Honey Sweetened Applesauce

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Homemade applesauce might not seem worth the effort but it really is. This recipe for honey-sweetened applesauce is a fall treat that you and your family will love.

There’s an apple orchard here in the interior of Alaska, believe it or not. Apples do grow in Alaska, in fact, there are several people that we know who have apple trees in their yards. We hope to add a small orchard to our property one day but until then, we gather Alaskan apples elsewhere.

We enjoy going to the u-pick orchard that’s not far from us. The apples that grow here are small, mostly yellow, and very tart. We take our bags and baskets and let the girls wander through the rows of trees, picking the apples that catch their eyes.

We also have a friend who generously shares some of her harvest with us. Apple pies, apple dumplings, and baked apples are some of our favorite treats to make with them. But we can’t consume them all at once so I save a portion for the freezer.

I like to have some local apples available during the winter so I slice them up and freeze them to use later. Homemade applesauce is the perfect way to use up frozen apples for a tasty fall treat.

Tools You Will Need

Making homemade applesauce is so simple, you don’t need any fancy equipment. Some people prefer to use their slow cooker to heat the apples so feel free to do that instead. This is all I use:

• Large stock pot
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing spoon
• Blender

Ingredients for Honey Sweetened Applesauce

When I purchase applesauce at the store, I only buy unsweetened. The only ingredient should be apples! However, the small yellow apples that grow here in Alaska are extremely tart and some sugar must be used to tone the tartness down. I always look to honey from our bees to sweeten instead of refined sugar. Plus, it adds a delicious flavor.

• Apples-5 pounds, or more or less. Choose any variety you like!
• Honey-1 cup, adjust the amount depending on the tartness of the apples you’re using.
• Water-1 cup
• Ground Cinnamon-1 teaspoon, optional but adds a wonderful taste, especially for the fall.

How to Make Honey Sweetened Applesauce

For this recipe, I use about five pounds of apples. It can easily be adjusted for more or less. If using frozen apple slices, no need to thaw. Just dump them right into the pot. If using whole apples, cut into thin slices and put into the pot. I like to leave the skin on since they’re locally grown, organic apples that we picked ourselves but peel your apples if that’s your preference.

To the apples in the pot, add honey and water.

Sprinkle in the ground cinnamon, if using, and stir everything to combine.

The honey will be difficult to stir in at first but will mix in much better as it’s heated.

Turn the stove on medium heat and cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and able to be pierced with a fork. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Your home will smell amazing in the meantime!

Once the apples are nice and tender, transfer (in batches if necessary) to a blender. Blend until it reaches the consistency you like. I only run our blender briefly to leave the applesauce a little on the chunky side. We like it thick with lots of bits of apples.

Enjoy some while it’s warm then pour the rest into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 10 days. The applesauce can also be frozen into smaller portions if you make a large batch.

We like to eat our applesauce warm right after we make it. If it’s been in the fridge, I warm it up in a saucepan over low heat. An extra dash of cinnamon on top is the finishing touch.

Although it’s easy to buy applesauce at the store, making it yourself at home, like most food, is always more delicious! Honey sweetened applesauce is simple to make and is a tasty fall treat when the cool days call for warm comfort foods.

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