon and apple slices on a wooden table

Applesauce (Homemade, Smooth or Chunky)

Fresh apples simmered with cinnamon and lemon juice into a homemade sauce you can mash chunky or blend silky smooth, with no peeling needed.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs mixed apples about 6 to 7 medium, such as Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces (peeling optional)
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar maple syrup, or honey (optional, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Method
 

  1. Core and chop the apples into 1-inch pieces. Leave peels on for smooth sauce; peel for a pale chunky sauce.
  2. Combine the apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg if using, and salt in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
  3. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the apples collapse easily.
  5. Taste and stir in sweetener if needed.
  6. For chunky sauce, mash with a potato masher or fork. For smooth sauce, cool 5 minutes and blend in batches until silky.
  7. Stir in the vanilla if using. Serve warm or chilled.

Notes

A mix of sweet and tart apples gives the best flavor; Granny Smith plus Honeycrisp is a great pairing. Lemon juice brightens the sauce and keeps the apples from browning. Skip the sweetener entirely for an unsweetened sauce, or use maple syrup or honey. Storage: refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze in portions up to 3 months. Applesauce swaps one for one for oil in muffins and quick breads.