Slow Cooker Applesauce
This is an easy recipe for making homemade applesauce in the slow cooker. Perfect for small apples as they do not need to be peeled.
I have two beautiful apple trees in my yard that produce an abundance of apples in the autumn. One tree gets gorgeous large apples similar to McIntosh apples which are perfect for making Apple Pie or Apple Crisp. The other tree gets small apples that are difficult to peel. So what is one to do with all those small apples? I hate seeing anything go to waste and it is way too time consuming to peel these small apples. I make them into tasty sugar-free applesauce! The applesauce can then be portioned into freezer bags and froze until you need it. Making applesauce in the crockpot is fantastic for making delicious, homemade Baby food!
How to Make Apple Sauce using a slow cooker
Step 1: Wash the apples, chop into chunks to remove the core.
Step 2: Place in the slow cooker, add a bit of water to cover the bottom of the cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Step 3: When the apples are soft, crush them with a masher.
Step 4: Next place the mashed apples into a cone strainer and using a pestle press the cooked apples through to separate the skins and make a smooth applesauce. I find doing this a few cups at a time works best.
Note: any type of strainer will work!
Step 5: Place cooled applesauce in freezer bags and freeze for future use. I like to portion mine in 1-2 cup servings.
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.
Now instead of raking up all those small apples and throwing them out, make some Slow Cooker Apple Sauce. A simple method to make delicious unsweetened applesauce. No peeling and using the slow cooker makes it so easy! Bonus – the house smells amazing while the apples are cooking!
Favorite Apple recipes
Apple desserts are pure comfort food. If you are looking for an Autumn dessert try these!
Slow Cooker Applesauce
Ingredients
- 20 small ripe apples enough to fill slow cooker.
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Wash apples, chop into pieces to remove the core. Place into the slow cooker.
- Add 1/2 cup water.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Mash down with potato masher, then strain through cone and pestle strainer.
- Place cooled applesauce into freezer bags and freeze. Refrigerate in jars if using within 4-5 days.
I see that the applesauce is in jars. Can this recipie be hot water bath processed? I would like to make applesauce with my apples as well but would like to give half pint jars or it away for Christmas gifts to people at work.
Hi Allen,
I’m sure it can be canned, but I am not expert at canning so please look up a good source for canning. I froze most of my applesauce and just put some in a jar to use right away.
Any worries about the cyanide in the seeds or are the apples small enough there are not enough seeds to worry about. Your apples look very similar to mine. Tried my first batch and it came out great. Very easy, but further reading gave me some concern about cooking with the cores. Thoughts?
A fellow ‘northern’ Albertan 🙂
Hi Leslie,
I found using the pestle didn’t allow most of the seeds to strain through, but as I’m not sure how much pressure people use staining and the chance of crushing the seeds I’ve changed instructions to chop apples to remove seeds.
I had never heard of this, so I had to google it. “You would need to finely chew and eat about 200 apple seeds, or about 20 apple cores, to receive a fatal dose.” I don’t believe it’s a concern at all.
Just wondering if this is more like apple juice than apple sauce? I have this same strainer for juice, and it seems no saucey pulp is straining through.
Hi Beth, mine comes out nicely. If you find it too liquidy just strain more juice out.
Thank you! It did turn out wonderfully, sorry for doubting! 😉 If you let it strain a lot, and squish the sauce through, it’s great! Less water in crockpot helps as well!
How long does it keep in the freezer vs canned? Do you vacuum seal or just ziploc? Thank you 🙂
Hi Lindsey, canned applesauce should last at least 12 months, whereas frozen applesauce should last 2-3 months. I like freezing it in small batches. It’s so easy.
I LOVE this!!! It’s is so easy. Last year I was up all night peeling apples and this recipe is so simple and delicious. Saves my back & time. Thank you SO MUCH!!
Much appreciation!!
Thank you Matti, and I love that you can add whatever you want to sweeten it up.
Super-easy! Love it with Honeycrisp apples.