Applesauce has become one of my healthy go-to snacks. Instead of reaching for a pudding cup or some ice cream like I often did in the past, I now try my best to reach for some applesauce instead when I want a spoon-ready, comforting snack. And sometimes I like to make my own applesauce too!

Making Homemade Applesauce In A Crockpot

In the past I would sometimes make my applesauce in the microwave, but now I’ve come to prefer making homemade applesauce in a crockpot which is a very simple and low-maintenance way to get the job done. Once the chopped apples are in the crockpot (also called a slow cooker), you can let them just cook and get soft for a couple hours and then blend them a bit to finish.

Step 1: Chop the Apples

To begin, you’ll need to cut your apples into smaller pieces. I make the job a little easier by using my apple slicer to cut them into wedges and easily remove the core. Then I cut the wedges into three or four smaller pieces. I also like to leave the apple peels on, however you can peel them first if you wish.

I usually use six apples for a batch of crockpot applesauce and I use whatever apples I have on hand (usually Gala apples). A medium sized apple will equal about 1 cup of chopped apple pieces.

If you leave the peels on, your finished applesauce will be a little darker and could be a little chunkier with a few bits of peels that might not get thoroughly mashed in. If you peel them, your final applesauce may be a little smoother with a lighter color.

Step 2: Place apples in the crockpot with water

Once all the apples are cut into smaller chunks, place the chunks into your crockpot. I like to add just a small amount of water too so that I know things won’t burn or stick as the cooking begins. I usually add about 2 tablespoons of water (which is equal to 1/8 cup). The apples will also release some of their juices as they cook, so just a small amount of water is needed.

Step 3: Cook the apples

Now that the chopped apples and water are in the crockpot, put the lid on the crockpot and cook the chopped apples on the high setting for 2 to 3 hours. I check things after two hours and if the apples are already nice and soft, I go ahead to the next step of blending. If the apples have released a lot of juice and things look kind of watery after two hours, you might want to let it go longer for the full three hours.

I like to use the high setting to make the job go a little faster, but you can also cook your crockpot applesauce on the low setting for 5 to 6 hours if you wish.

Step 4: Blend or mash the cooked apples into applesauce

After the apple chunks are cooked and soft, all that’s left to do is blend or mash them up into applesauce. An immersion blender is the perfect tool for this job that allows you to get the pieces all blended together but still leave it a bit chunky if that’s the way you like it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can just use a potato masher or large fork instead. If you use a regular blender go very slowly and just pulse it so that you don’t turn it too soupy.

Step 5: Add any other flavorings

Because I make my applesauce as an unsweetened version, I like to add some cinnamon to my finished applesauce to give it a little flavor boost. I do 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for each cup of applesauce. If you would still like to give your applesauce some additional sweetness, you can stir in a drizzle of pure maple syrup or honey.

And then your homemade crockpot applesauce is complete! And not only is it complete, it’s an all-natural, robust, and tasty product with no weird mystery ingredients in it either. Good job making your own applesauce!

Six Apples = Two Cups of Applesauce

This crockpot applesauce method can be made in larger or smaller batches as needed too. I’ve found that using six apples will yield about 2 cups of applesauce which is a manageable size for our empty nester household. Two cups of applesauce also fits perfectly into a pint sized canning jar which makes for an easy storage solution!

You can also freeze your homemade applesauce which is a handy option if you’d like to make a large batch in your crockpot and save some for a later date.

If you’ve never made your own applesauce before, this is an easy way to give it a try that requires very little hands-on time or effort. Once the apples are chopped, the crockpot and the immersion blender will take care of the rest of it!

Print Pin

Homemade Crockpot Applesauce

Make your own healthy and natural applesauce using the convenience of your slow cooker.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Course: Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Applesauce

Yield: 2 Cups

Author: Beverly

Equipment:

• Crockpot (Slow Cooker)
• Immersion Blender (or potato masher or fork)
• Apple Slicer (helpful but not necessary)

Ingredients:

• 6 Medium Sized Apples
• 2 Tbl Water
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon (optional)
• Drizzle of Pure Maple Syrup or Honey (optional)

Instructions:

• Note: I like to leave the peels on my apples for a more robust and healthy applesauce. However if you prefer a smoother applesauce, you can begin by peeling the apples.
• Chop the apples into smaller chunks of about a 1" size.
• Place the apple chunks into the crockpot. Pour the 2 tablespoons of water over the apple chunks.
• Put the lid on the crockpot and cook the apples chunks on the high setting for 2 to 3 hours. You can also cook the apples on the low setting for 5 to 6 hours if you prefer.
• Once the apple chunks are cooked and soft, mash/blend them into an applesauce consistency using your immersion blender or other mashing tool of your choice. (If you use a regular blender, go slowly and just pulse the mixture so it doesn't become to soupy).
• If you would like to add cinnamon flavoring, you can add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to this 2 cup sized batch. If you would like a little sweetener, you can drizzle in some pure maple syrup or honey.
• The applesauce will keep in your refrigerator for several weeks, or you can keep it in the freezer for several months.

Notes:

Three medium sized apples will yield about 1 cup of applesauce, if you would like to calculate making larger or smaller batches.

If you would like to add cinnamon to larger or smaller sized batches of this applesauce, calculate a 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for each cup of applesauce.

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