Chunky Homemade Applesauce

The thing that has probably given me the most confidence in the kitchen has been understanding that food does not have to be complicated.  Fresh foods prepared simply are generally the best tasting.  This is why there is no comparison between, say, a homemade chocolate chip cookie and the *ahem* packaged variety.  Or between store-bought salad dressing and the fresh homemade stuff.  Or frozen chicken nuggets and fresh chicken tenders you’ve breaded and cooked yourself.

It’s not rocket science, people.

In the past, I’ve taken apples from my dad’s tree, and spent days and days canning applesauce.  It’s exhausting.  I’d just love to have applesauce sometimes that doesn’t come with all that work.  And mess.  I’m also very big on giving my kids fresh fruit in their lunches, and I think they were getting tired of plain old apple slices and grapes.  I need to kick it up a notch once in a while, just to let them know I’m still alive.

Homemade applesauce is easy as pie to make.  I dropped my apple slices into a pot with a cinnamon stick and some lemon peel, a little sugar and water, and let them boil down.  I found myself sampling with regularity.  It’s not that I’ve disliked applesauce in the past, but it’s never been one of those foods that excites me.

In fact, I’ve been known to make fun of people who make their cookies with applesauce.

Sorry, applesauce people.  Cookies are supposed to be rich and unhealthy.

Anyway, the crisp Granny Smith apples with the lemon and light cinnamon cooking away in my kitchen is such a far cry from the packaged applesauces they are barely comparable.  This applesauce is bright and fresh and crisp tasting.  And when you cook it yourself, you have control over how mushy it gets.

I’m not a big fan of mushy stuff.  I made my applesauce chunky, and slightly crispy.

Get out of my pictures, dog!

If you like a mushier applesauce, I suggest getting out the blender or food processor and pulsing your cooked apples down to a finer sauce.  If you like to know what you’re eating like I do, use a potato masher or dump the apples onto a cutting board and run your knife through them several times.

This applesauce looks so cute in these half pint jars.  They are the perfect size for lunchboxes.

Or afternoon snacks.

And if people tell you it doesn’t much resemble applesauce, tell them they don’t have to eat it, and you can keep their portion for yourself!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chunky Homemade Applesauce

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

A homemade applesauce with a chunky texture.

Recipe type: snacks

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 5 medium granny smith apples
• ½ lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• dash salt

Instructions

1. Peel and core apples, and slice into very thin slices.
2. Place slices in a small pot, and add the cinnamon stick. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the apples, then remove 2-3 large chunks of the lemon peel and add the peel to the pot.
3. Add sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook until apples are soft and cooked through.
4. Remove lemon peel, cinnamon, and excess water. Process apples to desired texture using a potato masher, food processor, blender, or sharp knife.
5. Serve warm or pour into three half-pint jars and chill.

2.2.8

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Applesauce Pancakes from Healthy Recipes

This post linked up at: Flour Me With Love; Make Ahead Meals; My Favorite Finds; Stone Gable; Southern Fairy Tale; Delightfully Dowling; Serendipity and Spice; I Should Be Mopping The Floor; Mrs. Happy Homemaker; Beyer Beware; Skip To My Lou; Blessed With Grace; Inside Bru Crew; Our Delightful Home; SS&GF; Naptime Creations; Mandy’s Recipe Box; Hope Studios;