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–+ ¼ cup servings (2 oz)
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5 from 19 votes

How to make unsweetened applesauce

All you need to make this delicious applesauce is 3 ingredients: apples, lemon, and pumpkin pie spice mix (or simply cinnamon).
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Basics & Preparations, Breakfast & Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: applesauce, chunky, pumpkin pie spice
Season: Fall Recipes, Winter Recipes, Year Round
Diet: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based
Method: Fermented, Pickled, Preserved, Meal-Prep, No bake, One-Pot, Steamed or Boiled
Ingredient Group: Fruit, Dried Fruit & Nuts, Spices
Servings: 4 ¼ cup servings (2 oz)
Calories: 87kcal
Author: Gustavo De Obaldia

Equipment

  • Wooden Spoon (affiliate link)
  • Ceramic medium saucepan (affiliate link)
  • measuring spoons (affiliate link)
  • Lemon press (affiliate link)

Ingredients

  • 3 small gala apples peeled, cored, and chopped in bite-size pieces (sweet apples work better, otherwise you may need to add a sweetener you can leave the peel on for more fiber and texture)
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix or ground cinamon, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice about half, lemon
  • 5 tablespoons water

Optional:

  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar for keeping fresh longer/tartness
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or another sweetener of choice
  • citrus zest such as tangerine or orange zest, a dash
  • minced ginger dash
Cups - Metric

Instructions

  • Peel and chop the apples with a potato peeler or small knife. Remove the core and chop them into small bits.
    3 small gala apples
  • Add chopped and peeled apples to a medium saucepan, pumpkin pie spice mix, lemon juice, and stir.
    3 small gala apples, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 5 tablespoons water
  • Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the apples are tender and slightly brown — they will take about 15-20 minutes. Watch closely and stir now and then to prevent sticking. Add apple cider vinegar if you plan to store it for more than 4 days.
    1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • Mash. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash. You can choose to blend with an immersion blender for a smoother texture – if you leave the apple skins on, I recommend using the blender once the applesauce has cooled down.
  • Adjust. Taste and adjust for sweetness and spice mix if needed.
    1 tablespoon maple syrup

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