This sugar-free applesauce recipe uses only four ingredients: apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, and water. It’s smooth and naturally sweet.
In this “how to” guide, you’ll learn what apples to use to make the best applesauce and three methods to make applesauce (stovetop, slow cooker, and instant pot).
When autumn hits, apples are abundant. Our family lives in the Midwest, surrounded by gorgeous apple orchards, and it is always one of my favorite annual traditions to take the kids apple picking.
I recently took the boys to a small apple orchard near our home. I thought it was a U-pick apple orchard, but they sell their apples from a stand. The owner of the orchard could see the disappointment on my kids’ faces when they learned they couldn’t pick the apples from the tree. Without hesitation, she told them she’d take them out to the orchard and show them around. With bags in hand, we all set out to explore the orchard.
We had great fun learning more about how the orchard came to be, the different types of apples they grew, and how to tell when an apple is ready to pick. She even showed the boys the best way to pick an apple: cupping it from the bottom, rolling it up towards the branch, and twisting it.
With a whole bushel of apples, my boys were excited to create delicious recipes.
Applesauce is one of my favorite recipes. With our bounty of apples, it’s a healthy snack, a family favorite, great for baking, and a delicious condiment, too.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Simple Sugar-Free Applesauce Recipe
- Ingredients For Make Sugar-Free Applesauce
- Tools and Equipment
- How to Make Sugar-Free Applesauce: Stovetop Method
- How to Make Sugar-Free Applesauce: Slow Cooker Method
- How to Make Sugar-Free Applesauce: Instant Pot Method
- FAQS
- Expert Tips
- Best Apples for Making Applesauce
- Storage
- Health Benefits of Sugar-Free Applesauce
- More Apple Recipes!
- Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Simple Sugar-Free Applesauce Recipe
Simple Ingredients: You only need four ingredients to prepare this applesauce, and three if you prefer your applesauce without cinnamon.
Naturally Sweet: Apples have a natural sweetness. There is no need for added sugar. Some apples are sweeter than others. Below I recommend which apples are best to use.
Healthy Snack: Applesauce makes a healthy snack for kids and adults. It’s low in calories, fat, and cholesterol-free.
Use In Baking: Applesauce is used as an oil substitute in baking recipes to reduce fat and calories. Use this recipe in your favorite baking recipes.
Three Easy Cooking Methods: Applesauce can be prepared on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the instant pot. Each method has its own benefits. Choose the option that is best for you using the tools you already have.
Smells and Tastes Like Autumn: Your house will be filled with the aroma of sweet apples and warm cinnamon spice!
Ingredients For Make Sugar-Free Applesauce
All you need to make sugar-free applesauce are four simple ingredients.
Apples: You can use just about any type of apples you choose. There are such a wide variety of apples, and each has a slightly different flavor profile and texture. When it comes to unsweetened applesauce, it is best to choose apples that have a higher sugar content. In fact, you can use different varieties of apples to create a unique flavor and texture that is both sweet and tart.
Water: Once the apples are peeled and cubed, you need to add a small amount of water. Don’t go overboard on the water, a little goes a long way because as the apples cook down they release their juices.
Cinnamon (optional): While you don’t need cinnamon, it complements the natural sweetness of the apples and enhances their flavor.
Lemon Juice: Adding a touch of lemon juice helps to balance the sweetness of the apples with its acidity, and also helps to keep the apples from browning, and preserves the sauce for longer.
Tools and Equipment
- Stovetop Method: Large Dutch Oven or Stock Pot
- Slow Cooker Method: Crockpot or Slow Cooker
- Instant Pot Method: Instant Pot or Instant Pot/Slow Cooker
- Apple Peeler and Corer: Helps to speed up the process of peeling and slicing your apples. It also comes in handy for making apple pie, apple crisp, bread, and many other apple recipes.
- Immersion Blender: Use if you’d like to make your applesauce smooth rather than chunky.
