Crock Pot Applesauce

Have you made Crock Pot Applesauce yet? This is such an easy recipe to have on hand in the fall. Every year I make a batch of it at least once or twice, especially after we hit up the apple orchard during apple season.

I love how easy it is to make and that my kids can eat unsweetened applesauce that only has the ingredients I want in it! You can also can make it a smooth applesauce or a chunky applesauce which is nice if your kids prefer one over the other. This delicious homemade applesauce only uses four simple ingredients: apples, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice.

My family love to go apple picking every fall. This is a great way to use up your apples. Some years we go at least 2 or 3 times and come home with a lot of apples and applesauce is one of my go-to recipes. Nothing beats an easy applesauce recipe when you need to use up your apples. You could serve this applesauce on its own as a snack, a side dish to your pork chops or on top of an apple cobbler with ice cream. I also like making this Instant Pot Applesauce if you have an instant pot. My kids love eating apples plain but I also love eating these Skillet Apples, Apples Pancakes, Apples Bars with Pumpkin Pie Spice Icing and this Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions. 

• Apples: Fresh apples are the star of the show in this applesauce recipe. You can use your favorite type of apple. Some types of apples I like to use in applesauce are Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice helps to add a slightly sweet flavor and also adds some acidity to the applesauce. It also helps to keep the apples from browning. 
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a great addition to applesauce. It adds warmth and flavor. If you want to add more I suggest waiting until the end and tasting the applesauce before adding more. You also can add a cinnamon sticks into the crockpot and let that cook with your apples. Just make sure to remove it before serving.

Recipe Modifications

• Apples: You can use whatever apples you have on hand. Using a mix of sweet and tart apples is always a nice option when making applesauce. Try varieties like Fuji, pink lady, granny smith apples or honeycrisp apples.
• Sweetener: The sweetness in applesauce is a personal preference. You can use brown sugar, sugar, maple syrup or honey to sweeten the applesauce. You also can wait until the applesauce is done and add the sweetener at the end depending on your tastes.
• Spices: Adding spices like apple pie spice to applesauce creates a warm, rich recipe. Some I like to add are nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice or cinnamon. 
• Citrus: Add orange or lemon zest for a citrusy brightness.
• Extra Add-Ins: Try adding vanilla, citrus zest, berries, nuts or dried fruit into the applesauce for enhanced flavor.