Sarah's Homemade Applesauce

Making applesauce at home is easier than you think. Trust us: This wildly popular applesauce recipe will quickly become a go-to in your household. 

How to Make Applesauce

You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics of making perfect homemade applesauce:

Applesauce Ingredients

Make this top-rated applesauce recipe with just four ingredients: 

• Apples: Four apples will make about four servings of applesauce. 
• Water: You’ll need about ¾ cups of water to cook the apples. 
• Sugar: White sugar sweetens things up. 
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon lends welcome warmth. 

Best Apples for Applesauce

The best apples for applesauce are whatever apples you have on hand and need to use up. However, if you have a choice, we recommend using a combination of sweet and tangy varieties for the best flavor. Popular sweet varieties include Honeycrisp and Fuji, while popular tangy varieties include Granny Smith and Braeburn. 

How to Make Homemade Applesauce

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the apples are soft, then mash the (cooled) apples with a fork until you’ve reached the desired consistency. That’s it! Find the full, step-by-step applesauce recipe with detailed instructions below. 

Related: What's the Difference Between Applesauce and Apple Butter?

What to Serve With Applesauce

For a classic and impressive dinner, pair your applesauce with our Easy Baked Pork Chops. It also works well alone as a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack. 

How to Store Applesauce

Allow the applesauce to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

How to Can Applesauce

To preserve your homemade applesauce for up to a year, consider canning it at home. Check out our Canning How-To Guide for detailed instructions. 

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“Wow, was this good,” raves Lindsay. “I followed the recipe. I used Granny Smith apples which worked really well. Served slightly warm and was really amazing! Hadn’t made homemade applesauce before, but I definitely will again!”

“I've been making this recipe for about 10 years now,” says one Allrecipes community member. “It is the only recipe I will use. I buy a bag of Granny Smith apples, peel them, chop them, and cook them as directed. I do add more cinnamon in the recipe because I love cinnamon. I freeze it in serving-size portions. Excellent recipe.”

“Simple is often the best,” according to Phaedra Conaway. “I used McIntosh apples, but didn't peel them. It gave the applesauce more texture, color, and nutrition.”

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams