- 3pounds apples (Fuji, Granny Smith, McIntosh), cored and sliced into wedges
- 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4cup honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, optional
- Place the apple slices and 1/2 cup filtered water in a large slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the applesauce or transfer the apples in batches to a blender or food processor and blend until it's the consistency you like. Don't blend too long or it will be too smooth.
- Stir in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sweetener if you find the softened apples are too tart for your taste.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to one week, if it lasts that long.
* I do not peel my apples but if you prefer to leave the skin off by all means peel them. If you choose not to peel them your applesauce won't be as "pretty" but you'll get all the fiber in the skin.
Eliminate the cinnamon if you want a plain basic applesauce.
It's best to use organic apples as apples are one of the more highly sprayed produce.
This basic recipe is perfect for jazzing up depending on how you like to eat your applesauce. While I usually like to leave out any sweetener I love a little bit of honey (1/4 cup) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) stirred in at the end of the cook time; it's a nice change from the usual cinnamon applesauce that my kids love. You can also try adding in some end of summer/early fall peaches or plums in with the apples for a yummy fruit blend.
While I make this for my daughters to eat "as is" or over Greek yogurt, applesauce makes a great side for roasted pork and chicken dishes in the fall. I love to pair it with The Whole Meal's Rosemary-Raspberry Balsamic Pork Tenderloin or Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin in the cooler months.
