Once you make Crock Pot Applesauce you will be making it time and time again. This is a favorite in my house and I love that I control all of the ingredients that go in it. When you go apple picking make a big batch of this to store in your fridge! 

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

• 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.
• WATER: You will need to add some water to the instant pot in order to pressure cook the apples and create the applesauce. 
• 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.

How to Make Crockpot Applesauce

1. PEEL & CORE APPLES: Peel, core and slice the apples and place them in your slow cooker.

2. ADD LEMON JUICE AND SPICES: Add the lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and water and mix everything together.

3. COOK THE APPLESAUCE IN THE CROCKPOT: Cook the applesauce on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6 hours.

4. PUREE THE APPLESAUCE: Stir to mash, immersion blender or use a potato masher until you reach desired consistency you like. Taste and add more cinnamon to your liking or you can add added sugar if you don’t think it is sweet enough. You can eat the applesauce plain or serve over vanilla ice cream. Store your applesauce in a mason jar or other airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe Tips and Modifications for Homemade Applesauce

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. 

Other Fall Recipes You Might Like:

EASY FALL HARVEST SALAD

EASY PUMPKIN RAVIOLI

APPLE KALE QUINOA SALAD

BAKED SPAGHETTI SQUASH 

APPLE BARS WITH PUMPKIN PIE SPICE ICING

EASY FALL SALAD