Slow Cooker Spiced Applesauce
Homemade applesauce made easy in your slow cooker!
Homemade applesauce is currently my favorite thing about this fall. I’ve made it before, though perhaps it was with a different recipe, because this time around the process is blowing me away. It couldn’t be more simple, and the results are incredible.
It starts with a bunch of apples I picked up from the farmer’s market. I sliced them up, put them in my slow cooker on low, and then forgot about them! That’s one the best things about slow cookers, they do all the work and hours later you get to reap the benefits.
About 8 hours later I pureed the tender apples, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, in a food processor and passed it through a mesh strainer to remove the skins and seeds. (A food mill works great too, I just don’t have one.)
I’ve since made another batch without any spices and both are equally amazing. No sugar, no other ingredients. Just fresh, local, in-season apples!
Slow Cooker Spiced Applesauce
Ingredients
- 6 pounds apples , sliced into quarters (2.7 kg)
- ¾ cup water or apple juice (178 ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Place the quartered apples and water/apple juice in a large slow cooker (16 quart or more). Cover and cook on "low" for 6-8 hours, stirring every hour or so. As the apples cook down they will shrink.
- During the last few hours of cooking, stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. When the apples are fully cooked, pass the mixture through a food mill to remove skins and seeds. Alternately, you can puree it in a food processor and pass it through a mesh strainer.
- Ladle the applesauce into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Cover with lids and screw on bands. Process in a waterbath for 15 minutes (pints) or 20 minutes (quarts).
- Let cool completely and make sure the jars are sealed before storing in a cool dark place, like a pantry.
Notes
NOTES
- If you'd rather a plain applesauce, feel free to omit the spices.
- If you don't want to process the applesauce, simply store it in the fridge and consume within a few weeks.
- If you have a small slow cooker, you can still make this recipe! Simply halve or quarter this recipe, as desired.
I love Crock Pot oatmeal!
I’m going apple picking tomorrow– can’t wait to make my own apple sauce!
I use it most often to cook dry beans to freeze for later. But I love making apple cider in it at holiday time. The house smells so wonderful!
In my Slow Cooker, I love to make everything stew with all the left over, almost too old to eat fresh, veggies. Black beans are definitely a staple that I leave in the slow cooker all day. Kahlua pork! Yum
I like to make ranch chicken tacos
This is great! I was just thinking about trying to make my own applesauce not even two days ago. Thank you for reading my mind! hehe
I love to cook Main Dishes in my crockpot. The idea of coming home, and dinner being ready, makes me smile!
I love to mull spiced wine in the crockpot
Oooh I love to do that too!
I usually make stews in my slow cooker or pulled pork but I LOVE that you made applesauce! how brilliant!! and I bet your kitchen smelled amazing! Love this!
I love making potato soup, all varieties. Chicken pot pie soup is fun too.
Pulled meat (beef, pork or chicken) to use for BBQ sandwiches, tacos, soups, etc. So versatile and I love that I can drop it in the crockpot and come home to throw it in whatever for dinner.
Lasagna
My favorite thing to make in a slow cooker would be…. probably a roast and potatoes. yum!
Veggie and beef stew.
My kids love applesauce, so I can’t wait to try this recipe!