Homemade Apple Cinnamon Applesauce is easy to make and you only need a handful of ingredients. Better than store bought!
Have you ever thought about making your own applesauce? Maybe you have thought about it but thought it would be too hard to make or it is just much more convenient to buy. Well I am here to tell you that Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce is super easy to make, only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and the flavor is SO MUCH better than any sauce on the store shelves.
One bite of this applesauce and you’re never going to want to buy it again. And let’s not even talk about how amazing your house will smell as this is simmering on your stove.
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce Ingredients:
- APPLES: You can use whatever variety of apple that you like the most. You can even use a combination of apple varieties. I used both Honey Crisp and Granny Smith. Golden Delicious, Fuji and McIntosh are also great options for applesauce.
- APPLE CIDER: Some applesauce recipes call for water, but I like to add apple cider to add even more sweet apple flavor.
- BROWN SUGAR: Will help the apples break down in the sauce and add sweetness.
- CINNAMON: Adds warmth.
- NUTMEG: Adds a nutty, earthy flavor.
- CLOVES: Adds a strong, pungent flavor. A little goes a long way so you won’t need much!
- LEMON JUICE: Adds a bit of acidity.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions:
Making your own applesauce is so easy you guys! It is as simple as putting all of the ingredients together in a pot and simmer.
Peel, core and dice apples. 
Combine all ingredients together in a medium sized saucepan. 
Cook over low heat until apples are soft. 
Carefully transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.
STEP #1: Peel, core and dice the apples.
STEP #2: Place all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the apples start to cook down and soften. This will take about 30 – 35 minutes.
STEP #3: Depending on your preferences, you can make a chunky or smooth applesauce. To make a chunky sauce, use a masher to mash the apples together. To make a smoother sauce, carefully add mixture to a food processor (you may need to do this part in batches depending on the size of your food processor) and process until smooth.
Storage and Leftovers:
Store homemade applesauce in the refrigerator and use within 4 – 7 days.
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce is great on its own, served alongside pork chops, on top of pancakes or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe FAQ:
Homemade applesauce doesn’t have all the preservatives that store-bought applesauce has so it won’t last as long. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this should last 4 – 7 days.
I prefer to peel apples for applesauce because the texture is better, especially if you use apples with tougher skin like granny smith or red delicious.
Looking for more apple recipes? Try these:
Baked Apples are an easy, yet gorgeous, dessert.
Apples and Gorgonzola combine to make a delicious, flavorful salad.
Easy Apple Crisp is one of my absolute favorite fall desserts. It’s perfect with vanilla ice cream!
Note: This post was originally published in 2010. Updated in 2023 with new photos, a slightly modified recipe and nutrition information.
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds apples (cored, peeled and diced (about 6 cups diced apples))
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients together in a small pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 30 - 35 minutes or until apples are soft.
- For chunky applesauce use a potato masher to mash apple mixture. For a smoother applesauce use an immersion blender and blend until smooth.
Serve warm or cold.
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Rebecca- Good question! I don’t do a lot of cooking with apples so I did a little research because I was curious too. It seems that fuji will work well. Most sources I found say that they are firm and hold up well to cooking.
What are other good apple types that hold up well with cooking? My favorite is fuji- but I don’t know if that’ll work well. Thanks!
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This looks really good…but don’t eat too much, you might get hungry! ;)
Looks and sounds delicious. I can hardly wait to try it.
Thank you for your comments everyone! I knew you’d appreciate this mom :) Jackie- Sorry I wasn’t more specific. Use a medium sized lemon about 2 tablespoons. Hope this helps!
Hi Des
Lemons come in all sizes, exactlly how much juice are you talking about.
My kids would love this! Looks great! I will sometimes heat homemade applesauce up and serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert. yummm….
Glad to see you find a good use for those apples!
Looks perfectly delicious.
I have never made my own applesauce, though I say I’m going to do it every year! lol This looks wonderful and sounds very simple! Thanks for sharing.
It seems like a lot of people are making applesauce. Tis the season! Yours looks great! I love using Granny Smiths. Right now, though, we’re lucky to have Galas from our backyard tree.
You can easily use these ingredients to make it in the slow cooker too!