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Recipes for applesauce abound, I know, but this chunky applesauce recipe is quick and easy when time might be short.
Canning chunky applesauce is done with minimal equipment and open to customization. It is also a great way to reduce waste and save time in your preservation efforts.
Skip the Peeling
I know this is going to sound odd to many folks and certainly to applesauce purists but there’s no reason to peel in most cases. If someone, is really opposed, by all means peel but around here we don’t.
Just cut out the bad spots, core and quarter those apples.
You will not likely win a blue ribbon at the fair if you skip the peeling. However, you will get a bunch more done in a hurry if that’s important.
To Pre-Treat or Not?
Apples brown and quickly too, once cut. This is way the standard canning advice is to pre-treat them prior to canning.
I honestly, skip this step. Yes, the apples will get a little brown but once they’re boiled, the color is just fine and normal to me. You can see in the photos that the applesauce isn’t some weird brown color that is unappetizing.
If you want to pre-treat do so by dipping the slices into a bath of either:
Ascorbic acid: you can buy this like ‘Fruit Fresh’ right in the grocery store. Sometimes health food stores will sell it in the bulk section. Follow package directions but usually it is 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid dissolved in 1 gallon of water.
Lemon Juice: add ¼ cup lemon juice to 4 cups of water.
Simply remove slices with a slotted spoon and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Boil
Toss those apple quarters into a pot with about two inches of water in the bottom. Add some lemon juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Cook until the apples are very soft.
The time is going to vary based on a number of things just keep an eye on the pot.
Remove from heat.
Mash
Use a potato masher and mash those apples to a desired level of chunky.
Return the pan to the stove and sweeten and add spice, if desired.
Sugar & Spice
If you want to add sugar and/or spice to your applesauce, do it after mashing.
How much and what is completely up to you. The sugar does not do the preserving, the canning process does. So you can skip it if you want. I usually do.
If you’d like to make a spiced applesauce – add up to 3 teaspoons of spice for every 12 pounds of apples.
Ground cinnamon, ginger, apple pie spice, etc. all work well. Use what you like or skip it entirely.
If you’re unsure of how you’re going to use the applesauce later – leave it plain. You can always sprinkle it with spice when serving.
Make a batch of plain and a batch of spiced if you so desire to have options on your pantry shelves.
Another Boil
Bring the mashed and sweetened / spiced applesauce boil again. You want the mixture boiling before ladling into your jars.
Put in Jars
Add the chunky applesauce to hot jars leaving 1/2″ headspace for canning (1″ headspace for freezing). Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes (adjusting for elevation).
Freeze Instead
If you don’t want to can, freezing is an option. Simply put into freezer safe containers, leaving room for expansion. Eat within 6 months.
How to Use Chunky Applesauce
Around here, we just eat it as a side dish or a snack a great majority of the time. Sometimes it gets mixed with yogurt or eaten over pancakes. But plain is generally it.
However, I also use applesauce in a number of sweet and savory ways. Generally, when baking with applesauce one wants it smooth not chunky. On those occasions, I just puree the chunky applesauce in a blender and proceed.
Easily Doubled or More
Use the recipe as merely a guideline.
Feel free to double, triple, or more. Unlike jam you don’t need to worry about it setting so simply put as many apples as you can fit into a pot and proceed.
That’s exactly how we did around here because we’re trying to get as much done as quickly as possible.
Canning Chunky Applesauce
Save the freshness of fall by canning chunky applesauce to eat throughout the winter.
Ingredients
- 12 lbs apples, cored, quartered
- Water
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice
- Sugar, optional (up to 3 cups)
Instructions
- Put the apples into a heavy pan with two inches of water and the lemon juice. Cook until the fruit is soft.
- Once the fruit is soft, remove from heat. Mash to the desired texture.
- Return the mashed fruit to the pan and reheat. Add sugar, if desired. Heat until just boiling and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Pour the sauce into hot jars, leaving ½” headspace at the top. Process for 20 minutes, adding time for elevation.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 CupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 179Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 8gSugar: 36gProtein: 1g
We try our best but cannot guarantee that nutrition information is 100% accurate.
Your applesauce looks great! I’d use the jars for either apple or pear butter, both sound good:@)
I will use the pints for more applesauce, but peeling them is a must. Maybe it depends on the variety used, but my kids complain when they find “fish bones” in their sauce.
The jelly jars are for apple pie jam, which is the last sweet spread on my to-do list.
I can always use more jars, great give away!
Gifts gifts and more gifts!! The Holidays are coming!
I’m dehydrating fruits and herbs right now, so that would be my immediate use. I love to make my own applesauce, but I’ve done it in very small batches and use right away. The jars definitely would be used!!
Love canning. I can all sorts of things and can always use more canning ideas and jars. Thanks
Always enjoy the recipes, and can use the jars. There are some I had as a child, that I am looking for. Chow-chow, Apple butter, and fake strawberry jam. The jam uses figs, and strawberry jello
that much I remember. The Chow-chow cabbage, and cauliflower. I have tried three different applebutter recipes, and they did not look, or taste like the recipe my mother used to make. I am a great-grandmother now, making her a great great-grandmother, and my sister said she doesn’t remember any more, since she quit cooking years ago. So I am stuck, can anybody help?! It would be greatly appreciated.
