Easy Shelf Stable Apple Pie Applesauce Recipe

Homemade, healthy applesauce that tastes just like apple pie.

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This applesauce is made with three clean and simple ingredients and the natural sweetness of the apples with the hint of cinnamon will make it taste very much like a fall apple pie.

Autumn is a great time of year to save some money, reduce waste and preserve apples for future use. McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, Golden Delicious, and Empire are great apples for applesauce. I usually use McIntosh. We have a ton around here.

You’re going to need some basic ingredients: apples and water. Bottled lemon juice and some cinnamon are optional additives, but the cinnamon will give you your apple pie flavour.

You will also need a large cooking pot and something to mash or puree these apples,

For every pound of apples, use about a 1/4 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of bottled lemon juice. If you like cinnamon and spices, ¼ teaspoon adds a nice flavour, but it’s completely up to you. Five pounds of apples will make roughly three 500 mL jars, depending on the apples and how much you cook them down.

If you’re canning, have a deep pot with a canning rack and lid, canning jars, new canning lids, bands, a jar lifter and a funnel ready. If you're not canning, get an airtight container.

Wash and rinse your jars and lids. If you’re making applesauce for the fridge - clean, airtight containers are all you need.

Now we need to wash, possibly peel (I don't), core and slice your apples. I like leaving the peels on when making applesauce for the fridge because it saves time and keeps the fibre, but it's your call.

Put the apples in a large pot with the water to help prevent sticking. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring often, until tender. This usually takes about 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount, variety and ripeness of your apples. For smooth applesauce or unpeeled apples, use a food mill or blender. For a chunkier sauce, you can use a simple potato masher.

Now you can stir in the bottled lemon juice and cinnamon, if using.

Return the applesauce to a gentle boil, stirring well to keep it from sticking. If you’re skipping the canning, divide the sauce into smaller containers, cool promptly and refrigerate within two hours. Use the sauce within a week.

For canning, use a funnel to fill your hot jars with hot applesauce, leaving that ½ inch of headspace. Remove the air bubbles, wipe the rims and screw on the lids so that they are fingertip-tight.

Now we're water bathing. Place the jars upright on the canner rack, with at least 1 to 2 inches of water above the lids. Bring the water to a full boil, cover and process for at least 20 minutes. Higher altitudes may require longer processing. Start the timing only once the water reaches a full boil. Keep it boiling throughout processing. If the boil stops, bring it back to a boil and restart the full processing time.

Once processing is finished, turn off the heat, remove the lid and wait for about 5 minutes before you lift the jars out upright onto a towel, leaving space between them. Do this carefully - I always burn myself some way or another.

Let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Don’t tighten the bands or press the lids while they cool. Check the seals afterward and refrigerate any jars that haven’t sealed, using those first (within a week).

Remove the bands from sealed jars, clean the jars, label them with the date and store somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight. Aim to use them within 12 months for the best quality. That isn’t an automatic expiry date, but looking and smelling fine doesn’t guarantee safety. Proper preparation, processing, sealing and storage all matter. Never taste a questionable jar to check it.

Refrigerate after opening and use within a week.

Now you have your own homemade applesauce ready for snacking, cooking and baking.