Our Pumpkin Spice Applesauce combines the two best flavors of fall in one easy and delicious dish! Only 5 simple ingredients and 30 minutes to cook. Put them on top of pancakes or waffles , or add them to your morning oatmeal.
This recipe was originally published on October 1, 2014 and updated on August 12, 2019.
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HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE APPLESAUCE RECIPE
If you’re anything like us, it’s next to impossible to choose between apples and pumpkins in the fall.
We love both, and frankly, we think that the apple is overshadowed by the pumpkin.
It’s understandable, because apples are available throughout the year, and you’d be hard pressed to find a fresh pumpkin other than September through November.
However, autumn is when apples shine in all their glory. They never taste as good at any other time of the year.
To celebrate our two favorite fall foods, we’ve married homemade apple sauce with warm pumpkin spices.
The result is purely divine.
And, if you prefer homemade unsweetened applesauce, we’ve got you.
HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE WITH NO ADDED SUGAR
Apples are sweet enough on their own, so why do we add sugar to make them sweeter?
The only time we do add sugar is if we cooked up a bland batch of apples and it requires a little extra something.
When that happens, we like to add a little coconut sugar or brown sugar, and we’ll include that in the recipe.
For now, let’s just talk about letting the fruit sweeten this recipe.
THE BEST APPLES FOR APPLESAUCE
Get ready to have your mind blown!
For the best pumpkin spice applesauce, you should use a blend of apples.
Crazy, right?!
Here’s what we think works best:
- Honeycrisp apples are sweet. They add the perfect amount of sugar to applesauce.
- Granny Smith apples are tart and tangy. This balances the sweetness and makes the applesauce interesting.
- Fuji apples are sweet and juicy. They have a different flavor than Honeycrisp, and the two marry perfectly to make a great tasting applesauce.
Now, if you have a big batch of one type of apple, that’s okay. Go ahead and use them.
We suggest tasting the apples once they’ve softened, and if you feel that they need a little sugar, go ahead and slowly add it, tasting and adjusting until you’ve got it just right.
HOMEMADE CHUNKY OR SMOOTH APPLESAUCE?
That’s totally up to you.
We love chunky applesauce, however, when we’re using it to bake, we only use smooth applesauce.
If you want a smooth applesauce, use an immersion blender of put the applesauce in a stand blender and blend until it’s as smooth as you want it to be.
WHEN TO USE CHUNKY APPLESAUCE IN RECIPES
Chunky applesauce is perfect to serve over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal.
Smooth applesauce is great stirred into breakfast grains, or to substitute as an egg replacer in baked goods.
RECIPES THAT USE APPLESAUCE
We used it as an egg substitute in our Vegan Hazelnut Carrot Cake recipe.
You could spread it over toasted bread to make a dessert bruschetta, like our Apple Cinnamon Dessert Bruschetta.
Put it in our Frosted Apple Oat Cookies!
INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE APPLE SAUCE
- 6 large apples – for the best tasting applesauce, use a variety of apples.
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 tsp cinnamon – feel free to add more if you love cinnamon.
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
HOW TO SLICE AN APPLE FOR APPLE SAUCE OR APPLE PIE
- Peel the apple and cut in half.
- Remove the core of the apple.
- Put half of the apple down on a cutting board and slice evenly and then slice the other half.
HOW DO YOU MAKE HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE WITH PUMPKIN SPICES?
This is truly one of the easiest apple recipes ever. Here’s how to make applesauce in two simple steps:
STEP ONE
Peel and core the apples and slice them as thick or as thin as you like.
STEP TWO
Put the apples, water, and pumpkin spices in a pot and bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, reduce to a simmer and let the apples cook until they’re soft and the sauce is thick.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST HOMEMADE APPLE SAUCE
You can slice the apples as thin or as thick as you like, just make sure that they’re uniform in size so they cook evenly.
Use a variety of apples for the best flavor. We use Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Fuji apples.
Check on the apples often while they’re cooking and stir them to prevent scorching.
Taste them when they’re close to being done and if you feel that the applesauce needs to be sweeter, add 1 tbsp of coconut or brown sugar and a time until you get the desired sweetness.
HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE LAST AND HOW SHOULD YOU STORE IT?
Store the applesauce covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.
You can freeze it in a freezer safe container for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator or heat on the stove top, stirring often.
MORE APPLE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Sugar-Free Stuffed Baked Apples
Baked Vegan Apple Cider Doughnuts
How to Make Vegan Apple Turnovers
Make our homemade apple sauce and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Applesauce
Equipment
- stove
- knife
Ingredients
- 6 large apples peeled, cored, and sliced SEE NOTE
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
Instructions
- Combine the apples, ½ cup water, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ground cloves in a medium size pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Stir often. The apples should be soft, not mushy.
Notes
Nutrition
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