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This recipe is so delicious, it will knock your socks off. Plus its so sweet, you won’t believe it was made without sugar. Be sure to make an extra large batch so you can make an applesauce cake and some applesauce muffins!
Nothing says fall like homemade applesauce. This recipe was the result of when I bought a pretty big (I think it was around 30 pounds) box of freshly picked organic honeycrisp apples at my farmer’s market.
I especially love this recipe because it’s only made from a few wholesome ingredients and it’s really easy to make. Plus, it’s something I feel good about serving my family.
Best apples to use:
The key components to making this wonderful applesauce are:
Good quality apples. I only make my homemade applesauce with freshly picked organic honeycrisp apples. I’m super particular when it comes to my apples and proud of it! They are crisp, juicy, sweet and tart, which is why no sugar is required. Take my advice on this one.
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.
Ingredients needed:
In addition to the apples, you only need the following:
- 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. The price of vanilla beans has skyrocketed since I first made this homemade applesauce, but I still think they’re worth it.
- 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.
How to make this recipe:
You can certainly make this applesauce on the stove top or in an Instant Pot with a few minor tweaks to the recipe.
I personally like to use the slow cooker to make my homemade applesauce because no water is necessary, thus making the flavor the best it can be. Plus, your entire kitchen will smell like heaven.
- First step is to peel, core, and cut your apples thin. I’ve made applesauce without peeling the apples before, and although the skin adds to the flavor, I don’t like it in the applesauce.
- Combine the apples with the vanilla bean, lemon juice and cinnamon sticks in the Slow cooker. Give them a stir, cover, and cook on high for four hours.
- All you’ll need to do is give it a stir when its done and you’ll have perfect applesauce. BAM!
Canning applesauce:
I filled up all different sizes of mason jars when I can using a water bath canning set simply because I like the way it looks.
If you plan on canning your homemade applesauce, just add the hot applesauce to sterile glass mason jars and leave just under an inch of head space at the top of the jar.
Attach a brand new lid and ring and place in a simmering water bath so that there is at least an inch of water covering the jars.
I let my jars of applesauce soak in the gentle simmer, covered, for about twenty minutes. Then, I carefully transfer them to the counter and you can hear the seals pop within a few minutes.
Once canned, your applesauce will last for several months, if not more, on the shelf.
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Pin ItVanilla Bean Honeycrisp Applesauce
Equipment
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. Discard vanilla bean pod.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in September 2014 and was most recently updated in September 2019.
Related recipes:
Since I always make more than enough applesauce, I always enjoy incorporating it into other recipes. Here are some of the best recipes to make with applesauce:
- Applesauce Cake with Brown Butter Frosting is one of my favorites!
- I even made some maple bourbon apple cider from a batch of applesauce that I cooked too long!
- You can also substitute applesauce for oil in recipes like healthy zucchini bread.
I 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
Hi 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
Have 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
Thank you, Dawn! Glad you like it!!! -Krissy
I 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!
Hi 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
I 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!!!
Thank 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
Made 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!
This 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?
Hi 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
ive frozen applesauce in mason jars many times. It goes quickly so I don’t have it much past a couple months. Very nice treat.
FOLLOWED 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.
Wow. 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
My applesauce turned a reddish color and is kind of tart. I followed the recipe exactly. What did I do wrong?
Did you have any remaining apple peel when you cooked it? That would definitely add to the color and the tartness. -Krissy
I’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!