How to Make Sugar-Free Applesauce: Stovetop Method
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Step 1: Peel and core your apples. The apple peeler and corer will speed up the process, but you can also cut and core your apples using a pairing knife. Cut the apples into smaller chunks.
Step 2: Combine the apples with cinnamon in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Add ½ cup water. The stovetop method requires one more ingredient, the water, this will help the apples steam.
Step 3: Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes on low heat. The apples will be broken down, but they will still be a bit chunky.
Step 4: Remove from heat. For chunky applesauce, mash with a potato masher or fork. For smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender. Serve warm or cold.
How to Make Sugar-Free Applesauce: Slow Cooker Method
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Step 1: Peel and core your apples. Use an apple peeler and corer to speed up the process, or use a pairing knife. Chop into smaller chunks.
Step 2: Add apples to the slow cooker. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir to combine. Add ½ cup of water.
Step 3: Set your slow cooker to high, and cook for 4 hours or until apples break down.
Step 4: If your applesauce is chunkier than you like, mash it with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Serve warm or cold.
How to Make Sugar-Free Applesauce: Instant Pot Method
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Step 1: Peel and core your apples. To speed up the process, use an apple peeler and corer, or a pairing knife.
Step 2: Add cinnamon, lemon, and water to the instant pot. Stir to combine. Add apples. Stir to combine.
Step 3: Secure the lid on the instant pot. Cook on manual (high heat) for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Step 4: Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool. The applesauce will be chunky. Mash with a potato masher or an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Serve warm or cold.
FAQS
There are so many unique ways to use homemade applesauce. Here are a few of my favorites. As a simple snack, a savory side dish, on top of ice cream, stirred into your favorite baking recipes, added on top of pancakes, or in overnight oats. A simple homemade snack
Use a potato masher, fork, whisk, or immersion blender to achieve a smooth texture.
If you prefer your applesauce chunky, you won’t need to mash or blend it at the end of the cooking process.
Expert Tips
- Use a combination of sweet and tart apples.
- Don’t add too much water. You only need lemon juice when cooking applesauce in the slow cooker or instant pot. But when you cook it on the stovetop, you need a small amount of water to allow the apples to steam and soften.
- Adding cinnamon is optional. It will make your applesauce darker in color.
- Make sure to peel and core the apples. While the apple peels have many good nutrients, it is best to remove the peel to achieve a smooth consistency.
Best Apples for Making Applesauce
Depending on your taste preference different apples will bring a distinct flavor to your applesauce. Granny Smith apples are the way to go if you prefer a tart applesauce. If you choose a sweeter taste a golden delicious or gala apple would be a good choice. Below I’ve listed the various types of apples and their taste so that you can choose one that best suits your preference. Since this applesauce recipe is sugar-free, you might opt for a naturally sweeter-tasting apple.
I like using a half-and-half combination of Gala and Granny Smith apples.
- Jonagold: Sweet and slightly tart.
- Cameo: Juicy, crisp, sweet, slightly tart.
- Empire: Crisp and white center. Firm texture, good for baking.
- McIntosh: Soft, creamy, good for applesauce, but not for baking.
- Golden Delicious: It has a soft texture, a sweet flavor, bruises, and shrivels. It doesn’t store for long, so you need to eat and use it quickly.
- Fuji: Large, crisp, and sweet.
- Cortland: Creamy white center, sweet tart flavor.
- Red Delicious: Creamy white center, juicy and sweet. Best to eat raw.
- Gala: Mildly sweet, crisp texture.
- Granny Smith: Firm consistency, crisp, very tart taste.
- Braeburn: Firm crisp bite that nicely balances the sweet and tart flavors.
- Pink Lady: Crunchy texture, balance of tart and sweet.
Storage
Fridge: Homemade applesauce lasts for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: You can freeze homemade applesauce for up to 2 months. Store it in an airtight container. Allow a little room at the top of your container, as the applesauce will expand when frozen.
