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    Home » Recipes » Pantry Recipes

    Cinnamon Applesauce (No Sugar Added)

    Published: Feb 19, 2024 by Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Sweet and tart, our homemade Cinnamon Applesauce is made with just three ingredients and no sugar added. It’s a sweet treat that’s packed with cinnamon, giving it a hint of apple pie, and seriously smooth – trust us, our recipe is the silkiest of the bunch, and guaranteed to make you skip store-bought.

    applesauce in a shallow bowl with a spoon with apples and cinnamon around it.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredient List
    • Variations
    • Recipe Steps: How to Make Homemade Applesauce
    • Chef’s Tip
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Other Kid-Friendly Recipes to Consider
    • Recipe Card

    There’s nothing better than picking apples and making homemade applesauce. It’s a wholesome fall experience that’s become more of an all-season in our house, as our kids can’t get enough of it making it ideal for fuss-free breakfasts, snacks, or dessert or even served with granola, overtop yogurt, or vanilla ice cream. It’s a kid-friendly recipe and adult-approved.

    Using a more naturally sweet apple, the Fuji is best for making applesauce, as it’s a softer variety and doesn’t require added sugar. Rustic yet silky, our cinnamon applesauce tastes very similar to apple pie filling, rich, spiced, and sweet, rather than the one-note textured version of store-bought. 

    It comes together quickly on the stove-top, and only requires a few simple ingredients, making it more delicious than store-bought, cheaper than store-bought, and much better for you than store-bought – no additives or unnecessary ingredients needed. 

    If you prefer to make your pantry essentials like our cinnamon applesauce, try our Cashew Butter, Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, or Homemade Ricotta Cheese.

    Ingredient List

    ingredients needed to make cinnamon applesauce with text graphics.
    • Apples: gala, fuji, honeycrisp, and golden delicious are our favorites as they are on the sweeter side. Any apple variety will work, but you may feel the need to add sweetener. Use organic if available.
    • Cinnamon: whole cinnamon stick or ground, just remember to remove the stick before blending.
    • Salt: kosher or sea salt.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Variations

    • Baby-Friendly: Remove the salt from the recipe.
    • Ginger: Adding 1-2 teaspoon of fresh ginger to the recipe gives a subtle spiced flavor.
    • Pumpkin spice: Use premade or homemade pumpkin spice in place of the cinnamon.
    • Maple syrup: If you like your applesauce extra sweet, try adding maple syrup which will also give a subtle maple flavor to the applesauce.

    Recipe Steps: How to Make Homemade Applesauce

    1. Wash and peel the apples.

    Wash the apples well and peel the skin off. Optionally you can leave the peels on if blending.

    hand peeling apples with a peeler.

    2. Core and chop the apples.

    Remove the core of the apple using an apple corer or by cutting away the flesh from the core. Roughly chop the apples.

    knife coring and cutting apples on wooden cutting board.

    3. Flavor the apples.

    Add apples, water, cinnamon, and salt to a large pot and toss.

    cinnamon, salt and water in a Dutch oven pot with cut apples.

    4a. Cook the apples.

    Bring the pot to a boil and stir the apples. Lower the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Stir every 5-7 minutes.

    cut and cored apples tossed in cinnamon in a Dutch oven pot.

    4b. Cook the apples.

    After about 10 minutes the edges of the apples should be softened.

    cut and cored apples tossed in cinnamon in a Dutch oven pot softened from cooking

    4c. Cook the apples.

    After 20 minutes the apples will start to break down and can be easily mashed with a fork.

    applesauce in a Dutch oven pot cooked down.

    5. Blend the applesauce.

    Remove the applesauce from the heat and puree with an immersion blender until it reaches your desired consistency.

    immersion blender blending applesauce in a large dutch oven.

    6. Serve, save, savor.

    Cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying warm, or transfer to jars and cool to room temperature. Seal the jars and store the applesauce in the fridge to be enjoyed right away.

    pureed applesauce in a Dutch oven pot.

    Chef’s Tip

    If you make applesauce often, invest in an Apple Peeler and Corer (affiliate link), as it will cut your prep time in half. 

    Green Tip: Use the skins and cores of the apples to make homemade apple cider vinegar.

    applesauce in a jar with apples and cinnamon next to it in the sun.

    Recipe FAQs

    What are the best apples for applesauce?

    Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious are all excellent apples for applesauce as they are sweet, vs. granny smith, which is tart. 

    Can you use the peel in applesauce?

    Yes, you can use the peel in applesauce. Use organic if available and ensure to wash the skin well. You will also need to use a quality blender to ensure you don’t get large pieces of peel.

    Can you freeze applesauce?

    Applesauce will keep in the freezer for 6-12 months provided it is stored in a freezer-safe container or bag.

    Other Kid-Friendly Recipes to Consider

    • overhead view of granola in a jar.
      Nut Free Granola
    • homemade beefaroni in a can with a fork.
      Homemade Beefaroni
    • mini banana muffins on a table.
      Mini Banana Muffins (Toddler Approved)
    • Stack of oat flour pancakes with butter and maple syrup on a white plate with silver fork.
      Gluten-Free Oat Flour Pancakes

    If you tried this Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe or any other recipe on our website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    Recipe Card

    applesauce in a shallow bowl with a spoon with apples and cinnamon around it.

    Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe

    5 from 1 vote
    Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai
    Sweet and spiced, our homemade Cinnamon Applesauce is made with just three ingredients and no sugar added. It’s a sweet treat that’s packed with cinnamon, giving it a hint of apple pie, and seriously smooth – trust us, our recipe is the silkiest of the bunch, and guaranteed to make you skip store-bought.
    Servings: 24 servings
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins

    Ingredients
      

    • 10 lbs apples peeled and cored
    • 2 cups water filtered if available
    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
    • ¾ teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • Wash the apples well and peel the skin off. Optionally you can leave the peels on if pureeing your applesauce.
    • Remove the core of the apple using an apple corer or by cutting away the flesh, leaving the core and seeds, to discard or make cider vinegar. Roughly chop the apples and transfer to a large pot.
    • To the pot of apples, add water, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to disperse the ingredients.
    • Bring the pot to a boil, then stir the apples, reduce heat to simmer and cover, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, until the apples are soft and easily mash with a fork.
    • Remove the applesauce from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to jars then cool to room temperature before storing.

    Recipe Notes

    Scroll up to view a visual walkthrough of the recipe.
    Time-saving equipment: If you find yourself making applesauce often, invest in an Apple peeler, corer. slicer (affiliate link), as it will cut your prep time in half. 
    Texture and consistency: If you prefer a chunky applesauce, mash the apples with a fork vs. blending. For a thicker applesauce, reduce water to 1 cup.
    Adding flavoring: try adding ginger, nutmeg, maple syrup, or even pumpkin spice maple syrup, for other delicious applesauce variations.
    Green Tip: use the skins and cores of the apples to make homemade apple cider vinegar. 
    Storage: applesauce will keep for 2-3 months sealed in the fridge and 2 weeks after being opened. 
    Freezing applesauce: applesauce will keep in the freezer for 6-12 months provided it is stored in a freezer-safe container or bag. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Additional Information

    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American, European, north american
    Servings: 24 servings
    Calories: 99
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let us know!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica Cameron says

      February 23, 2024 at 11:44 am

      My kids love applesauce too so much that I have to cut them off haha. Love that this recipe doesn’t have added sweetener, why would you add sugar to fruit?! Such a great recipe, easy to follow and so good. I love the cinnamon.5 stars

      Reply
      • Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai says

        February 23, 2024 at 11:45 am

        Haha! Couldn't agree with you more!

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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