Homemade Applesauce with Apple Cider
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This easy recipe is the best applesauce for celebrating the flavors of fall. This Homemade Applesauce Recipe with Apple Cider uses the addition of fall’s favorite drink to create a deeper, richer apple flavor.
Is there anything better in the fall than apple picking at a local farm? Michigan is the third largest producer of apples in the U.S.! Our orchards produce an amazing variety, including gala (my fave!), golden delicious, jonagold and granny smith apples, plus ever-popular honeycrisp apples.
We’re skipping the slow cooker and Insta Pot in favor of the traditional stove top since it cooks up in just 30 minutes. Serve it warm or cold, with pork chops or chicken, on potato pancakes, or even as a topping for ice cream.
I love using Homemade Applesauce with Apple Cider in my Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal. It has so much more flavor that any store-bought applesauce you can find.
Make it a Meal! Turn this homemade apple sauce into the best side dish and serve it with two of my favorite kid-friendly recipes – homemade chicken nuggets and Parmesan potato rounds.
Ingredients
- Apples – I love gala apples and use them in all of my cooking, but choose your favorite apples – or a variety – for this apple sauce. Different apples cook differently, so using a mix of apples with give more texture to your applesauce.
- Brown sugar – My favorite sweetener with apples. Use maple syrup if you’re looking for a different sugar in this recipe.
- Apple cider – Fresh from the orchard, using apple cider instead of water in this recipe gives the applesauce a deeper apple flavor and darker color. If it’s not cider season, you can use unsweetened apple juice in place of the apple cider. It will make for a lighter color applesauce and you may need to add more brown sugar. Be sure to taste your applesauce and adjust according to your sweetness preferences.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg – These classic, warm applesauce spice add a lot of flavor to the apple sauce.
- Salt – A little salt brings out the sweetness in the apples. Your favorite Kosher salt works great.
- Vanilla extract – Use 100% pure vanilla extract to create a delicious depth of flavor.
- A lemon – This will keep your applesauce from getting overly sweet and balance everything out. Choose a fresh lemon and squeeze the juice. You’ll need about half a lemon.
How to Make Apple Cider Applesauce
Peel, core and thinly slice the apple. Combine the apples with all the other ingredients in a large pot and let them cook on the stove, stirring occasionally.
When the apples are really soft and starting to break down, grab a potato masher and mash them into a chunky applesauce. If you like a smoother applesauce, use an immersion blender instead.
Once you have the apple sauce at a texture you like, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Homemade Applesauce Recipe with Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 12 apples, I use gala apples
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup apple cider
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples. Chop into thin slices.12 apples
- Place apples into a large pot.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, making sure apples slices are evenly coated.1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup apple cider, 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , 1 tsp lemon juice
- Cook apples over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft. Approximately 25-30 minutes. If the liquid cooks down too much, stir in additional apple cider, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Using a potato masher carefully mash the apples until they are no longer recognizable slices.
- Stir the applesauce and continue cooking until desired consistency is reached.
- Remove from heat and give the apples one final mash to break up any remaining larger chunks.
- Cool and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips
This is a chunky applesauce. If you prefer a smooth applesauce, swap the potato masher for an immersion blender. You can also puree the cooked apples in a food processor or grind through a food mill for a smoother applesauce. If you decide to puree in a regular blender, be sure the applesauce has cooled to room temperature and puree it in batches.
Use whatever cinnamon you like. I prefer ground cinnamon in this recipe, but if you’d rather use cinnamon sticks, feel free to make the swap. Just be sure to remove the cinnamon sticks before mashing or pureeing the applesauce.
Can you Freeze Homemade Applesauce?
Yes! This recipe is one of my favorites to make in big batches during weekend meal prep and freeze. I store mine in zip top bags and freeze it flat. Thaw in the refrigerator or in a shallow dish of cold water, if you’re in a hurry.
Looking for More Delicious Apple Recipes?
I love using this apple sauce recipe in my apple cinnamon baked oatmeal for an easy, weekday breakfast. Need an easy appetizer? Apple, Bacon and Goat Cheese Crostini are delicious and come together quickly. Or try one of these apple recipes:
what is the yield and the cooking method
Both are in the recipe card: https://mittengirl.com/apple-cider-applesauce/#recipe. It makes approx 5 cups – 10 half cup servings.