Paula Deen The Best Homemade Applesauce

Paula Deen The Best Homemade Applesauce takes 35 minutes and six crisp apples, apple juice and two cinnamon sticks to make a thick, spoonable fruit side that serves about 4. Try this easy homemade applesauce for Sunday dinner or the holiday table, since it's stovetop simple and keeps in the fridge for days.

Use really crisp apples, like the Honeycrisp and Granny Smith mix Paula likes, because they break down into a thick sauce with real apple flavor. Mealy apples turn watery and dull, and no amount of cinnamon fixes that.

She simmers everything together under a lid with both cinnamon sticks, so the spice soaks into the apples for the whole 25 minutes. Then you choose the texture: mash it chunky in the pot or blend it smooth, and the same pot works either way.

Paula Deen The Best Homemade Applesauce

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Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

150

kcal

Apple chunks simmer with juice, cinnamon sticks and a little brown sugar until they fall apart into a soft, chunky sauce. Blend it if you want it smooth, or leave it rustic and thick.

Ingredients

• 6 large Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks (I use a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
  

• 1 cup apple juice or cider
  

• 1 cup water
  

• 2 cinnamon sticks
  

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  

• ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
  

• dash of freshly grated Nutmeg
  

Directions

• Combine in a saucepan: Put 6 large peeled, cored and chunked apples, 1 cup apple juice, 1 cup water and 2 cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan. Add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt and a dash of grated nutmeg.
• Simmer until soft: Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer gently for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the apples are extremely soft.
• Remove the cinnamon: Fish out the cinnamon sticks and throw them away. Leave the sauce chunky as it is, or move on to the next step for a smoother texture.
• Blend if you like: For a really smooth applesauce, scoop the apples and liquid into a blender or food processor. Blend until it reaches the consistency you like best.
• Cool and store: Let the applesauce cool, then cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. After that, freeze whatever is left.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Vitamix E310 blender, OXO Good Grips nylon potato masher, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What are the best apples for homemade applesauce?

Paula uses a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, which gives you sweet and tart in the same pot. Whatever you pick, make sure the apples are crisp, because mealy ones make a watery, flat sauce.

How long does homemade applesauce keep?

Covered in the refrigerator, it keeps for up to 5 days. After that you'll want to freeze it, so portion it into containers before it sits too long.

Can I make applesauce without peeling the apples?

This recipe calls for peeled apples, which gives the softest, most even sauce. If you leave the peels on, blend the sauce well afterward, since the skins stay tougher than the flesh.

How do I make it smooth instead of chunky?

Once the apples are soft and the cinnamon sticks are out, blend everything in a blender or food processor. Stop when it looks the way you like, because a few pulses leave it rustic and longer blending makes it silky.

Can I add other fruit to the applesauce?

Berries work well, and Paula suggests adding 3/4 cup blueberries to the simmering apples for an apple-blueberry sauce. Add them at the start so they cook down along with the apples.