Slow cooker applesauce is the best argument for owning a slow cooker if you’ve never been convinced. You load it with three pounds of apples, pour over a mix of cider vinegar, honey, and warm spices, and then leave it alone for ten hours while the whole house fills with the smell of cinnamon and cooked apple. Your call. The vinegar might read as an odd addition but it sharpens the apple flavor and keeps the applesauce from tasting flat or overly sweet. An immersion blender at the end gives you full control over the texture, smooth or left slightly chunky depending on your preference. It freezes well and the batch is big enough to stock a few jars for the rest of fall.
How to Make Harvest Applesauce
Apple variety
Mix tart and sweet apples if you can. All-sweet apples like Fuji make applesauce that tastes one-dimensional, while a mix of Granny Smith with Honeycrisp or Gala gives you more complexity. Peel, core, and slice them evenly so they cook down at the same rate.
The slow cook
Ten hours on low is the target. Don’t try to shorten it on high, because the texture gets watery and the spices don’t meld the same way. By the end, the apples should be completely collapsed and very soft, and the liquid in the pot will have reduced considerably. 
Blending and storing
An immersion blender works best directly in the slow cooker. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust with a little more honey if needed. Pour into jars while warm and store in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze in portions for later in the season.
Harvest Applesauce
- Total Time: 620 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Description
A comforting, slow-cooked applesauce perfect for autumn. Sweet and spiced, its the ultimate fall side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1361 g) apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place apples in a medium slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Pour wet mixture over the apples and cook covered on low for about 10 hours.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the cooked apples until smooth.
Notes
- For a smoother applesauce, peel and core the apples meticulously; small pieces will blend better.
- To adjust sweetness, taste and add more honey or sugar as needed after the initial cooking time.
- Store leftover applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 600 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 1
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to cook this for the full 10 hours?
You can cook on high for about 4 to 5 hours instead. The apples are done when they’re completely soft and falling apart. Low and slow gives a slightly deeper, more concentrated flavor.
Can I skip the sugar and just use honey?
Yes. Increase the honey to 3 or 4 tablespoons total and taste after blending. The sweetness you need depends entirely on the apple varieties you use.
What’s the best way to store this applesauce?
Refrigerate in airtight jars for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze in freezer-safe containers with a half inch of headspace. It freezes well for up to three months.
