Slow Cooker Homemade Applesauce (No Sugar) - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

How do you doctor up unsweetened applesauce? ›

Aside from that subtle hit of acidity, I also like to doctor my applesauce with a few simple aromatics. In this case, that means a cinnamon stick and a nice strip of orange peel, though a used vanilla bean that's given up most of its flavor is pleasant, too.

If you want to keep the fruit intact like in the case of canning peaches or poaching pears, you cook the fruit in a sugar syrup, which keeps the fruit from breaking down. When making applesauce, you add the sugar at the end so the apples break down quickly.

Don't be afraid to add spice—real spice—to your applesauce. Test kitchen assistant Brad Leone uses cayenne pepper and grated ginger, which both play well with cinnamon and nutmeg. Another way to add heat? Deputy editor Scott Desimon adds a splash of whiskey to wake it up.

Start by toasting a half-teaspoon of your favorite ground baking spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice) in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl to stop the cooking, then stir in a pinch or two of the spice into your applesauce, adding more to taste.

All fruits are nutrient dense and when consumed in small portions, can be part of a healthy eating plan for people with Diabetes. It is recommended to eat a variety of fruits. Consider using fresh fruit in season, frozen fruit like berries, pumpkin puree, or no sugar added applesauce to make muffins or pastries.

The secret to my dad's applesauce is that he adds a couple strips of lemon peel to the apples, as well as some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, while they are cooking. The tartness of the lemon or vinegar serves to intensify the taste of the apples, and helps balance out the sweetness of the sauce.

We only use two simple ingredients: apples and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

The only sugar in our No Sugar Added Applesauce comes from apples. We have 50% less sugar added than the other leading pouch, with 8g of sugar compared to their 13g.

Mix well, pop the lid on the pot, and bake at 350F for 1.5 hours. The apples begin to break down and more importantly, they release pectin. The pectin will help thicken the applesauce once it cools.

Why does applesauce turn pink? ›

Applesauce turns a beautiful pink color when lemon juice mixes with the red skin of an apple. Martha Stewart popularized a Pink Applesauce recipe, though there are many different ways to make this sweet treat.

For a basic applesauce, use McIntosh and Golden Delicious apples. Golden Delicious is a soft apple variety with a mellow flavor, so it cooks down easily and provides a great foundation for your applesauce. McIntosh apples are slightly tart and crisp, but soften easily, making them a stellar choice for pies and sauces.

The process calls for cooking quartered, unpeeled apples—cores, seeds and all—until they break down into a mush, then sieving that mush to obtain a purée—aka applesauce. And oh, what an applesauce it is. The pectin in the apple skin and seeds makes it thick and glistening even before any sweetener is added.

Some recipes for applesauce include a tablespoon of lemon juice for each quart of sauce to preserve the color and to increase acidity. The addition of ground spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg adds natural color that may mask some of the oxidation.

Due to the beneficial nutrients it provides, applesauce contributes to a healthy diet. It may also help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

The original, delicious treat, Mott's No Sugar Added Applesauce Apple is the perfect snack or meal companion. It's an excellent source of Vitamin C and free of cholesterol and sodium. Try a four-pack of clear pouches to share, or take a pouch on the go!

Applesauce is a 1:1 replacement for oil, so if your recipe calls for half a cup of oil, use half a cup of applesauce instead. If you find yourself in the middle of a recipe and out of oil, use applesauce instead! This trick works in cakes, muffins, cookies, brownies, and any kind of sweet baked good.

However, once you break the seal, you must refrigerate your applesauce immediately. It will last anywhere from 7-10 days, depending on the precautions you take to keep it fresh.