Homemade Applesauce For Canning

Looking for something to do with your apple harvest? Maybe you just need something yummy to enjoy with lunch. This homemade applesauce recipe is great for canning or eating right now! Plus it couldn’t be easier to make.

Some Like it Hot. Some Like it Cold. 

One of my favorite sides is homemade applesauce just the way my mom makes it. The whole house agreed that some chunks were good, but they had to be small. We agreed on the amount of sugar and cinnamon, but there was one thing we never agreed on. My brother only liked cold applesauce. I liked it hot on the first night, but enjoyed it cold after that. If it was applesauce night, you wanted to be in the kitchen to call the shots on the temperature at which it would be served. Most of the time, I lost because I also liked it cold. After she finished cooking it, she would put a bowl in the freezer to cool down before dinner. 

This applesauce recipe is the same one my mom made for us as kids. The type of apples depended on what was available. I knew that when the apples got squishy it meant we would soon have applesauce. It was almost as exciting as seeing black bananas and knowing that there would be banana bread for breakfast. We might pick some from the tree at my grandparents and use the less than perfect apples to make applesauce or apple butter. Once in a while she would throw in a pear that was about to go bad and it made a special treat.

This homemade applesauce is perfect for canning or freezing. Our deep freezer died before we moved, so we are lacking the space to freeze much food besides the meat. So I am canning it this year. For my little family of two, a pint jar is the perfect size.

Pin it for Later!

Homemade Applesauce for Canning Recipe

Ingredients

3 pounds of apples

1 tablespoon cinnamon

½ cup sugar

4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. First you must peel  and core the apples. An apple peeler and slicer makes quick work of this, but does not leave good chunks and can be difficult to use with soft apples. 
2. Next cut them into quarters. 
3. Put the apples, cinnamon, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cover and let it cook on medium low heat for 40 minutes or until they are soft. Check for softness using a potato masher. 
4.  When they are soft, use the potato masher to mash them to the consistency that you like. If you want a smooth texture like you would buy at the store, I suggest using an immersion blender.
5. That’s it! Now you can eat it hot… or cold if you prefer it that way.
6. If you are freezing it, put the homemade applesauce in a freezer safe container or plastic bag then pop it in the freezer. 

Homemade Applesauce Waterbath Canning

If you wish to can the applesauce follow the directions below, after you complete the recipe above. I find it easier to make the applesauce one day and can it the next. If you run out of time like me, then put the applesauce in the fridge overnight and reheat it the next day before canning it. 

1. Sanitize the jars in the dishwasher. You want the jars to be hot when you put the hot apple butter into them, so it’s best to wait until near the end to run the dishwasher. 
2. Put the lids in some simmering water for 10 minutes. This sterilizes them.
3. Now it is safe to spoon the hot applesauce into the hot jars. Leave ½ inch at the top. 
4. Wipe the rim clean and place the lids and rings on the jar.
5. Put the jars in a pot of water. If using pint or half pint jars you will boil them for 20 minutes. The water should be about an inch over the top of the jars. The time starts when the water boils. 
6. Remove the jars and allow them to cool. You may hear the lids pop, which is totally normal.

Storing Canned Applesauce

Once the applesauce is canned it can be stored in a pantry or cabinet. Any cool, dark place will work. At our old house, I kept it in a closet because we had no pantry. I store my jars upside down without rings. This lets me know that the seal is good. 

The jars will keep for at least 12 months if stored correctly. Once you open a jar make sure to keep it refrigerated though. You can’t screw the lid back on and put it back in the pantry. The seal has been broken, so it needs to be in the fridge.

The site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Revive EO Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Shop this Post

Water Bath Canner

Pint Jars

Lid Magnet

Jar Gripper

Mason Jar Funnel