This Vanilla Bean Honeycrisp Applesauce recipe is so delicious, it will knock your socks off. Plus its so sweet, you won’t believe it was made without sugar.
Nothing says fall like homemade applesauce. I bought a pretty big (I think it was around 30 pounds) box of freshly picked organic honeycrisp apples at my farmer’s market. The guy who always helps me at the booth couldn’t believe I was buying it on top of all my other produce. I go a little crazy in the summer time because I just can’t get enough. Food is a priority in our household. In addition to many more gorgeous jars of applesauce than what is pictured above, I also used some of the applesauce to make applesauce muffins that the kids gobbled up and the parents grabbed on the go, a rich and decadent apple compote vanilla bean cheesecake, and I even made some maple bourbon apple cider from a batch of applesauce that I cooked too long!
The key components to making this wonderful applesauce are:
- Good quality apples. I only make my applesauce with freshly picked organic honeycrisp apples. I’m particular like that and proud of it! They are crisp, juicy, sweet and tart. Take my advice on this one.
- Vanilla beans. Its one of my top ten most favorite things in the world and you’ll never see my pantry without them. That’s a promise.
- Cinnamon sticks. I love the flavor of cinnamon but I don’t always want the over powering flavor of powdered cinnamon. I think using a cinnamon stick in this recipe not only flavors your applesauce perfectly, but it doesn’t change the beautiful light color of the apples.
- Lemon juice. It keeps your apples tart, adds a bit of acid in case you want to can for later, and keeps your apples from turning brown from oxidation.
- Slow cooker
. Set it and forget it folks. If you cut your apples thin, all you’ll need to do is give it a stir when its done and you’ll have perfect applesauce. BAM!
Anyway, we brought these beauties home and I got to work. I’ve never put sugar in my applesauce. I just make sure that I start with a delicious apple and not sugar is needed. My two most favorite apples in the world are Pink Ladies and Honeycrisps. Lucky for me, the honeycrisps are in their peak season late summer and the pink ladies are in the stores in the early spring, making for year round happiness for me.
I have a never ending supply of vanilla beans in my house because I make a huge batch of homemade vanilla extract. Once I take the vanilla extract out of the jar to give away as holiday gifts, I continue to use the vanilla beans year round. You should try it!
I filled up all different sizes of mason jars when I can using a water bath canning set
You see those little black dots in that photo below? That’s what I call taste bud heaven, or in other words, vanilla bean seeds. YUM!
Vanilla Bean Honeycrisp Applesauce
Ingredients
- 5 large honeycrisp apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Put apple slices in large slow cooker.
- Juice lemon, pour over apples, and toss to coat.
- Add cinnamon stick to slow cooker.
- Split vanilla bean and scrap seeds with knife. Add bean pod and scraped seeds to slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. There should be no need to add water. When done, stir with large spoon to achieve desired consistency.
- Can in water bath for storage or store in refrigerator in airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
saundra britton
September 26, 2014 at 6:18 amwere do get vanilla bean. would love to try this, I am on weight watchers, need to figure out points.
spfoodie
September 26, 2014 at 7:36 amHi Saundra, I buy my vanilla beans in bulk online. I got this batch from a company called Olive Nation. I have no idea how many WW points this dessert is, but its definitely rich so a small slice satisfies!
Anita
October 3, 2014 at 11:20 amOlive Nation is a great source and they often run discount sales. I have an unopened packet of 25 vanilla beans in my pantry; the fragrance is so sweet and strong that it permeates the packaging. 🙂
spfoodie
October 3, 2014 at 12:51 pmI totally agree!
kelley conley
October 5, 2014 at 1:04 pmI was wanting to can this applesauce in pint jars. How much does it make and can I double it in the crock pot?
spfoodie
October 6, 2014 at 5:43 amHi Kelley, Pint jars work great! If you fill your crock pot, expect it to cook down by as much as half. If you have a 6 quart, you’ll get 3+ quarts of applesauce, or 6-8 pints. -Krissy
Debbie
October 13, 2014 at 4:32 pmWalmart in the spices. 1 vanilla bean is $4.99.
spfoodie
October 13, 2014 at 4:53 pmOh yes. Single vanilla beans are always outrageously priced. I buy mine in bulk online. Olive Nation or Beanilla have been more sources. They last forever if you keep them moist. -Krissy
Sandi
September 30, 2014 at 8:08 pmHow many carbs are in this? I am diabetic and need to watch the carbs.
