Healthy Slow Cooker Applesauce, this easy recipe requires no peeling of apples so it is perfect for small apples.
I have two beautiful apple trees in my yard. One gets gorgeous large apples similar to McIntosh apples, the other very small sized apples. So what is one to do with all those small apples? I hate seeing anything go to waste, but it is way too time consuming to peel these small apples. You could can them, but I'm not a big fan of canned apples. So I thought I would try something very simple like making applesauce in a slow cooker. Great technique for making organic homemade Baby food!
This was so easy!! All I did was wash the apples, chop in chunks to remove seeds and core, place in the slow cooker, add a bit of water and cook for 4-5 hours on low. Once they were cooked soft, I mashed them down a bit with a potato masher.
Then using the handy cone strainer and pestle my Mom gave, I mashed all the cooked apples through and viola, fresh, organic homemade apple sauce! The sieve separated the skins from the apples, leaving terrific smooth applesauce.
I prefer not to add any sugar or spices to my applesauce before freezing so I can use the applesauce in any recipe. But if you like, add cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg at the start of cooking the apples. You can also sweeten the applesauce if desired with white or brown sugar, honey or maple syrup. Once done I like to store my applesauce in small 1 cup freezer bags for easy measuring for recipes.
So instead of raking up all those apples and throwing them out, make some homemade Slow Cooker Apple Sauce. What a simple method to make pure, delicious unsweetened applesauce. No peeling and using the slow cooker makes it so easy! Bonus - the house smells amazing!
Slow Cooker Applesauce
Ingredients
- 20-30 small ripe apples
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Wash apples, chop into pieces to remove seeds and core. Place into slow cooker.
- Add ½ cup water.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours, stirring after a couple of hours.
- Mash down with potato masher, then strain through cone and pestle strainer.
- Place into freezer bags and freeze. Refrigerate in jars if using within 4-5 days.
Nutrition
If you love apple desserts like I do be sure to try my Apple Crisp Pie