Natural and Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce

This is the absolute easiest from scratch applesauce recipe to make! It only has one ingredient--apples! This recipe has no sugar added, no juice added, no spices, and you don't even have to peel the apples. Use any apple you love for this delicious naturally sweetened snack.

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This no peel, natural and homemade unsweetened applesauce is hardly a recipe at all. To make it, all you need is one ingredient--fresh apples!

If you know me, then you know that September 1st brings on all things fall at my house

I've got pumpkins coming out of every nook and crany. Tiny forest animal decor on everything. Wreaths with tiny pumpkins and fall leaves all over my doors. Mums for days.

But with all the fun fall decorating comes my most favorite fall tradition of all:

APPLE PICKING!!!

Woot! I look forward to it every year. And every year I manage to pick like 6,389 pounds of apples, even though there's only three of us in the house.

So we make applesauce!

Applesauce is a great way to cook up a bunch of apples. And not only is it delicious and nutritious, but it's so versatile!

You can eat it straight up, stir it into baked goods, add it to sauces, smoothies, or whatever you'd like!

This applesauce is so great because all has in it is apples! No sugar, no cinnamon, just straight natural sweetness and flavor from the apple.

Another thing I love about this recipe is I don't even have to peel the apples! That's right, NO PEEL APPLESAUCE.

How you may ask? With the use of a food mill!

All you have to do is cook your apples down until they're tender and grind them through the mill. All the peels stay neatly behind!

Easy peasy.

But if you don't have a food mill, don't sweat it. I have instructions below for a non-food mill process.

Once you see how easy and minimal it is to make applesauce from scratch, you'll never buy the store bought stuff again! Let's get into it:

How to make natural and homemade unsweetened applesauce

Makes 2 Cups

What you'll need:

• 6 medium to large sized apples-use whatever kind you love to eat the most, or whatever's ripe at the local orchard.
• 2 tablespoons of water
• A food mill

How to make the applesauce

Slice your apples into wedges. You can use an apple corer/slicer if you have one, or I just slice mine about ½" thick with a kitchen knife.

In a medium sauce pan, add your water and the sliced unpeeled apples.

Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until you hear the water come up to a simmer.

Reduce heat to medium low, leave covered and continue cooking for about 45 minutes, or until the apples have gotten very tender.

You can test for doneness by piercing the apples with a knife. There should be no resistance.

Remove the pot from the heat.

Set a food mill fitted with the medium grinding disc, over a bowl.

Transfer the hot apples to your food mill and grind the apples by turning the handle clockwise. Every once and a while turn the handle counterclockwise to clean the grinding blade and disc.

Keep grinding until all the apples have been processed through the disc into the bowl below, and just the peels remain in the mill.

Give a scrape to the bottom of the food mill with a rubber spatula to get any applesauce stuck on the bottom of the mill.

Give the sauce a quick stir and it's ready to eat!

What if I don't have a food mill?

That's totally fine! Peel your apples before cooking and either use a potato masher, hand mixer, or immersion blender to smooth out the apples once they're cooked.

But I will tell you, a food mill is great! It has so many other uses besides making perfect applesauce!

If you have tomatoes in your garden, you can make homemade tomato sauce without having to peel them!

Just roast the tomatoes until their soft, throw them in the food mill, and voila! No peel tomato sauce!

You can also use the food mill to make mashed potatoes or root vegetable purees, soups, sauces, etc...

AND If you love German cuisine, food mills are a perfect way to make spaetzle.

The food mill is a real multitasker! I love them!

Which apples should I use for my Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce recipe?

Use your absolute favorite eating apples! If it's a variety you love to eat, then it'll be perfect in applesauce.

When I was testing this recipe, I used a combo of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp. I love Honey Crisps because they're not mealy like some apples and they are just so sweet and delicious! Granny Smiths are fabulous because they lend a great tart flavor to the sauce.

But I've definitely used all McIntosh before. I've done a McIntosh-Cortland combo. Gala Apples and Granny Smiths are really great together too.

It really just boils down to what you have on hand, what varieties you love to eat, and what's in season right now.

Storing your Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce

Once the applesauce has gone through the food mill, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep for a week.

You can freeze applesauce! Just let it thaw in the fridge and give it a quick stir before using.

Is applesauce healthy?

I'm not a doctor, but it's no secret that apples are good for you!

And because this applesauce is free of any added sugars, fats, and any other additives, it makes the perfect healthy snack or breakfast! It's also a really easy way to get in a big serving of fruit!

With that being said, apples are fruit and do contain natural sugar, so it's important to consume in moderation--like with most things.

One of the great things about apples is that they're high in water and fiber, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer.

Apples also help to promote good gut health since they contain pectin, which is a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic.

Some studies have linked apples to lowering blood pressure and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

These are just some of the benefits of eating more apples. I read a lot of great info from this article if you care to learn more!

What do you eat applesauce with?

This is my favorite subject to talk about--when it comes to talking applesauce.

This applesauce recipe can be used for a variety of things.

Here are some great ways to enjoy your applesauce:

I could go on and on, but applesauce is a great way to stretch a recipe, make it a little healthier, or add a touch of sweetness!

Other Recipes You May Like:

Fluffy Applesauce Pancakes Without Milk

Light and Fluffy Applesauce Donut Muffins

Blueberry Lemon Chia Pudding

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

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