Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
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Fall is the perfect season for Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce. My simple recipe combines apples, some fresh lemon juice, a bit of sugar, and cinnamon. We love this applesauce warm, but it’s great cold out of the refrigerator too!
Cooking with apples is definitely a thing when you grew up in the land of apple orchards. Next, try my Apple Cinnamon Cobbler, fan-favorite Apple Pie Banana Bundt Cake, or my latest Apple Crumb Bars!
The BEST Homemade Applesauce
One of the things I miss most about living up north is the apple orchards. As kids, we’d go pick our own apples quite often. I have vivid memories of roaming the apple orchard, picking, and eating at the same time.
Mom and Dad had an apple tree that finally started producing after we’d grown up and left the house. But they had several years of good harvests and Mom loved to cook with them – apple crisp, apple cobbler, apple pie, applesauce, and the list goes on.
THIS applesauce.
- chunky
- cinnamon-y
- slightly sweet (but not too much)
If you like a sweeter applesauce, just add more sugar!
Ingredients Used
- Apples – Use any good baking apple.
- Water – This is used to help the apples cook down.
- Lemon – For some freshness.
- Sugar – Use as much as you like here, depending on how sweet you like your applesauce.
- Cinnamon – Start with a couple of teaspoons and add more as desired.
I recommend using any of these apples for homemade sauce: Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honey-crisp, Jonathan, or Pink Lady.
How to make Chunky Applesauce
Step 1
Prep apples. Ue a sharp knife to cut the apples in fourths. Then use a paring knife to peel the skins and remove the core. If you have an apple peeler/corer, use that!
Step 2
Cook apples. Place the apples in a stock pot and add the lemon juice and water. Cook on medium heat until the apples are tender and partially broken down. Remove from heat.
Step 3
Add sugar and cinnamon. Then add the sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.
Step 4
Serve. Serve warm, if possible, or store in the refrigerator for later.
Tips for making chunky applesauce:
- If you have one of those fancy apple peeler/corers, use that. I prefer to use my very dull pari knife to peel them.
- Use ten LARGE apples for this Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce. Apples cook down a lot, so while it looks like way too much, don’t worry. You will end up with only about eight cups of applesauce.
- Feel free to use any good baking apple. There are so many to choose from, especially if you live in the land of apple orchards.
- Use more sugar if you like your applesauce extra sweet.
- Resist adding more water to the apples. Once they begin to cook down, there will be much more liquid in the pan.
- This applesauce is great served warm or cold.
Surprise a friend or neighbor with a mason jar of chunky applesauce! Just tie some twine around the top, and you’ve got a sweet homemade gift to give. 😀
Yay Fall!
Make this apple recipe next: Apple Cinnamon Cobbler
XOXO ~Sue
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
Ingredients
- 10 large apples – peeled and sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 large lemon – freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel, core, and slice apples in 1/4 inch slices.
- Place apple slices, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and water in large stock pan. Heat to boiling, and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until apples are soft, stirring often, for approximately 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and add sugars and cinnamon. Stir well, and pour into large bowl or storage container.
- Serve warm or cold.
Video
Notes
- Use any good cooking apple for your applesauce.
- Avoid adding too much water when cooking the apples. They will naturally break down, providing more liquid.
- If you like a sweeter applesauce, add more sugar.
- This applesauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Give it as a gift, in a mason jar tied with twine!
Nutrition
Totally WRONG on the types of apples to be used! #1 type for applesauce is McIntosh. PERIOD!
I don’t think I’ve seen Mcintosh apples in our Texas stores but I do remember them being tasty when I lived up north. That being said, the apples I’ve used in the past have produced delicious applesauce every time.
recipe worked just fine! had to adjust the portions cause i was an apple or two shy, but id also suggest trying out packed brown sugar instead of white sugar- it doesnt have time to cook down much so brown adds a nice little extra layer of depth to the overall sweetness
Thanks for giving it a try, Caitlin!
Can the recipe be successfully frozen?
Hi Dianne. I’ve never frozen this applesauce, but my sister has and she said it worked beautifully! 🙂
So excited to make this today!! One question and maybe it doesn’t matter but in the recipe you put the sugar and cinnamon in after it has cooked and the video you added it before you cooked them. Is there a better way??
Yes, I know it’s different. I don’t think it matters, but I recommend adding the sugar and cinnamon after it’s cooked. Good luck! 🙂
Yum!! This takes me home too. So easy and delish!!
Great job with this recipe! It was awesome and it also takes me back to my days in Iowa. I remember helping my Grandparents pick apples. My Grandpa would put me in the bucket of a tractor and raise me to the top of the tree. It was crazy how many apples I picked! As everyone knows, I am afraid of heights so I am not sure why or how I did that. Oh, to be a kid again!
I didn’t know you were afraid of heights Mike, so not everyone knows. How are you for hiking with us, and posing on a rocky ledge?
I just made this recipe for tailgate. It was delicious and didn’t need any more sugar. We didn’t have dessert, so this was our dessert. YUM!
Haha! I love that we’re talking about heights! And yes, he’s VERY afraid. 🙂 I’m also glad you enjoyed the applesauce, Jackie! 🙂
Oh, and I meant to say that I don’t add ANY sugar. Just the apples are enough if they’re sweet.