One of our favorite things to do in the fall is visit this apple orchard – many times! This year it is even more exciting because Jesse’s parents have a orchard at their house!! So we have been very lucky to have lots of apples at our disposal this year. My favorite thing to make when we have lots of extra apples is this simple slow cooker applesauce. For one it is just so easy to do and everyone loves it. It’s also a great way to use up those not so perfect apples because it all cooks down anyway. Another great apple recipe to try in my Healthy(ish) Apple Crumble Recipe if you are looking for a sweet treat.
Prep
First thing to do is of course wash and prep the apples. You want to peel and cut the apples into slices. I will link my favorite tools to make this a breeze at the bottom of the post. Then all you do is literally toss everything into the crockpot! One extra ingredient I like to add is lemon juice and lemon zest. Just a little bit of the acidity helps balance out the sweet and tart from the other ingredients. I just use a fresh lemon and squeeze the juice from that and a microplane to get the zest.
Cooking
You will want to cook it on low for about 4-5 hours and check it after about 4. Test to see if you need to add any additional water if it seems thick or sugar if its too tart. If it seems a little thin don’t worry because it will thicken more when it cools. The apples will be soft enough that giving it a good stir for a minute or two will mash everything down. If its still too chunky leave it to cook a little longer.
Simple slow cooker applesauce
- About 10 medium tart apples – peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2-3 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Peel, core and slice apples and add to the slow cooker. Use microplane to zest the lemon and add that and all other ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. At about 4 hours give it a stir and check texture and taste. If too thick add more water or too tart add a little more sugar. It will thicken upon cooling. Give it a good stir for about 1 minute. If everything smashes its done. If its still too chunky cook for another hour or until desired texture. Let cool and store in airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple days or eat it all that day 😉 that happens in my house a lot!
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I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
