I’ve been looking to try and make applesauce for a good while now, and the beginning of October seemed like the perfect time! There’s a chill picking up outside, the leaves on campus are turning fall colors (also mostly just staying green) and Starbucks has its fall menu back up! This is the time to lay in bed and watch your class from the safety of Zoom so that you can eat warm, cinnamon-y applesauce. Maybe with some baked oats on top.
This recipe makes approximately 2 kilograms of applesauce. You can scale up each of the mix-in recipes if you want to make a larger portion of the applesauce with that recipe (each is approximately ¼ of the total). This recipe is crazy easy, and the base applesauce is sweet and delicious on its own. Ideally, applesauce is made from a combination of different types of apples, but make it with what you have or whatever kinds of apples you like! The proportions are also up to you!
Alice Bilyk // Daily Nexus
Ingredients:
Base Applesauce
- 5 to 6 pounds apples (Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cameo apples)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Juice from half a lemon
Classic Spices
- 500 grams applesauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon brown coconut sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
Alice Bilyk // Daily Nexus
Banana-Vanilla
- 500 grams applesauce
- 1 banana (mashed)
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkle of sugar (optional)
Alice Bilyk // Daily Nexus
Orange and Lemon Zest
- 500 grams applesauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon brown coconut sugar
- Zest from half a small orange
- Zest from half a lemon
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dash of orange juice (optional)
Alice Bilyk // Daily Nexus
Creamy Spice Mix
- 500 grams applesauce
- 4 teaspoons coconut creamer
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
Alice Bilyk // Daily Nexus
Directions:
- Peel, core and slice apples into small chunks and add to a large pot.
- Add in the water, lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer covered for 20 to 30 minutes until the apples are soft.
- Puree using a blender or immersion blender for a smooth consistency. For a chunkier applesauce, mash with a spoon to desired consistency.
- Add in preferred mix-ins (optional).
Enjoy this warm and with some baked oats or granola! You can add whatever toppings you enjoy, like toasted nuts and coconut, or eat it plain. You can freeze any leftover applesauce once it cools down, or jar it and keep it in the fridge. Happy fall!
A version of this article was featured in the October 7, 2021 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
