Description
Make this easy stovetop homemade applesauce recipe for a naturally sweet, cozy snack or side dish. It captures the fresh flavor of apples with gentle spices and is ready quickly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 lbs apples (like Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Place the chopped apples, water, and lemon juice into a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Mash the apples to your desired consistency using a potato masher for chunky applesauce, or use an immersion blender for smooth applesauce.
- Taste the applesauce. If you prefer more sweetness, add a small amount of maple syrup or sugar, though the apples often provide enough natural sweetness.
- Serve warm as a comforting side dish or chill completely for a healthy snack.
Notes
- For a no peel applesauce, simply skip the peeling step; the skins will break down during cooking and add extra fiber.
- This recipe is great for meal prep; homemade applesauce freezes well for up to three months.
- If you want a stronger spice flavor, add a whole cinnamon stick during cooking and remove it before mashing.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 0.2
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 39
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 0.5
- Cholesterol: 0