Simple Homemade Applesauce Recipes

An apple is one of the most nutritious fruits to include in a diet. It possesses high antioxidant properties, is loaded with fiber, averts many kinds of cancer, helps us keep our hearts healthy, and also reduces the risk of developing diabetes. Applesauce, also called apple purée, is made using baked or cooked apples. It's used as a side dish for a variety of main courses like pork chops, barbecue chicken, etc. It can also be used as a dip.

In some dishes, using applesauce instead of butter or oil is a great way of cutting calories in your diet. The advantage of consuming a home-cooked apple purée is that you won't need to worry about preservatives and flavor enhancers found in commercial ones. Hence, it is also a healthier alternative for weaning babies.

• 10-13 cooking apples
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8 oz. water
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 medium-sized cinnamon stick
• ½ teaspoon salt

Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Place the apples in a large stock pot. Add the water, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, white sugar, and salt, to them. Cook these on a medium flame till they turn soft; stir in between. Transfer the apples to a food processor and blend till it turns into a purée. Mix the white and brown sugar with it. You can serve the sauce when it is warm or after refrigerating it for a few hours.

• 5-10 cooking apples
• 1 cup water

Peel the apples, cut them into wedges, and place them in a baking dish in a single layer. Close the mouth of the dish with an aluminum foil after pouring the water into it. Place it in the oven and bake the apples for 20 minutes at 350 °F. After it's done, either mash them with a potato masher or purée it in a blender. You can also add your choice of cereal to this applesauce.

• 10 cooking apples
• 4-8 oz. sugar
• 4 oz. water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Peel the apples after washing them, thoroughly. Cut these into chunks and place them in a Crock-Pot. Fill ¾ of the pot with the water, after adding the sugar and cinnamon, before sealing it. Cook the apples for 8-10 hours on a low flame, or for 3-4 hours on a high one. Once they are entirely cooked, you can either mash them or make a smooth purée using a blender.

Applesauce can be preserved for a long time in the refrigerator. Use clean, airtight containers like, jars, cans, etc., for this purpose.