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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes » Simple Seasonal Food: Homemade Applesauce (sugar-free!)

    LAST UPDATED: November 17, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: February 1, 2011 By Toni Dash 13 Comments

    Simple Seasonal Food: Homemade Applesauce (sugar-free!)

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Homemade Applesauce naturally sweetened
    The fun (or humbling) aspect of having a blog is that we all started somewhere. It’s a bit like looking back on art you did in Kindergarten but in many cases it’s not as cute!

    This simple, seasonal recipe is a fall-favorite and was one of the first recipes shared on Boulder Locavore. The original photos were not good and the full post consisted of this:

    “I have an abundance of beautiful, heirloom apples stored for the season.A favorite dish is homemade applesauce.It’s rustic, full of flavor and has no added sugar. When I make it I want to taste apples with their natural sweetness, not sweeteners that compete with the apples.”

    Alrighty then.

    If you are an Instant Pot user try our Instant Pot Applesauce too.

    Basket of Fall Apples
    We love apples and long gone are the days of mushy Red Delicious with occasional Granny Smith being the only apples from which to choose.

    Farmer’s Markets are brimming with several varieties and if you shop at a store such as Whole Foods you’ll find a plethora of varieties from all over the world. Apples keep very well in a dark root cellar or in the produce drawer of a refrigerator.

    Homemade Applesauce with no sugar
    The fall when I decided to experiment eating only protein and produce from a 100 mile radius to see if it could be done in Colorado (there were prepared products I did purchase from outside the area) over a winter I stocked up on apples.

    I purchased large boxes at the last Farmer’s Market’s of the season and loaded up an auxillary refrigerator with them. They lasted five months. Seriously; five months! Toward the end they developed what we fondly referred to as ‘Granny skin’, they became a bit shrively on the outside but were still fresh and delicious on the inside.

    I no longer store apples over the winter as they are readily available locally however I know how the pioneers must have felt and how appreciative they must have been when finding apples in the winter.

    Homemade Applesauce with cinnamon

    Fall is a perfect time for making homemade applesauce. It’s easy and delicious to eat on its own, or to use in baking as well. In less than thirty minutes you can have a fresh batch to enjoy of your favorite variety of apple or a mixture for more diverse flavors!

    Homemade Applesauce naturally sweetened

    Homemade Applesauce (sugar-free!)

    Apples are the fruit of fall and there is no better time to make fresh Applesauce. The flavors are true and deep, and this recipe suggests no sugar to allow the apples to deliver the fullest flavor possible. Ready in about 30 minutes. To change up the flavor a different juice other than apple cider may be used such as pear.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 668kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 6 medium-large Apples , peeled, cored, and rough-chopped (using a variety of types will improve the depth of flavor)
    • ½ cup Water
    • ½ cup fresh Apple Cider (I use organic fresh-pressed juice though any will do)
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Agave Nectar or Honey; 'to taste' , adjust amount if needed

    Instructions

    • In a medium to large size pot or saucepan, combine the apples, water, apple cider and sweetener.
    • Bring to a low boil over medium heat; lower heat to a simmer (medium-low heat) and cover.
    • Cook until the apples are soft, approximately 15-20 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for an additional 10 minutes.
    • For Smooth applesauce: Pour the contents of the cooking pot into a blender (if using a smaller blender, blend in batches) and puree until smooth.
    • For Chunkier applesauce: Use a potato masher to mash all the apples, stirring to combine with the liquid. Using an immersion blender creates a consistency in between pureed and mashed.
    • May be eaten warm or chilled.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 175g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 1287mg | Fiber: 26g | Sugar: 135g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 51.3mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1.3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

    peeling an apple with cutter in background

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Comments

    1. kita says

      September 16, 2011 at 12:15 am

      Ooh! I have been an an apple kick here and when I made something today it reminded me of applesauce! What perfect timing for me to see this post!

      Reply
    2. Lizzy says

      September 14, 2011 at 12:26 am

      Oh, I love homemade applesauce…and I'm sure yours is amazing with the heirloom apples 🙂

      Reply
    3. Christine's Pantry says

      September 13, 2011 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and tasty!

      Reply
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    About Toni Dash

    Toni Dash BoulderLocavore.com Head Shot

    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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