spfoodie
October 1, 2014 at 6:06 amHi Sandi, Unfortunately I have no idea about the nutritional information of anything I cook. I just make things that taste good and share the recipes. My guess would be to find out the number of carbs in a honeycrisp apple and multiply that amount by how many apples you cook down into sauce. Because there’s no additional sugar, I would think you’d be able to enjoy it, but I am not able to give you an accurate number. – Krissy
Jessica
October 2, 2014 at 8:49 pmHi! Do you peel your apples?
spfoodie
October 3, 2014 at 4:33 amYep! I peel them by hand and make sure every last bit of peel is gone because I don’t use a food mill to remove them. – Krissy
lori richardson
October 3, 2014 at 9:15 amHow long will the applesauce last when water bath canned? I have wanted to learn and this just might be the recipe to start with!!
spfoodie
October 3, 2014 at 9:41 amWe’re still eating applesauce that I canned well over a year ago! I have no idea how long it will or should last, but I know that the lemon helps add acidity to an already acidic fruit, so there’s low risk. I’m not an expert canner, but I’ve done a ton of peaches and applesauce. Hope that helps! Krissy
Julie B
October 13, 2014 at 6:50 amCanning research says one year for canned applesauces, for best quality.
spfoodie
October 13, 2014 at 8:41 amThanks Julie! That sounds about right. -Krissy
shianna
February 1, 2016 at 5:34 amHello I’ve just come across this recipe and can’t wait to try it! I’m wondering if you could please tell me a bit about canning it. Does it need anything else or do you just ladle it in jars and process it? Headspace? Also do you recommend bottled or fresh lemon juice? Thanks so much!
Krissy
February 1, 2016 at 6:25 amHi Shianna, I just followed standard water bath canning procedures which do call for head space. I prefer fresh lemon juice but I’m sure bottled would work just fine. -Krissy
Gail
August 27, 2018 at 9:47 pmKrissy can you make peach cobbler without useing a ton of sugar or can you use Stevia
Krissy
August 28, 2018 at 6:35 amHi Gail, You can definitely us Stevia as a sugar replacement. I’m personally not a fan. You left this comment on my applesauce recipe, but were referring to my peach cobbler. The applesauce doesn’t call for any sugar.
Stephanie Jordan
October 3, 2014 at 10:12 amI am curious if you have ever used any other types of apples for the apple sauce. I have some Fuji apples right now that I think I might try.
spfoodie
October 3, 2014 at 10:46 amI’ve only ever made my applesauce with honeycrisps. I’m a total food snob and will only eat honeycrisps or pink ladies. I’m sure Fuji would work perfectly, though. They’re sweet enough that I might want to give them an extra squeeze of lemon. You can’t go wrong! Krissy
Emmazahn
January 5, 2019 at 12:39 pmI use Fuji apples in my applesause, yes they are sweet enough.
Holly
October 5, 2014 at 8:46 amHow long do you process these for in a waterbath canner?
spfoodie
October 5, 2014 at 9:12 amI do it for about 25 minutes. -Krissy
Meredith
October 5, 2014 at 9:33 amHello.
How much does this recipe make?
Thank you.
spfoodie
October 5, 2014 at 10:09 amHi Meredith. It completely depends on how big your apples are. I fill my slow cooker (6 quart) and it cooks down by up to half. At that point, I’m able to can 3-4 quarts. But I end up making batch after batch because I buy my apples in bulk. – Krissy
Betty
October 5, 2014 at 6:32 pmHi,
I don’t own a slow cooker, can i make this on the stove top?
spfoodie
October 6, 2014 at 5:40 amHi Betty, Absolutely! Just cook it over medium heat with the lid on and give it a stir every so often. – Krissy
Mackenzie @ Never Skip Dessert
October 6, 2014 at 6:00 amI love homemade applesauce – it is so good! And so satisfying knowing you made it yourself 🙂 I also have vanilla beans that I brought back from Madagascar and haven’t used yet – I think this is the perfect recipe to try them!
SakuraMari
October 8, 2014 at 9:18 pmHi there….
My kids are begging me to make this… but I need to make one substitution. My hubby has diverticulitis, and can’t eat small seeds. (I cut the seeds out of his tomatoes for a salad…can’t be too careful!) Since I can’t use vanilla bean, I use quality extract, but I was wondering if you might give me an estimate of how much might equal a bean that’s simmered in the crock pot?
Thanks so much!
spfoodie
October 9, 2014 at 5:41 amHi Sakura, I would substitute with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. -Krissy
Michelle
October 12, 2014 at 12:56 pmI have never “canned” before. Would I be able to freeze this in containers? And for how long?
spfoodie
October 12, 2014 at 4:54 pmI’ve never frozen applesauce but I’ve frozen most everything else. I’d like to say yes, you can, but I can’t tell you that with 100% certainty.