Canned: When canned, applesauce can last for up to one year.
Health Benefits of Sugar-Free Applesauce
Apples have numerous health benefits, which means sugar-free applesauce is also a healthy snack. Most of an apple’s fiber is found in the peel. When you peel apples for applesauce, you lose much of the natural fiber in apples, but that doesn’t mean that applesauce isn’t a healthy snack.
Here are a few surprising health benefits of apples. All information was drawn from Healthline: Benefits of Apples.
- Aids Digestion: Apples have a high concentration of pectin which helps remove waste from the body.
- Probiotics: Applesauce helps promote the growth of probiotics. Probiotics help to balance the gut flora, and with much of the immune system in our digestive tract, it’s important to keep things balanced. Just one more reason why it’s a good idea to eat applesauce when you have tummy troubles.
- Low in Fat and Calories: Applesauce is a naturally low-fat and low-calorie food, yet it’s still a filling snack. Most calories in applesauce come from added sugar. You avoid the extra calories with this no-sugar-added applesauce.
- Fiber: While most of the fiber in apples comes from the peel, applesauce still contains fiber in the form of pectin. Fiber helps you feel fuller for longer.
- Vitamin C: Applesauce contains up to 80% of your daily recommended vitamin C.
More Apple Recipes!
Recipe
Sugar Free Applesauce
Ingredients
- 8 apples peeled and cored I like to use a combination of Granny Smith and Gala apples.
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Peel and core your apples. The apple peeler and corer will speed up the process, but you can also cut and core your apples using a pairing knife. Cut the apples into smaller chunks.
- Combine the apples with cinnamon in a stockpot or dutch oven. Add ½ cup water.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes on low heat. Apples will be broken down but still a bit chunky.
- Remove from heat. Add lemon juice. For chunky applesauce mash with a potato masher or fork. For smooth applesauce use an immersion blender. Serve warm or cold.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Peel and core your apples. Use an apple peeler and corer to speed up the process or use a pairing knife. Chop into smaller chunks.
- Add apples to slow cooker. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir to combine. Add ½ cup of water.
- Set your slow cooker to high, and cook for 4 hours or until apples break down. Add lemon juice.
- If your applesauce is chunkier than you like mash it with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Serve warm or cold.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Peel and core your apples. Use an apple peeler and corer to speed up the process or use a pairing knife.
- Add cinnamon, lemon, and water to the instant pot. Stir to combine. Add apples. Stir to combine.
- Secure lid on the instant pot. Cook on manual (high heat) for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool. Add lemon juice. Stir to combine. Applesauce will be chunky. Mash with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Makes about 6 cups of applesauce.
- Serving size is ½ cup of applesauce.
Kayla
As with anything homemade, this was incredible and I won’t be able to go back to store bought. The texture alone makes it worth it. Thanks 🙂
Alison Corey
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
John
Hello Allison,
This looks like such an amazing recipe and I cannot wait to try it out. My issue is my family went apple picking and we have a good deal of apples and no two are the same size. Is there a good rule of thumb for a weight of apples to use for this recipe? I intend on making a huge batch and canning/freezing the extra. Thank you!
Alison Corey
8 medium apples weigh about 3 pounds. If you’re making a large batch I would follow the ingredients per 3 pounds of apples, so increase the amount of water, cinnamon, and lemon juice depending on how many pounds of apples you prepare. Hope that helps!
Debbie
Would 3 pounds of apples be weighed whole or after they are chopped?
Alison Corey
3 pounds whole
Mary A. Root
This recipe is perfect! Instead of water, I added some local apple cider, but that’s all. Such a great snack and dessert!! Thank you 😊
Alecea Petersen
How would you recommend storing? can this be frozen?
Alison Corey
You can store the applesauce for up to 7 days in the refrigerated in an airtight container. Of you can transfer it to a freezer safe airtight container and store it for up to 3 months.
