How to Make Flavored Applesauce

You can add bits of almost any fruit to create flavored applesauce.

Making flavored applesauce is an easy process that offers tasty results. Once you get past peeling and coring the apples, the rest of the work is simple. Although applesauce is often sold plain or with cinnamon, there are many other flavor combinations you can create for less than you would pay at the store. Add virtually any spices, fruits or fruit juices to whip up your own special flavored applesauce.

Things You'll Need

• 6 golden delicious apples, large
• Vegetable peeler
• Knife
• 8 strawberries, large
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Mixing spoon
• 2-quart cooking pot
• Potato masher
• 3/4 cup apple cider juice
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

Strawberry Applesauce

1. Peel and core the apples, then chop into one-inch pieces. You should end up with about five cups prepared apples. Remove leaves from the strawberries and cut into one-inch pieces. You should end up with about a cup of strawberries.

2. Combine the water and sugar in a two-quart pot over medium heat. Add the apples and strawberries to the water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Let fruit simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how soft you like your applesauce.

3. Remove applesauce from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Use a potato masher to mash the cooked sauce to the desired consistency. Let the sauce cool to room temperature and pour into a lidded container to store. The recipe makes about four cups of sauce, which can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Spiced Applesauce

1. Peel, core and chop the apples into one-inch pieces to create about five cups chopped apples.

2. Mix apples, cider juice and sugar together in a two-quart pot over medium heat. Stir cinnamon and allspice into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot and turn heat to low. Let applesauce simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Remove sauce from heat and let it cool. Mash the sauce with a potato masher and let cool to room temperature. Makes about three cups of applesauce. Refrigerate in a lidded container for up to four days.

Tips & Warnings

• The easiest way to make flavored applesauce is to mix four cups of store-bought applesauce with 1/4 cup of concentrated fruit juice, such as strawberry or orange, and serve.

• You can use water, apple juice or apple cider to cook down the fresh apples and make applesauce. Water keeps the flavor pure, apple juice adds extra sweet apple flavor and apple cider adds sweet apple flavor with a zing.

• Use a blender to puree the cooked mixture if you prefer a smooth and silky applesauce texture.

References

• Kitchen Daily; How to Make Applesauce; The Culinary Institute of America
• Dinner Planner: How to Make Applesauce
• Professors House: How to Make Homemade Applesauce