Crockpot Applesauce

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Crockpot Applesauce is an easy homemade applesauce recipe made in the slow cooker! Perfectly sweet and spiced with cinnamon you get to decide how chunky you want this applesauce – it’s the best fall treat!

Apple picking is our favorite fall thing to do in fall. We usually do it in early October because by then it’s not so darn hot at the apple orchard. Each year I wonder how the apple crop will be (sometimes it’s nonexistent) and I have too much fun picking buckets of apples. When we get home I start brainstorming all the apple recipes I’m going to make like apple pie, apple crumb bars, and apple dumplings – and of course this easy applesauce recipe.

Crockpot applesauce is easy and a great way to use up extra apples – even with peels. You get to choose the texture (smooth or chunky); Kids LOVE homemade applesauce, and it’s only a few ingredients!

apples, sugar, vanilla, water, and cinnamon on counter

Ingredients Needed

Apples: The best apples for applesauce are the ones you like.You can use any of the apple varieties you like or a combination: Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, etc. If you use Granny Smith apples you might need to add a touch more sugar.
Water
Cinnamon: You could also add a pinch of nutmeg and cloves or use apple pie spice or even pumpkin pie spice.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is what I use but you can also use brown sugar.

Do you have to peel apples for applesauce?

No, you don’t! Peel them or not, your choice. Once you blend them up you won’t know if there are peels inside!

If you don’t peel your apples be sure to blend the applesauce to a thinner consistency.
If you want a chunkier applesauce I recommend peeling the apples.
If you don’t have an apple peeler tool, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel them.

How to make Slow Cooker Applesauce

Peel (if you want), core and slice the apples.
Place apples in a crock pot. Mix water, cinnamon, and sugar in a measuring cup and pour over apples.
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until the apples are translucent. Mash or blend to desired consistency.

How to Blend Applesauce

There are a few ways to turn your cooked apples into apple sauce:

Potato Masher: Just mash until you have the thickness you want. This is the best option if you like a chunkier applesauce.
Immersion Blender: This is my favorite way to blend it. An immersion blender blends the apple sauce right in the crock pot.
Blender or food processor: If you don’t have a hand blender, transfer the apples to a regular blender or large food processor and pulse until you get the consistency you like. Be sure to leave the lid cracked on the blender so it doesn’t explode.

crockpot applesauce in a white bowl on a silver spoon.

Expert Tips

You can make applesauce on the stovetop but the slow cooker is easier. If you don’t want to babysit your applesauce while you’re cooking it, then do it in the crockpot!
A Blender will make a smoother applesauce, potato masher will be chunkier.
It’s delicious served plain in a bowl, over yogurt, on pork roast, or over vanilla ice cream!

Storage & Freezing

Let the applesauce cool completely, then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a few days. You can also freeze in single serve mason jars or in a large freezer-safe container.

FAQs

How do you thicken applesauce that’s too watery?

If you’ve added too much water, you can cook it with a cornstarch slurry. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to a bowl with a bit of cold water; stir. Add to the applesauce and cook over low heat, stirring, until it thickens.

How long do you cook applesauce in the crockpot?

It will take 6-8 hours on low or 2-4 hours on high. Cook until the apples are translucent and fork tender, like when you’re making mashed potatoes.

Can I omit the sugar or use sugar substitute?

If you want to make a no sugar applesauce, simply omit the sugar. You can substitute honey or even a sugar substitute, like stevia or Swerve.

What do I do if my applesauce is too sweet?

If you added too much sugar, or maybe your apples were extra sweet, just add a teaspoon of lemon juice or pinch of salt. It will help temper the sweetness.