Recipe for the Perfect Homemade Applesauce

After savoring the fresh apple taste of homemade applesauce, you may never want store-bought again. Supermarket varieties often contain additives like sweeteners and flavorings. In this recipe, we use minimal sugar, along with lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon. This combination yields balanced flavor and just the right sweetness.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds assorted apples (about 8), such as Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, or McIntosh, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Begin by combining the chopped apples, sugar, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large pot. Set the heat to medium-high and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot tightly and cook until the apples are very soft, about 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Once the apples are soft, stir in the lemon juice and cinnamon. Allow the mixture to cool for around 5 minutes. Then, transfer the apple mixture to a blender, ensuring you fill it no more than halfway. Remove the center cap from the blender lid. Use a folded kitchen towel over the lid to catch splatters, and pulse until the applesauce is smooth. You can also puree directly in the pot using an immersion blender.
3. After blending, move the applesauce to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, roughly 1 hour. Store any leftover applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Note: For blending hot liquids, let the mixture cool for about five minutes first. Fill the blender only halfway, leaving one corner of the lid open. Use a kitchen towel over the lid to catch any splashes while blending until smooth.

Earlier, SSP told how to make caramel apple pie.