Quick Homemade Applesauce
As a child, I remember being so excited when my great-grandmother, Mamie, would bring her applesauce to family gatherings. It was the best applesauce I’d ever had… perfectly sweet with the faintest hint of pink. I always assumed the coloring was from the apple skins, but maybe it was from the love she poured into every batch she made.
Every fall Mamie would walk her local apple orchard and forage for fallen apples. She never picked from the trees. “Why pay to pick when the ones on the ground are free?” Not to mention, it was reducing food waste for the orchard. Homemade applesauce couldn’t be easier to make. You just clean then chop the apples. No need to remove the peel, seeds or bruised bits - just toss everything into a large stock pot with some water (just enough to create some steam), and a couple dashes of cinnamon if you’re feeling spicy. Cover the pot and simmer gently until the apples are super soft and falling apart. Let the whole mess cool a bit then pass everything through a food mill to separate the sauce from the skin and seeds. You can jar your applesauce (like Mamie did), freeze it or enjoy it right away.
My son loved homemade applesauce as much as I did growing up. But when it wasn’t apple season, or if I only a few old apples sitting on the counter begging not to be thrown out, I’d make this quick version. Nothing will ever be as good as my memory of Mamie’s applesauce, but my quick version never lasted long enough to put in the fridge. So I guess that’s saying something too.
Side note: feel free to get creative with your fruit. I’ve added pears, berries, etc to our applesauce and it’s always a hit.
Ingredients
4 medium apples (about 4 cups chopped)
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Method
1. Peel, core and chop apples.
2. Add chopped apples to a small saucepot along with the water and cinnamon.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer until the apples are very soft and mashable, about 20-30 minutes. Add more water if needed.
5. Mash apples to desired consistency.
6. Let cool. Serve & enjoy!