This easy chunky cinnamon applesauce is the perfect way to use up your apples! This homemade applesauce is quick to make and uses just 4 ingredients!
Do you ever have these flashbacks to childhood where you can distinctly smell something your parents used to make? It doesn't happen to me all the time, but when I was making this recipe it hit me like a ton of bricks!
We grew up in a small town in Vermont surrounded by apple orchards. We didn't actually live on an apple orchard, but they were all over town, so every fall we would go apple picking.
And every fall my parents would make their Homemade Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce. And we eat it warm out of the pot, use it on our oatmeal, have it as an afterschool snack. It was the BEST! So today we're going to make it.
How to Make Applesauce at Home
Making applesauce at home is super simple. It doesn't involve anything more than peeling, chopping and waiting. It's one of those “great investments of time” recipe because the reward to effort ratio is super low. It's quick and the reward is oh so tasty!
Here's how to make chunky applesauce at home:
- peel & chop your apples
- add them to a pot with a splash of water
- let them cook down until they're soft
- mash slightly with a fork
You can stir in your spices too if you want to jazz it up! Which is precisely what we're doing to make our chunky cinnamon applesauce ????
Chunky vs. Smooth Applesauce
Now the real debate out there is whether we keep it chunky or make it smooth. For me personally, homemade applesauce needs to be chunky. I want it to be something that has some substance. Something that I can chew a little bit. Something that has chunks of fruit that burst with sweetness in my mouth.
But I know there are others who want it smooth.
If smooth applesauce is your thing, that's a-okay too! All you have to do is transfer your cooked applesauce into a food processor and blend it up until it's smooth. Still easy-peasy, but more dishes so… #chunkyforlife
Easiest Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce
Have I mentioned yet that this recipe is easy? I want to stress just one more time how simple it is to make. Because sometimes I think we can feel like these staples that we might get at the store are easier just to buy. Applesauce though? Sooo much better if you make it at home. The apples are fresher, the taste will be better, it'll naturally be sweeter and it's just so darn good.
And even better if you spice it up!
I wanted to create a chunky cinnamon applesauce with just a little hint of something different, so in addition to the cinnamon, I also added in some nutmeg. Nutmeg is one of those spices that a little goes a long way, but it really kicks the flavor up a notch. But I'll let you choose with this one. Leave it in, take it out, up to you!
What I know for sure is this: homemade applesauce is the best and it's definitely going to be something I'll be making for years to come (especially with my future kiddos).
Love Apples? Try These Healthy Apple Recipes!
- Healthy Apple Crumble Bars
- Grain-Free Apple Crisp
- Apple Cinnamon Vegan French Toast Muffins
- Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Quinoa
- Healthy Apple Pie Breakfast Parfaits
- Apple Pie Overnight Quinoa
- Apple Pie Quinoa Breakfast Bars
Homemade Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce
Ingredients
- 4 organic apples , peeled & chopped
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 - 4 tbsp water (depending on your apple type)
Instructions
- Add the chopped apples to a small saucepan. Turn to medium, add a splash of water, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir and add the spices. Recover and cook another 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid again, stir and use a wooden spoon to smash up the apples until you get the chunky texture you’re looking for. Add water if needed and cook another 5 minutes.
- Allow applesauce to cool completely before storing it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
