The easiest applesauce you'll ever make, prepared in the slow cooker and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutesmins
Cook Time 6 hourshrs
Process Time 20 minutesmins
Total Time 6 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Servings 5quarts
Calories 303
Author Annalise
Ingredients
6poundsapples, sliced into quarters (2.7 kg)
¾cupwater or apple juice(178 ml)
1teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground nutmeg
½teaspoonground 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.