This is not your average light and bright applesauce. This is a warm, sweet, and teetering on the applesauce/apple butter border recipe.
There are so many choices to make when making applesauce. Red or green? Chunky or smooth? Spiced or not? Water or apple juice? ! Yup, apple juice is what makes this applesauce especially appley.
This recipe can be all apple-sweetened or coconut sugar accompanied, that part is up to you.
And there is no easy way to peel apples. Just have at it and let the peelings fly. And watch out for your fingers.
I used four small/medium fuji apples. Four of those apples that come in a bag that I never want to buy for eating because I can’t inspect them first but are smaller and cheaper and perfect for applesauce. And I have to admit in this case they were delicious for snacking too–crisp and sweet! Fujis are my go-to apple. Ambrosias are my fancier favorite. But Sweetangos are really my snacking jam right now. What’s your favorite apple?
I don’t make this applesauce often, but when I do it’s usually gone in one day. A very apple-filled snack on a spoon. Rich enough to use on top of toast like apple butter. Possibly even rich enough to double as a pie filling. And I have a few other ideas in the works too…!
Prep Time:
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PinIngredients
- 4 medium apples
- 3/4 cup apple juice
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- Optional: 2-4 tbsps coconut sugar
Instructions
- Peel and dice the apples.
- Add everything to a pot.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 15 mins until the apples are fork-tender.
- Take off the lid and let it continue to cook for approximately 5 more minutes to allow some of the excess liquid to evaporate if necessary.
- Remove from the heat and mash with a potato masher until the texture is as chunky as you like.
- Enjoy warm or chilled, but keep leftovers in the fridge.
I absolutely love applesauce!!!! We have so many apples at home at this time of year, so we’re always making apple-filled dishes. One of my favourite things to make is apple sauce – it tastes so amazing with porridge! I love how yours has coconut sugar in it too – so perfect for my sweet tooth. This sounds soooo delicious Natalie! 🙂
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I want to be in your house right now, I’m sure all your apple creations are incredible! The apple obsession is real right now, it’s like my tastebuds just know its fall. Applesauce is an amazing way to use them up, I’m going to try it with oatmeal soon…if I can save enough 😀 haha The coconut sugar is so good with it, cinnamon and coconut sugar are just amazing together!
Looks so yummy, Natalie! I make applesauce every year, but had to skip this year because my apple trees had a rest year. Honestly there’s nothing I love more than freshly made, warm off the stove, chunky & sprinkled with cinnamon applesauce <3 I'll take that over (almost) any dessert any day (<<< leaving myself wiggle room there, but actually can't even think of a dessert I like more hehe). I never tried it with apple juice — will have to experiment 🙂
And fuji are my favorite apples too, second only to honeycrisp. I recently saw someone share a photo of apples that are pink on the inside — they've been on my mind ever since. Have you tried those? I think they're called pink pearl.
I totally want a pink apple now, I just looked them up and they are gorgeous!!! The color reminds me of figs. I always leave a little wiggle room on statements involving the word “favorite” because chocolate still exists, but I’m with ya! You can’t beat apples and cinnamon <3 I never knew you had an apple tree, one of my life goals. What variety of apples does it produce?
We have a lot of apple trees throughout the forest on our property. A few are close by the house, the rest are spread out. They’re all wild. I don’t call them crab apple trees because they look and taste nothing like a crab apple. They’re quite delicious. This property used to be a large settler’s farm 100 years ago, so I’m guessing these apple trees are remnants of that that just went wild, planting themselves wherever in this area… Last year I picked so many apples that I had applesauce and apple butter enough for over a year. I think I just finished my last jar of apple butter just a couple of weeks ago. And I had to give away bushels to friends and family. This year the trees seemed to be in a rest so I let them be. My girl loves finding the fallen apples though, so she’s been enjoying them all by herself on our walks 🙂 Between her and the bears, I think the apples are all claimed 🙂
I’m diggin’ this style of applesauce!! I’m always hesitant to buy those bags of apples too even though I know they are more bang for my buck. I’m really feeling this as an oatmeal topper!
Fruit in bags, just can’t do it. Plus what if they are bad, then you have 6 more to deal with 😀 haha But I totally have an oatmeal idea in mind too, because we just think alike!
Never thought to add apple juice to applesauce, such a good idea! Im sure it tastes like apple pie filling!
It totally does!!! Especially if you add the coconut sugar <3
I see you take your chunky 😉 Which I know, hahaha! You know what would be cool? An applesauce “buffet”. We have a table with tons of different applesauces (maybe even some other fruit ones too) and then things to dip in spread on…or you know…just a bunch of spoons 😉
Hahahahaha that is a crazy and awesome idea! Or maybe like one of those froyo places with applesauce dispensers and toppings…that would be amazing!
Anything with the words “extra sweet” in the title makes me VERY happy!! This is by far the prettiest and best sounding applesauce I’ve ever seen. Cinnamon is my all-time favorite flavor and apples are my favorite fruit, so you have me drooling on my keyboard here. Such a gorgeous recipe my friend and I love the beautiful warm colors of your photos…very pretty!
I didn’t know apples were your favorite fruit!? With how many I’ve been eating lately you’d think they were mine too ha! The cinnamon one I could’ve guessed 😉 I’m glad you’re with me on the super duper sweet applesauce thing though, thanks Brandi!
Wow this is just so amazingly delicious.. what a visual treat.. looks fabulously delicious
Thank you, such a sweet comment <3
This looks amazing, Natalie! I want this chunky applesauce on pancakes or waffles ^.^ – I think this would be perfection. Or I could simply eat it by the spoonful… it looks so good and I love how easy it is to make.
I am totally behind your pancake/waffle plan! Mmmm that would be fall breakfast heaven <3 Thanks girl!
Apple sauce is amazing! I love using it in baking particularly. Never though of using apple juice instead of water. I bet this really would make a great apple pie filling with all the delicious chunks 😀
The apple juice was a happy accident once a couple of years ago and I’ve been making it that way ever since! And yes, I think it would make for an awesome pie, especially if you left if super chunky 🙂 Thanks Nadia!
I love the addition of apple juice! This applesauce looks incredible.
It’s the best applesauce secret I know!! Thanks Alyssa 🙂
Natalie!!!! This was the best applesauce ever! I pretty much burned my mouth because I couldn’t wait to try it…I have an issue with patience sometimes when it comes to delicious treats. Loved how cinnamon-y this was and I chose to add a bit of coconut sugar. I’m a huge fan of chunky applesauce and this did not disappoint! I ate it on its own and also with a bit of plain yogurt. Definitely making this again once I stock up on more apples!
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Thank you for the feedback Mandy! I share the patience issue, hot chocolate is the worst for me for tongue burns 😀 I love the yogurt idea, definitely going to try that. And I usually throw in the coconut sugar too, there’s really no such thing as too sweet for me haha! I really appreciate you trying the recipe <3