Alyssa
October 18, 2014 at 7:04 pmI’ve frozen applesauce in ziplock bags and I have some left from last year that is still fine. It freezes very well. Just thaw in the fridge or with warm water when you want to eat it.
Sean
October 15, 2014 at 12:13 pmI’m the founder/moderator for Punk Domestics (www.punkdomestics.com), a community site for those of use obsessed with, er, interested in DIY food. It’s sort of like Tastespotting, but specific to the niche. I’d love for you to submit this to the site. Good stuff!
Gwen
October 15, 2014 at 4:49 pmMy applesauce turned a reddish color and is kind of tart. I followed the recipe exactly. What did I do wrong?
spfoodie
October 16, 2014 at 7:25 amDid you have any remaining apple peel when you cooked it? That would definitely add to the color and the tartness. -Krissy
CINDY
October 16, 2014 at 11:50 amFOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS AND CAME HOME EXACTLY IN 4 HOURS. THE APPLESAUCE WAS BURNED ON. I HAD ABOUT A CUP OF APPLESAUCE LEFT AND IT DIDN’T TASTE GOOD DUE TO THE BURNING. I THOUGHT MAYBE I READ SOMETHING WRONG. REVIEWED IT. I HAD READ IT RIGHT. SO DISAPPOINTED.
spfoodie
October 16, 2014 at 12:02 pmWow. I’m really sorry to hear that. I posted the recipe exactly as I had made it and I made about 5 batches the same exact way and they all turned out perfectly. I’ve seen a ton of comments on facebook and pinterest as well where people said they made my applesauce and it turned out perfectly for them as well. Do you think there might be something wrong with your slow cooker? -Krissy
Cheryl Rafuse
October 17, 2014 at 6:31 amive frozen applesauce in mason jars many times. It goes quickly so I don’t have it much past a couple months. Very nice treat.
Debby
October 27, 2014 at 7:33 amThis recipe looks delish! I am getting ready to make a batch and was wondering if the temperature of the crockpot is to be set on high or low. Also, I assume that the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean pod comes out in the end. Is that correct?
spfoodie
October 27, 2014 at 9:52 amHi Debby, I set my slow cooker to high. And yes, you are right – remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean when done (or reuse in next batch). 🙂 Krissy
Sharon
December 18, 2014 at 6:11 pmMade this with Pink lady apples. It is delicious! The only thing I would add is I needed to stir my crock pot several times as the apples shrunk. Any apples stuck to the side would start to burn if left for 4 hours unattended. Thanks for the recipe!
Alicia
February 13, 2015 at 10:19 pmI love anything vanilla so I gave this a try… Your information contained herein was not completely accurate. You failed to mention that I would want to eat all of it in one setting…. I have restrained myself for now, but this is absolutely delightful. My husband said it tastes like apple pie filling (which is good because he has been having a serious sweet tooth!). Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!!
spfoodie
February 14, 2015 at 10:14 amThank you so much for your comment! When I started reading, my heart sank and I said “uh oh”. Way to wake a girl up! So glad you liked it!!! -Krissy
Dani
October 22, 2015 at 8:03 amI am wanting to make this, but I was wondering which type of vanilla bean do you use. I was looking online to buy some, and there are quite a few different options. I wasn’t sure if it would make a difference. Thanks!
Krissy
October 23, 2015 at 1:30 pmHi Dani, I have bought both Madagascar and Mexican vanilla beans and, honestly, I couldn’t really tell a difference. I’ve bought from both Olive Nation and Beanilla and both were of high quality. Hope that helps! Krissy
Dawn
October 16, 2016 at 1:48 pmHave to say this seriously has become my families favorite applesauce! It’s the only one I can and freeze. Even made some for my Granddaughter 🙂 I do add a extra vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.
Thank you for an awesome recipe that has now become a family favorite and is requested all the time
Krissy
October 18, 2016 at 11:24 amThank you, Dawn! Glad you like it!!! -Krissy
Kerry
October 19, 2016 at 4:59 amI have a question I have never used Vanilla beans before. Would Grade B work for this I found some grade B for a good price. But I didn’t want to get the wrong type. Thanks
Krissy
October 26, 2016 at 5:26 amHi Kerry, I really don’t know. I’ve only purchased high quality ones before. If you buy them and they smell good, I don’t see why not? -Krissy
Patricia
October 20, 2016 at 12:41 pmThis was not a favorite recipe for applesauce in our home. We love honeycrisp apples. However, we felt there was too much lemon juice and made it too tart. Also, the cinnamon stick did not infuse enough to have a distinct flavor. We did however, like the idea of vanilla bean. This is not a bad recipe, just not to our liking. In addition, I can’t put my head around waiting 4 hours for applesauce when on the stove top it’s done in 20-30 on low heat. Giving it 5 stars because you live it!
