Spiced Applesauce
With this homemade applesauce recipe you're in charge of what goes into the often-purchased ingredient. If you've got a bounty of fresh or frozen berries, try the very berry applesauce variation.
Ingredients
Directions
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In an 8- to 10-qt. heavy pot or Dutch oven combine apples, water, the lemon juice, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until apples are very tender, stirring often. Discard stick cinnamon.
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Press apples through a food mill or sieve. Return pulp to pot; discard skins. Stir in sugar to taste. If necessary, add 1/2 to 1 cup water to reach desired consistency. Bring to boiling, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
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Place pot of applesauce in a sink filled with ice water; stir to cool. Ladle into clean wide-mouth pint or quart freezer containers, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and label. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 8 months. Makes 6 pints or 3 quarts.
Very Berry Applesauce
Prepare as directed, except replace 1 lb. (4 cups) apples with 1 lb. (4 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries and/or strawberries and decrease water to 1 1/2 cups in Step 1. Freeze or can as directed.
Water-Bath Canning
Prepare as directed through Step 2. Ladle hot applesauce into hot, sterilized pint or quart canning jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth; adjust lids and screw bands. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner, starting timing when water returns to boiling. Process applesauce 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts. Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.
