This is so easy, and so amazingly better than what you get in the store that I can hardly believe it. I have always thought I should make my own apple sauce and apple butter as with apples in particular, I prefer organic and it’s HUGELY expensive. Commercial applesauce also doesn’t taste all that great in my opinion.
It was a staple on my plate as a child and I was very adept at spreading it out enough that it looked as though I’d actually eaten a good portion of it. Blecch. To be honest, it made me gag. But, homemade is another story. So when I found an Oh She Glows recipe for apple butter in the crock pot, and too many apples after both my husband and I bought apples on the same day, I thought I’d try apple butter. I ended up with amazing applesauce.
For this recipe I got to whip out the old apple corer. Gear enhances the experience, don’t you think? 😉
After roughing up a mixture of the apples I had on hand (just Fuji and Gala – all getting a little old). Note the peels are still on. I hate extra work that reduces the nutritional value of the end product. (Great excuse, huh?)
I filled the crock pot with a splash of apple juice at the bottom to prevent sticking. I think water would be fine. Angela Liddon recommends apple juice and I had some, so that’s what I did, and left them to cook for about 6 hours. I turned my old crock pot from high to low and back several times, but it is a pre-historic crock pot. You might have a more medium temp that will cook without burning.
Once your apples are very tender. Smush, bash, mash, pulverize and otherwise maul your nice complacent, soft apples into something resembling chunky apple sauce. Here is where the departure takes place. You can thin your mixture by letting it continue to cook for awhile with the lid off, or you can just go with this stage, which is what I did. It will depend on what kind of apples you used and how juicy they were. At this point, also add some spices. I added cinnamon. No sugar, no salt, just a little cinnamon and a pinch of cloves. Probably about 1 tsp of cinnamon. You could add a touch of ginger or nutmeg or allspice if you like. Just start low and add if you need more. Again, the line between apple sauce and apple butter may be one of sweetness for you, or of consistency, but either way, you are in the drivers seat of this baby, so just make it how you like it Sister!
Once you’ve mashed and are pleased with the consistency, you can whiz it up in the blender. (Depending on the thickness you could probably do it in a food processor as well – but I haven’t tried that yet.
I just love the cosmic Vita Mix shots. Looks like a geothermal pool of bubbling calcium salts, or a galaxy spinning off into the Vita-Verse… Or like really smooth and creamy apple sauce.
Place this delicious concoction in a mason jar and it’s worthy of the county fair!
Kudos to those of you who thought of this a long time ago. It was an AHA, followed by DUH! moment for me to give this a whirl. And I am so glad I did. Just the kind of simple, yet special preparation to dress up a holiday feast or a regular meal!
This looks delicious. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this with everyone. It runs from Wednesday through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party. http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/12/5-fun-posts-and-wednesdays-adorned-from.html
Debi @ Adorned From Above
Marci @ Stone Mountain Cottage
There is no comparison, is there? My son once (lied) told a babysitter once that we made applesauce from scratch every night for dinner – he was about 6 – and so they mashed up apples and added a little cinnamon and sugar. That was good as well!
I love that you left the peels on. I used to make homemade applesauce and would spend so much time peeling the apples first. Now I’m too lazy to make it. Good to know it can still be creamy and I don’t have to peel first. Thanks!
Thanks so much for stopping by Katie – sorry we missed the link. I’m afraid our holiday posts didn’t get quite as much attention from US as usual. Love the blog name!
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes with Full Plate Thursday in 2012. Wishing you and your family the very best in 2013.
Happy New Year!
Miz Helen
Yum! There’s nothing quite like homemade apple sauce!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
This is great. I have never made my own applesauce and I need to try. My mom always use to make apple butter which I loved. Thanks so much for sharing on I Gotta Try That.
Hugs,
Marcie
It’s funny I didn’t even consider the chunk factor, but there have been so many comments, I’m going to try both not whizzing it up and blending half and mixing back in some chunk. So glad you stopped by!
Your applesauce looks delicious. I always like mine a little bit chunky for texture too 🙂 I like the idea of keeping the skins on both for nutrition and flavour.
YUM! I will try the chunky one 🙂
Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – hope to see you there again this week with more deliciousness 🙂
YUMMMMM.!
I am a convert to applesauce now. This applesauce anyway!!
