How to Make Homemade Crock Pot Apple Sauce

Looking for an easy homemade crock pot apple sauce to can later?

Homemade crock pot apple sauce is so easy to make. All you have to do is set and forget it for a few hours. The apples cook down slowly until they are ready to eat or can in jars later. 

And if you’ve been searching for a good recipe to make apple sauce, here’s why this recipe should appeal to you over some others. 

Why This Apple Sauce is Special

So, there are several recipes out there in the world for homemade crockpot apple sauce. All good! But here’s why this one is super special. 

Because there’s no sugar added. Essentially, this crock pot apple sauce recipe only has two ingredients. Apples. And just a teensie little bit of water to keep the apples from sticking to the bottom of the crock pot. 

What kind of apples? Any kind! I use a mix of green Granny Smiths and Red Delicious. The two together results in just about the right level of sweetness. I just add cinnamon later when I eat the apple sauce.

So basically, to make homemade crock pot apple sauce, you just need the apples and a trusty crock pot. Wow! 

Here’s how to make this very straight forward EASY homemade crock pot apple sauce. 

 

What You Need

• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Apples 
• Crock Pot
• Potato Masher

Directions

First of all, the apples need to be worked up. They need to be peeled and cored. I have not found a better way that just taking the time to prep each one by hand. 

I know this seems like the hard way. And if you have a better way of working up apples, please let me know in the comments! But, I simply quarter the apples, remove the skins and the cores. The skins and cores are taken out to my pigs to enjoy. 

Next, fill crock pot with apples. Place about 1/4 cup of water or just enough to cover the bottom of the crock pot. Then cover the crock pot with the lid and turn the crock pot on. 

Now, the amount of time you choose to cook the apples is up to you. If you are going to be busy all day, choose a low heat (8-10 hours). However, if you are nearby and want apple sauce sooner, choose the higher setting. You’ll just need to really watch the apples and stir as necessary on the high heat. 

Finally, the apples are cooked when they are soft. Mash completely with the potato masher. And it’s done! Time to enjoy some yummy homemade crock pot apple sauce.

Can Homemade Crock Pot Apple Sauce

Or you could can it for later. Because this homemade crock pot apple sauce will taste slow cooked and delicious in a few months. 

Processing homemade crock pot apple sauce is easy. If you’ve never canned anything before, apple sauce is a great way to learn. I use the Ball Blue Book for nearly all my canning recipes, including this one. I did not use sugar in this apple sauce recipe (states optional in the original recipe). 

Click HERE for my Jalapeno Jelly Recipe!

Other reasons to learn to can include:

• Preserving your own safe food.
• Keeping the pantry stocked. 
• Decrease trips to the grocery store (My favorite)
• Knowing what is in your canned goods. 

Surely you could relate to some of these reasons why canning is worth the “trouble”. It’s really no trouble at all. I’m here to help you. So, let’s begin with apple sauce. Here’s some supplies you will need for canning. 

What You Need

• Sauce Pot
• Water Bath Canner (I have used a sauce pot before. Just make sure you have a lid for it)
• Water Bath Canning Utensils: Jar Gripper, Spatula, Funnel, etc.
• Pint or Quart Sized Ball Jars
• Lids & Bands (Note there are Large Mouth and Regular Mouth. You’ll need the size that fits the jars you have).
• Wet Paper Towel or Wet Wash Cloth
• Hot Pad Holders

Canning Instructions

First of all, put apple sauce into the large sauce pot and turn stove onto a low heat. Meanwhile, fill the water bath canner with water, set on another burner and turn the heat on high. Set empty jars on the rack inside the canner to heat. 

Bring to a boil and then simmer slowly. Stir constantly to prevent sticking and burning. If you want to make spiced apple sauce, you could add in some cinnamon or all spice during this time. But I prefer to leave mine sweet and leave spices out for canning. Spices can be added later before eating the apple sauce. 

