Homemade Applesauce Recipe (+How to Can Applesauce)

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Homemade Applesauce Recipe (+How to Can Applesauce)

Learn how to can applesauce with this simple, five-ingredient recipe that can be canned up in under an hour. Line your pantry with jars of home-canned homemade applesauce and enjoy the cinnamon-spice flavors of fall all year long.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Canning Time30

Total Time1 10

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Applesauce Recipe, Homemade Applesauce Recipe, How to Can Applesauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 190kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: varies

Equipment

Waterbath Canner or pressure canner
Large Pot
Potato Masher or food mill/sieve
4 Quart Mason Jars and Lids or 8 pint-sized jars and lids

Ingredients

12 pounds apples
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice bottled
1/4 cup sugar optional
1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional

Instructions

To Make the Applesauce

Step 1: Gather your ingredients and peel your apples (unless you’re using a food mill or sieve, then just quarter the apples and toss them in the pot, skin, core and all, and skip to Step 3).
Step 2: Core apples and then cut them into thin slices (the smaller the pieces, the faster they’ll cook down).
Step 3: Place apples into a large pot about 2/3 full (with enough room to stir) and add a cup of water (this is so the apples don’t scorch while cooking).
Step 4: Bring to a boil and allow the apples to simmer. Stir frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom.
Step 5: Once apples are soft and cooked through, mash them with a potato masher (or run them through a food mill or sieve).
Step 6: After apples have been mashed (or sieved), heat the applesauce on medium until it’s heated all the way through, but not boiling.
Step 7: Add optional cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar and stir to combine.
Step 8: Finally, add lemon juice, stir to combine and enjoy! Or, continue on for the canning instructions.

To Can the Applesauce

Step 10: Prep pint or quart-sized jars by washing with warm soapy water and keeping in a sink of hot water until ready to can. Then, fill jars with hot applesauce, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Step 11: Wipe the rim of the jar clean, checking with a clean finger for any nicks or chips, then secure the lids and bands (tightening to fingertip tight). Place jars into the waterbath canner, making sure the water covers the lids by at least 1-2 inches.
Step 12: Process pint jars for 15 minutes and quart jars for 20 minutes. Pro Tip: You can also pressure can applesauce. Process at 5 pounds of pressure. Pint jars for 8 minutes and quart jars for 10 minutes.
Step 13: Carefully remove jars from canner and place on a towel-lined counter to cool for 12 hours. After 12 hours, check the seal, label and date your jars and store them in the pantry to enjoy all year long! Important Note: If any jars didn’t seal, place them in the refrigerator and consume within a few days.

Notes

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a food mill, I highly recommend purchasing one because it makes making applesauce so much easier. Without a food mill or a sieve, you’ll need to peel and core your apples first (which is a very time-consuming task when you’re working with dozens of apples).

Nutrition