This easy to make applesauce recipe is delicious fresh or is perfect for canning applesauce to have later on! Fill up your pantry shelves with this staple and enjoy homemade applesauce any time!
Canning Applesauce
Canning applesauce is something that I do on a regular basis so that I can have it on hand for my 4 year old. It happens more often than it might need to for him though, because my husband and I both eat it too! It's so delicious. I apologize for nothing.
However, I don't mind the extra batches because every time I make this applesauce recipe I feel like I'm transported to some old farm where the apples have just been picked off the trees. They still have the warmth of the sun on their skins as I peel them, and the texture of the fruit is firm and crisp.
It doesn't matter that they actually came from the store, because for the entire time I'm peeling and chopping, I get to pretend that we live somewhere where apples thrive. Where the air is crisp in the fall instead of muggy and warm. Where the apples have a cold dew in the morning and spritz you with their sweet juices when you take a bite.
In reality, I live in Texas where apple trees have a constant uphill battle against the heat to produce their delicious fruit.
So instead of going down to the orchard to pick a few bushels of apples for a day of canning applesauce, I head to the grocery store to buy them in bulk when they go on sale. Organic applesauce from the store tends to be mushy and bland, so we always make our applesauce from scratch.
Of course, you don't have to buy organic for this recipe; we just find that it has the best taste. And since my son has so many reactions to non-organic foods (fruits in particular), non-organic isn't an option for us.
Applesauce Recipe for Canning or Eating Fresh
While this homemade applesauce is perfect for canning, you don't have to can it! Instead, you can eat it fresh or store it in the fridge for up to a week.
If you do want to add a few jars of this applesauce recipe to your shelves, it's a very simple process! If you've never canned anything before, you might check out my Water Bath Canning Guide for Beginner's before starting. It will give you an overview of the process and have you on your way to a pantry full of home canned applesauce!
Canning Applesauce
Ingredients
- 5-7 Pounds Apples
- Sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Wash, peel, core, and quarter apples.
- In a large covered pot, add apples and just enough water to prevent sticking. Cook over med-low heat until apples are soft.
- Once apples are soft, puree using a food processor, food mill, or immersion blender. Return puree to saucepan.
- Add sugar to taste, if desired.
- Bring applesauce to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking.
- If canning: Fill hot, sterile jars. Leave 1/2" headspace.
- Fit 2 piece lids and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes (pints and quarts).
Notes
Canning Applesauce FAQ
Here are a few of the frequently asked questions we receive about our homemade applesauce recipe!
Can I add other flavors?
Absolutely! You can add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, or whatever you'd like. Just make sure that you're only adding spices, not syrups or other flavorings.
The addition of anything beyond spices would change canning requirements.
Add spices to taste during the cooking process.
What types of apples should I use?
For this recipe I used a mix of Fuji, Gala, and Jazz apples - ideally. However, more often than not, I just use whatever organic apples happen to be on sale when I need to make more applesauce.
Do you have to can this applesauce?
Nope, not at all! If you are making a small batch, or you have a lot of people eating a lot of applesauce, you can keep this in the fridge for about 1-2 weeks.
Discard if you see any mold in the jar.
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Barbara Welch says
Great!
Victoria says
Fabulous to hear! Glad you enjoyed it!
Barabara says
I am surprised so many recipes recommend pureeing, but then in our family we choose apples that cook up easily, such as Gravensteins. We use an apple peeler-corer, add a little local cider and then cook til slightly chunky, seasoning with cinnammon and some sugar. For our taste, we don’t care for the super smooth texture of pureeing so it would be nice to offer that method as an option.
Victoria says
Hi Barabara! For this recipe, you can absolutely skip the puree process and can it chunky style :-)
Be sure to pay attention to air bubbles very carefully, as they can provide air pockets for bacteria growth. This is the reason pureeing is recommended, it makes removing air bubbles a little easier.
However, it can be done, just pay attention when you fill the jars :-)
Enjoy!
J. Smith says
So even if I puree the apples I should still get the air bubbles out even if I can the sauce?
Victoria says
Hi J! Yes, because any air pocket can be a hotbed for bacteria growth. Just run a canning knife along the glass inside the jar and press in to help settle the applesauce and remove air pockets.
Kathy Coffey says
I don’t have a canned to can my applesauce. Can I make a makeshift canner and, if yes, how do I do it?
Victoria says
Hi Kathy! No actual canner is required, no special equipment! Just need a large pot that you can place jars into and fully cover with water (at least 2 inches above the tops).
So I generally use my large stock post and pint jars and it works out well! :-)