Next, when the jars are hot, place funnel over the jars and fill jars with apple sauce. Leave about a 1/2 inch head space from the top of the jar. Then, use a spatula to stir around the edge of the apple sauce. This removes air bubbles. 

Use a wet wash cloth or paper towel to clean off the rims of the jar. Then, add the lid and tighten the band. Submerge jars completely into hot water bath canner, place the lid on top, wait for water to boil and then set the time for 25 minutes. 

After timer sounds off, remove the jars from the canner. Set them aside and listen for the popping sound of jars sealing. And then, your jars are ready for storage for up to one year. 

Sound good? Well, here’s how to make your apple sauce even more authentic. Grow your own apples! 

How to Grow Apples

So, have you ever thought about growing your own apples? Before you even get started, you need to know that apples require two different varieties in order to produce fruit. And with all the different varieties out there, choosing two or more should not be a difficult task. 

First of all, you need to figure out what varieties of apple trees will grow the best in your area. This can easily be determined by asking your local horticulturalists or County Extension Agents. It’s also important to choose varieties that are resistant to certain diseases – to REDUCE the need for pesticides and fungicides. 

Note that I emphasized the word reduce because choosing varieties that are less resistant is only a precaution. It doesn’t mean your trees and fruit won’t get those diseases. There are new diseases popping up all the time, so it’s important to stay up to date on products and technology in case of an emergency.

Whether you are growing conventional or organic apples, you still need to decide on an action plan for caring for your fruit trees in case of a disease or insect outbreak. Have a spray plan in place for emergencies. It is best to spray apples for diseases/insects from late Winter and early spring until about two weeks before harvest time. And it is recommended to spray every two weeks in between. 

All this planning and precaution is important to ensure quality apples for making things like homemade crock pot apple sauce or apple fritters. 

Seems like quite a bit of work? Maybe you just shouldn’t take the time to grow your own apples. Perhaps you could just support someone else’s farm fresh apple business instead.

SUPPORT A BACKYARD BUSINESS

If you don’t have room or the desire to grow your own apples, visit someone else’s orchard!

For reals, there are apple orchards all over the country making their living growing and selling apples. So, why not support local families who work hard to provide these quality apples and apple products?

Working hard is an understatement. It’s HARD to raise apples. And these families who do it put in a lot of time and energy to make sure they produce a quality product for you. 

Sometimes you could even check to see if they have “seconds” for sale at a discounted price. Seconds are the apples that didn’t make the first string cut. Meaning, they may have bad spots on them. Well, let me tell you, these apples are PERFECT for apple sauce because you just cut those bad spots off!

So, if you know the orchard owner, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to them to see if their seconds would be available for purchase. Because the kids don’t care as long as their apple sauce is sweet and delicious. 

 

Kids LOVE Healthy Homemade Crock Pot Apple Sauce

And they can eat as much as they want because “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples are healthy. Why not give little ones what they need if they keep wanting more and more.

My kids’ favorite way (and mine) to eat this apple sauce is to mix it in with oatmeal. This is also when we add a little cinnamon in. But we never feel the need to add sugar. The apples are sweet enough. 

And we eat this just about every morning for breakfast through the Fall. The warm oatmeal just hits the spot. The apple sauce cools it down and makes the oatmeal sweet. 

A Yummy Way To Enjoy Apples This Fall

Homemade Crock Pot Apple Sauce is an easy and enjoyable way to enjoy fresh apples. And not only that but it’s an easy recipe to can for when you want apple sauce later. 

Because farm fresh apples won’t stay fresh forever. You can easily preserve them to enjoy later by canning. 

So, no more buying apple sauce from the store. The store might be convenient, but this apple sauce is natural, delicious and authentic. What more do you want from an apple sauce?

All it takes is a little time and effort. You’ll be cooking up delicious homemade crock pot apple sauce to enjoy in no time. 

What’s your favorite apple recipe? 

~ Much Love ~

 

 

 

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