Krissy
October 26, 2016 at 5:25 amWell thank you for the nice rating! My apples were so sweet, I couldn’t even taste the lemon! -Krissy
Jax
November 9, 2016 at 12:38 pmJust wanted to let you know I have made this recipe a gazillion times. Its an absolute fave and a Thanksgiving must. Found it again today to send link to family out west that couldn’t make it home this year (i do it by sight now but wanted something a little more exact to share). Thanks!
Krissy
November 11, 2016 at 1:55 pmThanks for the great comment, Jax! Happy Thanksgiving! Krissy
Sara Mendez
May 13, 2017 at 8:49 pmI tried this for the first time today and it was fantastic! Like mind blowingly fantastic! I like applesauce, but this made me LOVE IT! I can see this being a topping on ice cream or on oatmeal in addition to just eating it right out off the jar! So good thanks for the recipe!
Cheryl
June 4, 2018 at 12:12 pmI feel like this is a stupid question but…. The recipe calls for just 5 large apples and a large crock pot? I tried it this past weekend and I lost count of how many apples I put in a six quart crock and it was barely half full. I would consider the apples I used to be on a medium or small scale but I thought I compensated by using more… The apple sauce was good but I thought it was a bit tart and a little heavy with cinnamon so I wondered if I perhaps didn’t use enough apples? The ratio is really one lemon to 5 (large) apples?
Krissy
June 4, 2018 at 2:40 pmHi Cheryl, This was one of my first recipes and it probably needs some revisiting (meaning I should have weighed my apples first). I remember when I made this that they were VERY large apples. They were also freshly picked honeycrisps and were extremely sweet. I should have measured out the lemon juice as well to help my readers. Based on how yours turned out, I’m guessing you probably needed more apples or they weren’t super sweet to begin with? Sorry the recipe wasn’t well written. I’ll make it again this fall when they’re in season and will re-write. Thanks! Krissy
meg
August 7, 2018 at 4:09 pmcan’t wait to try this recipe! &i am definitely NOT a food snob-i think all fresh apples deserve a chance to be loved! taste-test by making 1/4 batches stovetop-ready in minutes (also commented above;). that said, when i read the comments, i was struck by the rudeness of 1 angry person (in a sea of delighted ones!) who was ‘disappointed.’ after reading cheryl’s post about the inaccuracy of the quantity of apples, the idea occured that this was most likely the cause of her burnt ‘sauce (&also above-ANYTHING left unattended 4hrs will burn on high heat).i bet if you made that recipe with 5 SMALL apples&did not stir….well…[&seems like ‘5 large’ is rather a vague amount to say it was ‘followed exactly’]. to me tho, recipes are a guideline-follow it once to try, then adjust to your own liking-using common sense&imagination! all good things start somewhere&your recipe inspires!! thanks for the great idea-i will enjoy making it my own 🙂 🙂
Samantha
October 6, 2018 at 12:30 pmI made the recipe, and cooked 4 batches at a time in my slow cooker. Unfortunately, my applesauce turned out VERY lemony, as in that was the most prominent taste. I did use my citrus press to juice my lemons though, and they were a little on the large side. I’m just disappointed that it failed, since I spent $15 on vanilla beans, and a good $20 on apples. It’s a rather expensive fail, and not sure if it can be fixed. 🙁
Krissy
October 7, 2018 at 7:49 amHi Samantha! I’m so sorry to hear that! I know my recipe doesn’t use sugar, but you could add some to counteract the tartness of the lemon. You could also cook down some more apples and add them to the mix to help balance it out. I hope it works! Whenever I make something like this and it doesn’t turn out as expected, I usually turn it into a pancake topper.
Ginny
November 3, 2018 at 9:16 amThe nutrition facts Say. 24grams of sugar ..is that just from the apples My husband a diabetic so I guess I won’t be able to make it.
Krissy
November 15, 2018 at 6:15 amHi Ginny, All of my nutritional info is an approximation based on the ingredients. Since there is no added sugar, I put the serving size proportional to each person eating 1 1/4 cooked down apples. I’m guessing there is a lot of natural sugar, though. Hope that helps!
Doug Erickson
May 12, 2019 at 6:20 pmHave you ever used mexican vannila extract in place of the bean?
Krissy
May 13, 2019 at 5:02 amI always have plenty of vanilla beans in my pantry, so I haven’t with this recipe, however a good vanilla extract will work perfectly fine in place of the bean!