How to Make Applesauce

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 3, 2021 Tested

Making applesauce at home is an easy and inexpensive way to have this delicious condiment at hand whenever you need it. Prepare the apples and lemon first, before adding all of the ingredients to a pot, and then cooking the mixture until the apples are tender. Mash or puree the apples until they reach your desired consistency, and then your applesauce is ready to use and enjoy!

Ingredients

3 lb (1.4 kg) of apples
2 strips of lemon peel
3 tbsp (44 ml) of lemon juice
½ tsp (1.15 g) of cinnamon
½ cup (99 g) of white sugar
1 cup (250 ml) of water
½ tsp (2.5 g) of salt

Makes 4 cups of applesauce

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Chopping the Apples and Peeling the Lemon

1
Peel the apples with a vegetable peeler. Work your way down from the top of the apple towards the bottom, going around the circular shape. Remove a thin layer of peel.^{[1]
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- Alternatively, use a paring knife to remove the apple peel.
2
Slice the apples into quarters. Hold each apple upright and steady on a chopping board. Use a paring knife to cut the each apple into halves. Then lay each apple half flat on the board, and slice each piece into half again to create quarters.^{[2]
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3
Core the apples using a paring knife. Rest each apple quarter flat on a wooden chopping board. Slice the corner away to remove the tough core and seeds.^{[3]
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4
Peel 2 strips of lemon zest using a vegetable peeler. Start at the top of the lemon lengthwise, and draw the peeler down towards the bottom. Only peel away at the zest, not at the flesh.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Cooking the Ingredients

1
Place all of the ingredients into a pot. Put the apple quarters and lemon strips that you just prepared into a large pot. Then add 3 tbsp (44 ml) of lemon juice, ½ tsp (1.15 g) of cinnamon, ½ cup (99 g) of white sugar, and ½ tsp (2.5 g) of salt into the pot, alongside 1 cup (250 ml) of water.^{[5]
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- Make sure that all of the ingredients can fit into the pot easily, with enough room to boil.
- Squeeze the lemon that you just peeled to get the lemon juice.
2
Bring the ingredients to a boil. Adjust the stovetop to a high heat. Wait until the liquid begins to bubble.^{[6]
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- Stir the ingredients occasionally with a wooden spoon as you bring it to a boil.
3
Simmer the ingredients for 15-20 minutes. Reduce the heat of the stovetop, and cover the pot with the lid. Let the ingredients simmer until the apples are tender and fully cooked through. Take the pot off the stovetop once the apples are ready.^{[7]
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- Continue to stir the ingredients occasionally as they simmer.
- To check if the apples are cooked, remove a piece from the pot and check that it is soft enough to easily slice.
4
Remove the lemon peels from the pot. Mix the ingredients around to find the lemon peels. Use either a wooden spoon or tongs to take these away from the rest of the ingredients.^{[8]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Mashing or Pureeing the Sauce

1
Mash the ingredients with a potato masher to make chunky applesauce. Beat the ingredients using a potato masher. Continue mashing until there are small chunks of apple left.^{[9]
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- You don't need to wait for the mixture to cool first before you mash it.
2
Puree the ingredients to make a smooth applesauce. Use either a standing blender or a stick blender. Continue pureeing until there are no chunks of apple left.^{[10]
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- If you are using a stick blender, you can puree the ingredients directly in the pot.
- To use a standing blender, puree the ingredients in small batches. Don't fill the blender bowl above the halfway mark, and remove the feeder cap. Cover the feeder cap hole with a kitchen towel as you blend. This is because the ingredients will be hot, so this doesn't let the pressure build up. Alternatively, wait for the mixture to cool first, and then you don't need to blend in batches.
3
Store the applesauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Let the applesauce cool before placing it into a container. Keep the container in the refrigerator.^{[11]
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- If you want to freeze the applesauce, place it into a jar with at least 1 in (2.5 cm) high of space above it, as it will expand. The applesauce will keep for up to 1 year in the freezer.^{[12]
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- You can also freeze the applesauce in ice cube trays to create serving size portions.^{[13]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I make pear or peach sauce?

Community Answer

Follow the recipe, but use peaches or pears instead of apples. Keep in mind that the cooking time for peaches might be a little less, because they are much softer than apples.
Question

Can we use lime juice instead of lemon juice?

Community Answer

Yes, though keep in mind that lime might taste a little more sour, so use a bit less than directed at top.
Question

How long does it take to make it?

Ollieoxenfree

Community Answer

Around half an hour, depending on how long you cook the apples.