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Home » Fall » Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce

Published: Sep 28, 2021 · Modified: Nov 2, 2022 by Veronica T

Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce

Some apples are perfect and need no extra flavor - consider saving those for fresh eating or pies. But when you inevitably end up with apples that are a little bland or their texture isn't great - give them a second chance in applesauce with brown sugar.

Jump to:
  • Recipe
  • Best apples for applesauce
  • Using the peels
  • Canning applesauce
  • Recipe
  • Other applesauce recipes
  • More apple recipes & resources

Recipe

Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce

Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce

Veronica T
Print Pin it Rate
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Calories71
Servings6 cups
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Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs apples, unpeeled, cut into 1 inch pieces about 8 medium apples, see note
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoon brown sugar if needed
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Cut the apples into 1" pieces, discarding the cores. Leave the skin on.
  • Add apples, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt to pot. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and stir occasionally. Cook for 15-20 minutes until apples are soft. Overcooking the apples can reduce their flavor.
  • Once soft, remove from heat and mash. For a smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender or food mill.
  • Taste. Add half of the brown sugar (1.5 Tbsp) and half of the lemon juice (1 Tbsp). Stir and taste again. Add remaining brown sugar and/or lemon juice as needed.
  • Store in the fridge for up to two months or process for canning (see note)

Notes

Best types of apples to use: nearly any apple will work, from sweet to tart, or firm to soft. The better the flavor when raw, the better the flavor the apple sauce will have. However, this recipe is able to help breath life into bland apples.
Canning: According to America's Test Kitchen Foolproof Canning, no added acid is needed for safe canning. So even if you leave the lemon juice out, it will be safe to can thanks to the high acid levels of apples.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
71
% Daily Value*
Sodium
 
26
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
128
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
 
19
g
6
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
15
g
17
%
Protein
 
0.5
g
1
%
Vitamin A
 
61
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
 
11
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Best apples for applesauce

Any kind of apple works when you're adding a little extra flavor. But if you're purposefully choosing the best kinds specifically for applesauce, here are the ones that stand out:

Cortland apple
Cortland
Sweet-tart balance with slight cider flavor and bright white flesh that's slow to brown
Fuji apple
Fuji
Sweetest apple, quick to brown, long shelf life
Types of apples: Golden Delicious
Golden Delicious
Lightly sweet, buttery, classic apple flavor
Granny smith tart apple
Granny Smith
Extremely tart apple. Adds tart flavors to baked goods, but not much sweetness or other apple flavor. One-dimensional.
Jonathan apple
Jonathan
Tart and slightly sweet, great flavor, long shelf life
A McIntosh apple, great for applesauce
McIntosh
Mild sweet-tart cider flavor. Soft flesh breaks down easily when cooked, making it great for applesauce & apple butter.

Using the peels

The peels actually add a lot of flavor, you can choose to keep them in at the end or not.

  • To keep the peels in, and retain their extra fiber, process the applesauce with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth.
  • To remove the peels, run the applesauce through a food mill, which will capture the peels.

The only apple I've ever run into with a bad tasting peel is Red Delicious. They are slightly bitter and tannic.

Canning applesauce

Applesauce doesn't need added lemon juice (acid) for safe canning because apples are acidic enough on their own. Added sugar also isn't necessary for safe canning. See a list of approved liquids and sugars for canning apple butter, which also applies to apple sauce.

Recipe

Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce

How to can applesauce

Veronica T
Print Pin it Rate
Calories
Servings3 pint jars
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Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil and prepare canning jars.
  • Fill warmed jars with hot apple sauce, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles by running a wooden skewer or butter knife around the inside. Wipe rim clean. Place lid on jar and finger-tighten the band (it needs to be tight enough that it keeps the lid on, but not so tight that air can't escape).
  • Process jars in the hot water bath for 20 minutes, adjusting up for altitude (25 minutes for 1,000-3,000 feet, 30 minutes for 3,000-6,000 feet, and 35 minutes up to 8,000 feet).
  • Remove jars from pot and let cool for 24 hours. Check to make sure each jar is sealed. Store for up to 1 year.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Other applesauce recipes

  • Food in Jars adds optional star anise for a licorice flavor
  • Cookie + Kate sweetens her applesauce with maple syrup
  • Two Peas & Their Pod make applesauce with an Instant Pot
  • America's Test Kitchen Foolproof preserving cookbook:
    • 5 lbs apples, unpeeled
    • ½ cup sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 4 cups water
    • 2 cinnamon sticks (removed at the end)
  • The all-new Ball book of canning and preserving:
    • 6 lbs apples, peeled
    • ⅔ cup sugar
    • ⅓ cup water
    • ½ cup bottled lemon juice

More apple recipes & resources

how to make apple butter
How to make apple butter
Types of apples
Types of apples: flavor & cooking notes
September seasonal fruit recipes: wine and grapes
Cooking with fruit in season: September edition
November seasonal fruit recipes
Cooking with fruit in season: November edition
Roasted chicken and apples
Cooking with seasonal fruit: October edition
Apples, how to choose and store
Apples: everything you need to know

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I do a lot of research about produce to figure out why some fruits & veggies taste good and others bland. I also dig into the science of why some recipes work and others don't. No question goes unanswered, and I'm here to share the results with you.

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