Lesa Gonzalez
LAZY VERSION
I had a ton of red delicious apples and it’s only me. I only removed the stem and blooms from the bottom and threw them in my instapot until it was full. Sprinkled cinnamon. Put small amount of coconut water in bottom. Cooked on high 5 minutes. Put in food processor along with frozen blueberries. I’d never used food processor before and over processed but it is still a great snack for a diabetic! Froze 1/2 cup servings in snack size ziplocks then put them in a big freezer ziplock. 18 bags!
If I want it sweeter, I use monk fruit with erythritol. Tastes just like sugar.
Catherine Moore
Can the fiber content be increased by leaving the skin on the apples? Especially if the sauce will be blended at the end to remove any lumps? Or does it change the whole texture of the sauce?
Alison Corey
Yes, the fiber content would increase by keeping the peel on the apples. I have not tried doing this myself, so I’m not sure how it would change the texture. If you’d like to add more fiber to your applesauce, I suggest sprinkling your serving with chia seeds or flax seeds.
Uncle Zee
we make applesauce several times a year ……we have lots of kids in our world……we have done taste tests against store bought and sugar added homemade…………..this recipe always WINS….
only things we have changed is we use cinnamon sticks and lemon zests (1/2 a lemon at the beginning) . Even without the changes this is THE BEST APPLESAUCE EVER…..
Alison Corey
Thank you for the glowing review! We love this applesauce too! So simple, yet so delicious!
Alyson Sadeghi
Such a simple recipe but absolutely delicious. This batch is going into my sugar free/oil free banana cake.
Laurie
What’s the serving size? I’m making this for 2 people so I’m not really sure if I should cut the recipe in half.
Alison Corey
The serving size is 6. This will last for a few days in the fridge, so you can always make more and have some leftovers!
K.Heise
In your Instantpot directions, you have add the lemon juice twice. Is this a typo?
Instant Pot Instructions
Peel and core your apples. Use an apple peeler and corer to speed up the process or use a pairing knife.
Add cinnamon, lemon, and water to the instant pot. Stir to combine. Add apples. Stir to combine.
Secure lid on the instant pot. Cook on manual (high heat) for 8 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool. Add lemon juice. Stir to combine. Applesauce will be chunky. Mash with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Serve warm or cold.
Unfortunately, I didn’t look at the other methods and added it before cooking.
Alison Corey
Hello! You are correct. That is a typo. I apologize for the mistake. I’ve gone ahead and fixed it so this doesn’t happen to another reader. It shouldn’t make a big difference if you add the lemon juice before or after the cooking process, so I hope it still turned out delicious!
Cyndi
For the stovetop method, do you use an additional 1/2 cup water – I’m a bit confused as the directions say the stovetop method requires an additional ingredient.
Thanks,
Alison Corey
Hi Cyndi! Sorry for the confusion! There is no extra water needed for the stovetop method to make applesauce.
Anonymous
I must have missed when to add the lemon juice… Can’t seem to find instructions on that.
Alison Corey
Add the lemon juice as the last step after you mash the apples.
Andrea Metlika
I’ve never had applesauce like this before but it sounds amazing. I’m definitely going to make this.
Annissa
I grew up with apple trees in our back yard. Every fall my mom would make huge batches of applesauce. She always put tons of sugar in hers though. I love that your version is sugar free.
Heidy L. McCallum
This was a wonderful recipe and turned out perfect. I could not be happier with the results and taste.
Toni
I love these! All these methods are so easy to make!
Ashley
I love apple sauce!! Right out of the pot! 😉
Andrea
There’s so much great information here! I’d love to try this with Fuji apples.
Anita
Homemade applesauce is the best! I love it that this is sugar free, but still tastes really good. Definitely much better and healthier than store-bought.
Sapana
Can’t wait to make some apple sauce in my Instant Pot this weekend!