Crockpot Rich Cinnamon Applesauce 🍁🍎
For this recipe, I made a small batch. The written ingredients make roughly 9oz of apple sauce. If you’d like more, double the recipe! See my additional comments at the bottom for other recommendations.
Ingredients:
•6 Apples (I used honeycrisp)
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar*
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• (optional) very small sliver of butter
Directions:
1. Remove skin from apples and cut into small pieces. Place into slow cooker.
2. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to slower cooker.
3. Cover the apples in 1/2 cup water, 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice.
4. Cook on high for approximately 4 hours or until apples are soft and mashable.
5. Once cooked, very carefully stir. You can mash with the back of a ladle or use a whisk until it is the consistency you want. For an even smoother applesauce, you can slightly blend it with an immersion blender (be VERY careful as the applesauce is hot).
6. Optionally, add a small sliver of butter (roughly 1/4 of a tablespoon) to the applesauce and mix. This will make the flavor even richer!
7. Eat warm or cold. Keep stored in refrigerator. Enjoy!
Additional notes: You can use any type of apples for this! Some are sweeter than others. I just used honeycrisp because they’re my favorite apple. If you’re looking for a lighter tasting apple sauce, you can substitute half of the brown sugar for white sugar.
@Lemon8 Food #lemon8food #lemon8foodcoupon #fallfood #fallrecipeideas #crockpotrecipes
Making homemade applesauce is incredibly rewarding, and while my rich cinnamon version is a personal favorite, I often get asked about creating a delicious unsweetened applesauce. It's actually super simple to adapt this crockpot method to be sugar-free, perfect for those looking to cut down on sugar, for baby food, or as a healthy baking ingredient! To make unsweetened applesauce using your slow cooker, the biggest change is simply omitting the brown sugar. That’s right – just leave it out! Apples, especially naturally sweet varieties like Honeycrisp (which I used in my main recipe), Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious, contain enough natural sugars to create a wonderfully flavorful applesauce on their own. You'll still want to peel and slice your apples into small pieces, just as you would for the sweetened version, and place them in your slow cooker. Adding the 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice is also a great idea, as it brightens the flavor and helps prevent browning, keeping your sauce looking fresh. For flavor, cinnamon is your best friend. You can even increase the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or add other warm spices like a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, or a tiny bit of ground cloves to enhance the natural apple taste without any added sugar. Some people also like a splash of vanilla extract, as it brings out a lovely aroma. Add your 1/2 cup of water, and then let your silver slow cooker work its magic on high for about 4 hours, or until the peeled and sliced apples are incredibly soft. If you find your unsweetened applesauce isn't quite sweet enough for your preference after cooking, you can try blending in a few pitted dates or a small amount of pear during the mashing stage for a touch of natural sweetness without refined sugar. This is a trick I often use! Once cooked, you'll have wonderfully soft apples. Mash them with a ladle or use an immersion blender for that smooth consistency. The resulting cooked applesauce will be naturally sweet and incredibly versatile. I love using this unsweetened, freshly made applesauce in so many ways! It's fantastic as a healthy snack on its own, a topping for oatmeal or yogurt, or even mixed into smoothies for a fruity boost. For baking, it's a brilliant swap for oil in muffins and cakes, or it can help reduce the amount of added sugar needed in recipes. My little one absolutely loves it straight from the bowl. Remember to store your homemade applesauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. For longer storage, cooked applesauce freezes beautifully in smaller portions, so you can always have some on hand. Enjoy your guilt-free, delicious homemade applesauce!
