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
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Wash apples, chop into pieces to remove seeds and core. Place into slow cooker.
- Add 1/2 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
Allen Irish
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.
Laureen King
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.
Leslie
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 🙂
Laureen King
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.
Becky
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.
Beth
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.
Laureen King
Hi Beth, mine comes out nicely. If you find it too liquidy just strain more juice out.
Beth
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!
Lindsey
How long does it keep in the freezer vs canned? Do you vacuum seal or just ziploc? Thank you 🙂
Laureen King
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.
matti
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!!
Laureen King
Thank you Matti, and I love that you can add whatever you want to sweeten it up.
Laura
Super-easy! Love it with Honeycrisp apples.
Laureen King
So much better than store bought, and no additives!