Homemade Applesauce in Crockpot

Making homemade applesauce in crockpot appliances is easy, hands off, and tastes so much better than store bought sauce.

If you are looking for an easy crockpot applesauce recipe, this is it!

If you have a bag of apples you are trying to use up, then making a homemade applesauce crockpot recipe is the best way to turn them into a delicious side dish no matter what type of apple it is.

Grocery store applesauce is great to use when you have it. But it often has ingredients that I can’t pronounce that aren’t necessary and are just extra chemicals.

Making my own sauce lets me put in only ingredients I choose which includes how much extra flavor I add.

It also lets you control whether you have a smooth applesauce or larger chunks in your sauce. Neither is better or worse, it’s just personal preference how textured you make your dish.

If you have access to a bunch of apples whether it is apple season or just another day in the year, this homemade applesauce in crockpot recipe is a great way to turn a basket of apples into a delicious dish you can use anytime you want.

What ingredients do you need for homemade applesauce in crockpot?

• Large Apples: you can use a combination of sweet or tart apples or all the same types of apples, just be sure to peel and cut into thin slices
• White Sugar: this is optional, but I really like the added sugar to make a sweeter sauce
• Cinnamon: this spice takes apples from fine to fantastic, and I like the specks it adds. But you can use cinnamon sticks if you like a sauce without specks.
• Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice: this is the acid that helps keep a bright color of your sauce
• Water or Apple Juice: this helps cook the apple slices evenly and creates the texture you need for applesauce

Pro Tip: If you like a darker, more molasses flavor in your applesauce you can use brown sugar. But I prefer the lighter taste of clean white sugar in my applesauce.

How to make homemade applesauce in crockpot:

1. Mix everything in the crock pot.
2. Cook.
3. Mash, puree, or blend until it is as smooth as you like it.
4. Store or serve!

Pro Tip: Use your favorite tool to smooth it out or leave more of a chunky sauce. You can use a potato masher, immersion blender, a food processor, or even a regular blender.

Usually I pick the appliance that is the easiest to clean.

Can you can homemade crockpot applesauce?

Yes! After cooking applesauce in a crockpot, fill clean, hot, sterilized glass jars for canning and process like normal applesauce.

If you are canning this recipe, be sure to use bottled lemon juice to make sure you have enough acid. 

Fresh lemons do not have the same amount of acid in each one, and acid is important for preventing botulism from growing.

The bottled lemon juice has a high enough acid level to keep your canned food safe.

Pro Tip: After water bath canning and letting them seal for 24 hours, remove the rings when storing your canned goods. You will know right away if the top has popped and it is no longer safe to feed your family.

Can you make applesauce with skins on in a crockpot?

You can leave the skins on if you like it better that way.

But I like my homemade applesauce in crockpot chunky without pieces of skins that can get stuck in my teeth. So I remove the skins before cooking.

If you like a smoother consistency and plan to puree your sauce in a blender, you could leave the skins on since the whole sauce will end up smoother.

Do I add butter to this crockpot applesauce recipe?

No! This recipe for homemade applesauce in a slow cooker does not use butter.

Is homemade applesauce in crockpot healthy?

Yes! Not only is this a great way to take a lot of fresh apples and use them or freeze them before they go bad, but the best part of this dish is how healthy it is no matter what your dietary needs are.

It is a great serving of fruit, can be customized to only have natural sugars if needed, can use tart or sweet apples, and it’s just a great recipe to use any varieties of apples you can think of.

Is homemade applesauce in crockpot vegan?

Yes! This recipe is both vegan and gluten free which makes it one of my favorite ways to give a sweet treat to someone with those restrictions.

How to freeze crockpot applesauce:

Divide the pureed applesauce into a labeled freezer-safe container, let cool, and stick the crockpot cinnamon applesauce in the freezer!

Can I feed my dog homemade applesauce in crockpot?

Yes! But if you are planning to share with your pooch, be sure to leave the sugar out.

Unsweetened applesauce is safe to feed to your pet though, just make sure not to feed more than a tablespoon or two a day.

Pro Tip: If you freeze it into ice cube trays, you can give them a tasty treat on a hot day any time of year.

What can I make with homemade applesauce in crockpot?

You can make anything you would use premade applesauce for! Here are some of my favorites:

• Baked Goods: muffins, cookies, bread, applesauce cake
• Smoothies: this is an easy way to add a liquid and a base flavor for almost any smoothie
• Hot Cereals: I like to stir some into my oatmeal or cream of wheat to make a cinnamon apple flavor
• Pork: applesauce is a delicious side dish for pork chops
• Dessert: this is the best applesauce to eat with vanilla ice cream

More Apple Recipes You’ll Love…

• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
• Raw Zucchini Salad
• Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
• Snickers and Apple Salad
• Apple Pie Dip
• Cranberry Apple Crisp

This homemade applesauce in crockpot is an easy recipe with simple ingredients that makes a healthy snack or a perfect side dish to use up a pile of apples.

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