Brown Sugar Cinnamon Slow Cooker Applesauce
Slow Cooker Applesauce transforms a boatload of apples into a delicious brown sugar cinnamon applesauce you can customize to your liking. Whether you like your applesauce extra smooth, extra chunky, or something in between, this is the perfect crock pot applesauce recipe to add to your collection.
We’ll also discuss the best apples to use for applesauce and how to freeze applesauce!
Easy Slow Cooker Applesauce
In the interest of laziness and doing the most with the least, I bring you this easy Slow Cooker Applesauce recipe. Because if an appliance can do it for you, why do it yourself?
I won’t lie and say this recipe makes itself. You do have to peel a lot of apples or enlist some other person (an offspring, perhaps?) to do it for/with you.
But rest assured, once those apples are peeled, the hard work is over. The slow cooker will do all the work of turning those sweet, juicy apples into a bright and cinnamon-y sauce, while you enjoy the smells of fall wafting through your house.
This makes a big batch of applesauce, perfect for adding to your Thanksgiving menu or freezing to enjoy throughout the year.
Pair it with Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Rice, Johnny Marzetti, or a Cheesy Tortellini Bake for an easy weeknight meal.
Why Homemade Applesauce is the Best Applesauce
When you make homemade applesauce, you are Goldilocks choosing the applesauce that is just right. You get to control everything, including:
The sweetness– You can make this more or less sweet based on your family’s preferences.
The texture– Using different tools allows you to make a super chunky applesauce or a silky smooth one, or something in between.
The spice– We love a cinnamon applesauce, but if that isn’t your thing, you can skip it. You can also add ginger or cardamom for even more Autumn flavors.
What are the best apples for applesauce?
This is a complex question, because it truly depends on your preference. Just like for our Caramelized Apple Pie, I recommend choosing a variety of apples for a well rounded applesauce that’s both tangy and sweet.
Combining one or two tart apple varieties with sweeter varieties will generally result in an applesauce that pleases a wide variety of palates. Pick and choose a few from the categories below based on your own preferences! I have starred the combination I used for the recipe you see pictured here.
Best Sweet Apples
Gala*
Fuji
Honeycrisp
Best Sweet Tart Apples
Sugar Bee*
Golden Delicious
Jonagold (a personal favorite of mine)*
Cosmic Crisp
Best Tart Apples
Granny Smith
McIntosh
Pink Lady*
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Apples– We’ve covered this extensively already, but the short answer is, pick a variety of sweet and tart apples for a balanced, complex applesauce recipe.
Brown sugar– We love the molasses-y flavor of brown sugar in applesauce, but you can use granulated sugar if you prefer.
Fresh lemon juice and zest– This brings brightness and tang to the sauce. Don’t skip it!
Cinnamon sticks– I use whole cinnamon sticks, which infuses the sauce with cinnamon flavor. Substitute ground cinnamon if you prefer. Use any leftover cinnamon sticks for Chai Tea Concentrate or Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup.
How to Make Slow Cooker Applesauce
Step 1: Peel, core, and slice the apples.
Step 2: Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the apples to the slow cooker and sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Shove the cinnamon sticks in between the apple slices.
Step 3: Cook. Cook on high for 4.5-5 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. The apples should be starting to break down into smaller chunks when stirred.
Step 4: Mash or Puree. Use a potato smasher to smash the apples for chunky applesauce. If you prefer a smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender (<<this is our favorite) to blend the apples into a smooth sauce.
FAQs
Are there any apples you shouldn’t use in applesauce?
Most varieties of apples will cook down well for sauce, but one that should be avoided is Red Delicious. The texture breaks down to a mealy mush and loses flavor as it cooks. Save this one for fresh eating, like in an Apple Fennel Salad.
Can you use bruised apples in applesauce?
Yes! Applesauce is a great way to use up apples that are slightly bruised or starting to wrinkle.
Do I need to add any water to applesauce?
No. The apples cook down and release enough juices to puree the sauce without additional water.
Can I halve this recipe?
Yes! This makes a big batch of applesauce and requires at least a 6 quart slow cooker. If you don’t have enough apples or have a smaller slow cooker, you can absolutely halve the recipe.
Can I sweeten applesauce with maple syrup?
Yes. You can substitute maple syrup or granulated sugar if you prefer. You can also omit the sugar completely or raise or lower it to your liking.
More Recipes to Use Up Apples
Did you go a little nuts at the apple picking farm? Been there! Here are our favorite ways to use up a whole lot of apples!
Apple Dapple Cake
Apple and Blueberry Crumble
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Apple Crumb Cake
Baked Cinnamon Apples
Slow Cooker Applesauce
Grab your slow cooker and a whole mess of apples. It's time to make some amazing brown sugar cinnamon applesauce that you can freeze and enjoy all year long! Tips for making smooth or chunky applesauce are included.
Course Side DishCuisine AmericanKeyword crock pot applesauce, slow cooker applesauce
Prep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 6 hours hoursTotal Time 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings 14 servings
Calories 124kcal
EquipmentCuisinart Immersion BlenderPotato MasherHamilton Beach Stay or Go Slow Cooker 6-Quart Silver
Ingredients16 sweet tart apples about 5-6 lbs (see note)4 whole cinnamon sticks or 1-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste1/4 cup packed brown sugar or more to tasteZest of 1 lemonJuice of 1/2 a lemon
InstructionsPeel, core, and slice the apples.Stack the apples in a large slow cooker (at least 6 quarts!). Shove cinnamon sticks throughout the apples, then spread brown sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice on top.Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. The apples should be cooked down and breaking apart. It helps if you can stir it once or twice, but you don't have to.Use a potato smasher to mash the apples for a chunky consistency or an immersion blender to puree apples to a smooth consistency. If the apples don't easily mash or blend, they need to be cooked longer.Taste the apples. Depending on how sweet the apples are and your own tastes, you may want to stir in additional sugar.Turn off the crock pot, allow to cool to warm or room temperature, then store applesauce in sealed containers in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Notes
I used a mix of Jonagold, Sugar Bee, Gala, and Pink Lady apples. See the post above for a full list of recommended apples. A mix of sweet and tart apples is always a good choice!
If you love a spiced applesauce, consider adding some ground ginger or cardamom as well.
Brown sugar can be substituted for granulated sugar if you prefer.
To freeze applesauce, place it in freezer safe containers or bags with at least 1/2 inch headroom. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then stir well before serving.
NutritionCalories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.3mg
The post Brown Sugar Cinnamon Slow Cooker Applesauce appeared first on NeighborFood.
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