This slow cooker Homemade Applesauce recipe, flavored with brown sugar and cinnamon, could not be easier or more delicious and so much better than store bought! Great used as a condiment or side dish.
We finally made our way to Emma Krumbees – I had been hearing about this place ever since my daughter was born. It did not disappoint! A true treasure trove of all things apple – caramel apples, apple cider donuts, applesauce, and apple pie. Plus so many different varieties of apple, of course.
We wondered around the apple orchard for almost two hours and picked…and picked…and picked. I walked away with about 15 pounds of apples, knowing full well some of it would go towards making homemade applesauce.
Homemade Applesauce – Slow Cooker
Have you ever made applesauce? It’s SO easy. It’s so easy, that I actually can’t remember the last time I even bought it from the store. What’s even easier is making crockpot applesauce!
All you need are 4 ingredients: apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla (and water.) The aroma from slow cooking in your house all day is practically intoxicating, and served warm is the bomb, you guys.
Best Apples For Homemade Applesauce
This is truly one of those recipes where you can’t go wrong with any type of apple. Having said that, we know that not all apples have the same flavor. This is a condensed and rough guide from the Washington Apple Commission to help you decide which apple will be best for you, keeping in mind that not all varieties are available year round or countrywide.
- Very Sweet – Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia
- Mildly Sweet – Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, SweeTango
- Sweet-Tart – Cameo, Jonagold, Lady Alice
All apples will break down and are capable of being mashed after slow cooking for several hours.
How To Make Applesauce
It could not be easier to make applesauce, especially in your slow cooker. Here’s a brief summary of what to do (scroll down for the detailed printable.)
- Peel, core, and dice the apples; discard peel and core.
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker; stir to mix. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
- When done, use a potato masher or immersion blender to reach the desired consistency.
- Serve and enjoy!
Is Applesauce Good For You?
Applesauce is a great source of fiber and vitamin C and makes a healthy snack, side dish, or condiment!
How many calories in applesauce? For this recipe, there are 151 calories per serving. (You can decrease this amount by adding less brown sugar.)
How many carbs in applesauce? In this recipe, there are 40 carbs per serving.
Recipe Variations
- Use different apples: Try different apples for a variety of flavor.
- Cut back on the brown sugar: If you’re using an ultra sweet apple, feel free to cut back on the brown sugar amount.
- Combine brown sugar and granulated sugar: We only use brown sugar in our recipe, since we tend to use sweet apples. But the combination of granulated and brown sugar is delicious, too!
- Replace the water with apple juice for an extra apple flavor.
- Season with apple pie spice: Swap out the cinnamon for our homemade apple pie spice!
How to Store
How long does homemade applesauce last? Applesauce is a great treat for any time of year, but once you prepare it, it only lasts one week in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze applesauce? Yes! Wait until it’s completely cooled, then pour into a firm, freezer-safe container, such as a mason jar, or a resealable plastic freezer bag. (If you’re using a firm container, leave a 1-inch gap between the applesauce and lid to avoid difficulty opening after freezing, since the sauce will expand. If using a freezer bag, flatten it out and squeeze out any excess air. This also make it easier to store.) Either way, make sure to label your container with the recipe name and storage date. Typically, frozen applesauce will last for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then use within 3-4 days.
How to can applesauce: my understanding is applesauce is inherently safe to can in a water bath due to apple’s high acidity and sugar content. But this particular applesauce recipe has not been tested that way and is not shelf stable.
What to eat with Applesauce
You can serve it as a snack, side dish, or condiment! I love it with breaded pork chops, homemade pierogi, and potato latkes.
More Apple Recipes:
- Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies
- Apple Fritter Rings
- Easy Apple Dumplings
- Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Homemade Applesauce {Slow Cooker}
Ingredients
- 8 large apples
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Peel, core, and dice the apples; discard peel and core.
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker; stir to mix.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
- When done, use a potato masher or immersion blender to reach the desired consistency.
- Serve and enjoy!
- NOTE: For apple type recommendations, recipe variations, and storage information, please refer to the full article.
Nutrition
Other Notes
I usually make applesauce using skins and all then put through a food mill to remove skins, etc. would this recipe be okay done that way?
Hi Laney – without further recipe testing I can’t vouch for results, but feel free to try it with the skins still on.
It’s been 1 week and I’ve made this recipe 3x now. So yum!
It’s like the filling of a hot apple pie! Made the house smell amazing while it cooked and it couldn’t have been any easier!!!!
Easy and tasted amazing. No more store bought apple sauce for my family!!
About to try this! I know there are many apple varieties but can I ask what type you typically use?
I like that you use brown sugar and vanilla! Gives the apple sauce a great color!
Love this recipe & it’s so easy! Made for the first time last year & I still have a jar left. I store it in the refrigerator & it still looks & tastes as good as it did this time last year.
This is the best applesauce, and it has spoiled buying store bought forever!
I love this website. Its easily read ,the layout. Video n more. I cant stop printing. Thankyou!!
Thank you so much, Rose! I am so happy to hear it!
Instead of using the sugar and cinnamon, we use the cinnamon imperial candies or red hots. It makes it cinnamon tasting and such a pretty red color. We like chunky applesauce so we don’t mash it just leave the chunks that don’t cook down to a mushy consistency. Reminds me of the baked apples my mom used to make when we were kids.
I just stove top cooked fifty apples no sugar and I used red hots for flavor, just a cup full is enough. Taste if you might need sugar
This is my go-to applesauce! My 11 year old and I have been making it together for several years, and when it invariably gets rave reviews, she tells them that the secret ingredients are “brown sugar, ‘cimmamim,’ vanilla, and love.” We’re on a mission to try all of the heirloom apple varieties we can find, and most of them make wonderful sauce!
can I preserve it by putting it in a water bath to seal it and if so – how long does it need to preserve it that way?
This particular recipe is not shelf stable. I’m sure it could be canned, but that is a different process and without further recipe testing, I cannot answer this with certainty.
are you talking canning jars and lids in hot pack. Call your county extension office they can give you all the appropriate times and temps for anything you want to can.
I loved the applesauce recipe
What size slow cooker.
I use a 6 quart.
Love this recipe so much…tastes wonderful in February:warmed with vanilla ice cream on top!
Is there any ingredient that be substituted in instead of the brown sugar?
Hi Jean – you could probably get similar results by using 1 cup of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of molasses, but I can’t say for sure, since I always make this with the brown sugar.
Made and it turned out great, also stored it in the freezer and it was perfectly fine.
I’ve had good luck using maple syrup in applesauce.
It looks like you had an amazing trip to the apple orchard! That is definately one thing I truly miss about being in Massachusetts. Apple picking is so much fun. The kids are adorable!
I make this recipe for my little one and she loves it! Bonus that the house smells amazing as it cooks all day.
I make this recipe every year when we go apple picking. The aroma in the house is heavenly!
This recipe is so easy and flawless.
I LOVE this post!
This is my favorite slow cooker applesauce recipe – just delicious. Sometimes I’ll try different types of apples to vary the flavor, but otherwise I don’t alter it at all.
Emma Krumbees is a MN institution for sure…but not for their pie. I’m thinking the $5 pony ride was worth it. Look at that smile.
What?! Only 4-steps in this recipe!? And I have a slow cooker I’ve never used and a fridge full of apples. I’m trying it!
Your children are sooo beautiful! It sounds like a really fun day. I make applesauce for my grandchildren quite often. Love the smell while it’s cooking!
MMM – I can smell the applesauce from here…
I love the time-elapsed photos of your son going from sleepy to ZZZ. That’s kind of how I feel right now, actually.
Seriously…your kids are some kinda cute! I make applesauce all the time…usually after we have been apple picking and I get out of control in the orchard. So easy and so yummy. I also mix it up by adding pears, cranberries, cinnamon, etc. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Thanks for the inspiration, and it just so happens that Annabelle’s class is on a trip to the orchard today. Pork and applesauce tonight!
It’s never occurred to me to make applesauce, but it does sound easy. Everything is easier in a slow cooker – I might need to try this for Thanksgiving (although I won’t be buying 15 pounds of apples!) Your kids are adorable.
Love this. Great way to take advantage of an Autumn day, with wonderful photos to showcase your trip. And the applesauce sounds absolutely amazing.
What a “fruitful” trip! Your two little tots are so adorable!!
Oh my goodness. That is one tired little sweetie!