8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make Slow Cooker Applesauce and enjoy that nostalgic homemade taste all week long, with plenty left to save for later. It’s easy to make and so much better than store-bought.
Want to try apples a different way? Have a go at making a batch of my Slow Cooker Red Hot Apple Slices for an old-fashioned dessert. Or try my Slow Cooker Apple Dump Cake for a fast dessert.
Table of Contents
- Why Make Applesauce in a Slow Cooker
- The Ingredients
- How to Make Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Tips and Variations for the Best Applesauce
- How to Serve Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Can I water bath or pressure can Crockpot Applesauce?
- Can Slow Cooker Applesauce be used for baby food?
- Do Apples Need to Be Peeled for Applesauce?
- How to Store Applesauce Properly
- More Slow Cooker Apple Recipes
- Slow Cooker Applesauce Recipe
Why Make Applesauce in a Slow Cooker
The slow cooker cooks down the apples until they're perfectly soft. Once they're done, it takes very little effort to stir them into a sauce.
I think slow cooking the apples gives them a deeper flavor than simmering on the stovetop.
This slow cooker applesauce recipe makes a large batch! I like to eat it all week and put some in the freezer for later.
The Ingredients
Apples: Use any apple you like for this! My favorite varieties are Granny Smith and Gala.
Sugar: Just a touch of sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the applesauce.
Lemon: Lemon juice adds brightness and balances the sweetness of the apples.
Water: Helps the apples soften and gives the finished applesauce the right consistency.
How to Make Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Peel, core and slice the apples.
- Add the sugar and lemon juice to the apples and stir.
- Add the apple mixture and water to the slow cooker. Cook until the apples are extremy soft and stir into a sauce.
Tips and Variations for the Best Applesauce
Prep Tip: Remove all the skin, seeds, and the firm area surrounding the seeds. Those hard pieces can be noticeable in the finished applesauce.
Water Swap: If you happen to have apple juice or apple cider on hand, use that instead of water. It will add more sweeteness and apple flavor.
Smooth Applesauce: Simple add the applesauce to a blender and pulse. Though if you pulverize it too much, you will end up with apple butter.
Cinnamon Applesauce: Add a few sticks of cinnamon or add 1 tsp. of cinnamon powder at the beginning of the cooking time. Or try my Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe.
How to Serve Slow Cooker Applesauce
Serve Warm: Applesauce is great served warm, though very few of us do it. Serve warm out of a bowl or serve over vanilla ice cream - so good!
Serve Cold: Applesauce is a great summer breakfast on buttered toast or a great snack for adults and kids, serve in bowls with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Use in Recipes: You can use applesauce in baking recipes instead of oil or you can use applesauce in savory recipes like Apple Butter Pork Chops.
Sugar Change: Brown sugar can be used instead of white sugar for a deeper flavor and darker color.
Can I water bath or pressure can Crockpot Applesauce?
This recipe is not formulated for canning. For safe canning, use a recipe specifically tested for water bath or pressure canning.
Can Slow Cooker Applesauce be used for baby food?
If you're using this for baby food, I suggest leaving out the sugar and lemon. You can always add sugar to the adults' portion after it's cooked.
Do Apples Need to Be Peeled for Applesauce?
Having made applesauce for years in different variations, I've found that peeling the apples is a must. Leaving the peels on can give the finished applesauce little bits of texture that aren't very pleasant.
How to Store Applesauce Properly
Applesauce freezes very well and is great to keep on hand. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You can also keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
More Slow Cooker Apple Recipes
For more homemade applesauce flavors, try my Strawberry Applesauce or Pumpkin Applesauce.
If you're looking for another way to use fresh apples, make my Crockpot Fried Apples or Fireball Caramel Apples.
If you tried this Slow Cooker Applesauce recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Happy Slow Cooking!
How to Video
Ingredients
- 12 apples, (about 4-5 pounds)
- 1 lemon, (juiced)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water, or apple juice or apple cider
Instructions
- Peel, core, and cut the apples into slices. Be sure to remove the entire core, including the firm area around the seeds, so you don't end up with any hard pieces in the applesauce.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the sliced apples, lemon juice and sugar, and stir.
- Add the apple mixture to the slow cooker bowl, pour over the water. (You can also mix everything directly in the slow cooker instead of using a separate bowl). Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours or until the apples are very soft.
- Use a spoon, whisk, or potato masher to break up the apples. It won't take much effort at all!
- Serve warm or chill and enjoy!
Sarah's Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Your fresh, homemade applesauce is just what I have been craving. Whenever fall rolls around, I always get a hankering for all things apple. But with a hectic schedule I don’t have a lot of time for anything complicated. Thanks to your recipe, I can easily make my own applesauce with just a few minutes of effort, and the flavors are so much better than anything I could get from the store!
With the apple sauce can you use 1/2 Granny Smith and 1/2 Honey Crisp apples?
Yes, any apple combination will work.
Can I use monk fruit instead of sugar
Yes, though I would add it at the end slowly to taste.
Can this recipe be frozen?
Yes! Applesauce freezes very well.