I’ve made applesauce for years. I love the chunkiness, too, and with cinnamon it’s a real treat. you don’t need the pie crust! Best wishes, Linda
I think we will try a chunky version next – I think you are right it will be a lot like pie filling – and so much better for you without the crust 😉
Oops. Forgot to say I don’t blend them either. I just let them cook until they are soft and mushy so there are some chunks.
Great idea.
This looks delicious. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this with everyone. It runs from Wednesday through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/12/5-fun-posts-and-wednesdays-adorned-from.html
Debi @ Adorned From Above
Marci @ Stone Mountain Cottage
Sounds very yummy. I’m with you on hating store-bought applesauce – it tends to be awful. Homemade just can’t be beat.
There is no comparison, is there? My son once (lied) told a babysitter once that we made applesauce from scratch every night for dinner – he was about 6 – and so they mashed up apples and added a little cinnamon and sugar. That was good as well!
This looks delicious. I’ll have to find my apple corer and make this sauce ASAP. Thanks for including it at Foodie Friday!
Thank you for hosting. I’m sure you’ll love it – what’s not to love?
Yummy!
Thanks!
I love that you left the peels on. I used to make homemade applesauce and would spend so much time peeling the apples first. Now I’m too lazy to make it. Good to know it can still be creamy and I don’t have to peel first. Thanks!
Isn’t it lovely when we discover something actually takes LESS work than we thought? Thanks for stopping by!
Love the crockpot and love the “real food” topic of this blog!
Thanks Bobbie! And thanks for stopping by 🙂
Looks awesome! I would love if you would share on Fall Into the Holidays, open until Thursday!
http://redcrowgreencrow.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/fall-into-the-holidays-15/
Katie @ Horrific Knits
Thanks so much for stopping by Katie – sorry we missed the link. I’m afraid our holiday posts didn’t get quite as much attention from US as usual. Love the blog name!
I saw this on OSG too and have been meaning to get to it. Thanks for the reminder. Looks absolutely incredible!
easy and so yummy. I’m in the apples again, so the crock pot comes out in the morning!
YUM!
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes with Full Plate Thursday in 2012. Wishing you and your family the very best in 2013.
Happy New Year!
Miz Helen
Thank you Miz Helen for having us. Happy New Year!
I love applesauce, will have to try! Love your blog! I would love for you to visit my linky party going on now at http://wallisfarmsdailywalk.blogspot.com/2013/01/blog-post.html
Have a great day!
Thanks Vikki – embarrassed to just be getting back to you. Afraid a few comments slipped through over the holidays. We’ll check it out though!
I love homemade apple sauce!
Hopping by. I am blogging @ Getting Healthy with Essential Oils
I am also inviting you to join Tiddle Diddle Handmade Shoppe’s first giveaway event.
Thanks for stopping by and for the invite Lynn!
Thank you so much for stopping by. All my best wishes for a wonderful 2013!
Thank you Nicole! Happy New Year!
Yum! There’s nothing quite like homemade apple sauce!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
Thanks Jill!
We just planted apple trees last spring. Hoping for a harvest this year and if we get one, crockpot applesauce is definitely on my to-do list.
I would love if you shared this recipe on my Show & Tell link party today. http://www.gingerlymade.com/2013/01/show-tell-7.html
Congratulations!
Enjoy your new Red Plate, your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Have a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen
As always, we appreciate you. You are such a gracious hostess!
This is great. I have never made my own applesauce and I need to try. My mom always use to make apple butter which I loved. Thanks so much for sharing on I Gotta Try That.
Hugs,
Marcie
Thank you for hosting Marcie! I know you’ll love it and it’s so easy.
I love homemade apple sauce! Personally, I like my chunky, so I don’t throw it in the blender. Regardless– yum!
It’s funny I didn’t even consider the chunk factor, but there have been so many comments, I’m going to try both not whizzing it up and blending half and mixing back in some chunk. So glad you stopped by!
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Your applesauce looks delicious. I always like mine a little bit chunky for texture too 🙂 I like the idea of keeping the skins on both for nutrition and flavour.
You don’t even notice the skins. I took some of the chunky mashed out tonight and mixed it into the blenderized… it was really like apple pie filling.
YUM! I will try the chunky one 🙂
Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – hope to see you there again this week with more deliciousness 🙂
Thanks Jutta! I think I should have included a vote about chunky vs. smooth applesauce 😉
I love my Vitamix too, fot creating tasty recipes like this! MMMM!
It is such an incredible machine. I have had mine for about 13 years. It’s worth every penny!
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