I’m kinda picky about my apple butter flavor and I’ve found what works the best is to follow the recipe that gets the closest to what I like and then I just keep adding spices until I get the flavor I want, adding spices will not change the acid levels so you don’t need to worry about that. The spices I’d add are cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. My Mom always cooks hers in the oven and I’ve found that’s the best method flavor wise also. Good luck!!
for canning my spaghetti sauce
I love to can, so they will be filled soon
Our apple tree is heavy with fruit this year! Applesauce would fill every one of those beautiful jars!
I’ll be making fig jam and filling jars shortly. These would be perfect!!
I also jealous of your apple tree! I am trying so hard to be self sufficient. Central Texas just doesn’t get enough rain and is too warm to sustain apple trees :(
Kitty, I live along the Texas Gulf coast and there are apple tree that require fewer chilling hours. Anna and Golden Dorset are two that we are growing. You might find this article from Texas A&M helpful, http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/files/2010/10/apples.pdf
Thanks, Angi! I’ll look into those varieties! Wish me luck :)
Can’t have too many jars! They have so many uses, oh, and canning too!
I’m making Christmas presents with the jars!
My garden just exploded with seasonal delights, so I’ve been canning like crazy. These jars will help me continue to can.
This looks great! I preserve apple sauce every year – smooth though! Cooked down on the stove or crock pot. I like to use 1/2 or 1/4 pint jars since there are only 2 people in my household. It’s great for cooking or is enough for a serving or two without a jar open in the back of the refrigerator. Also do pints for gifts though!
I would use these jars for canning apple or pear butter for my family members.
I would definitely be watching your blog for a great canning recipe for these gorgeous jars!!
Applesauce was one of the first things I ever canned. I love homemade applesauce! It just doesn’t get any easier! Thanks for sharing!
I like your recipe for the chunky apple sauce. Will give it a try
I would use the jars for more violet jelly, chicken soups, and probably some pickled eggs if there are any wide mouth jars.
I’d love to try your applesauce recipe, it sounds super simple
I’d use the jars for canned chicken.
Would love to win. Your site is very informative and I look forward to your posts.
Thanks for the opportunity to win this wonderful give-away, and for the chunky applesauce recipe. I always forget to make it chunky like my mother used to do. When my kids were little they liked it smooth so I got into that habit, but I actually prefer it chunky … and with those nutritious skins. Thanks again.
Apple sauce, apple butter and apple pie filling all can up well and are on my to-do list for October. New jars would be a great help. This is the first year with no pumpkin butter… need to get on that next.
Not peeling gives apple sauce a pretty color too! I could always use more jars – Please send more.
I love having as many canning jars as I can this time of year. There is a thing called “Master Tonic” which is fermented from various things. It makes a cure all for most Fall/Winter aliments and as a side product a spicy condiment for chips! However, after making it a storing it for awhile. The tops become corroded.
The natural cure all’s, such as what you are talking about always work better than any prescription, or commercial product. It sounds like lifelike another ‘bag balm’, only for inside ailments, instead of wounds to the outside like bag balm. I love the natural ones. They are cheap, taste a lot better and no chemicals or dangerous side effects.? I would love the recipe, and fermentation time. Always looking for tried, and true remedies.
I want to make and can apple butter.
I will make blackberry jam, peach jam, apple, pear and pumpkin butters and give these as holiday gifts.
I want to make Apple butter and peach jam.
I would be canning for the first time, so I will probably can fruit.
I would use them for gifts.
I would make some of my specialties to give as Christmas gifts-Blueberry/Grand Marnier Jam, Peach Bourbon Jam, Orange Chablis Jelly, and Sweet Onion Comfit.
Tomato jam, mint jelly, the options are endless. I’m in a bad area for apples – too hot, and to make apple sauce for canning, it would cost too much to buy the apples. But, I take advantage of what I can grow for preserving
We like to can jams, tomatoes, pickles, etc.
I am just beginning my adventures of canning, but loving keeping the freshness of my garden-picked veggies!
I’d make some of my grandpa’s fig preserves, and maybe try my hand at some apple butter.
Did someone say, “more canning jars, please!” Yeah. We just used every. last. jar. for blackberry and strawberry. Bought some apples at the local orchard and sure could use more canning jars to do more canning. May even try something new like apple jelly. Winning these would be perfect!
Our family travels 3-4 hours each Fall to go apple picking. If I won these jars, they would be used for apple butter and apple pie jam. Yum!
I would use the jelly jars to make raspberry preserves, the canning jars I would use to make homemade salsa and pickles.
That applesauce looks tasty. And weirdly, looking at the pictures, you can’t even tell the peels are in there.
As for how I’d use the jars–I have a hankering to try making pear jam, as I tried a store-bought one and liked it, but it was too sweet, so now I want to make my own. And before long it’ll be strawberry season again here in FL, so I’ll be making strawberry jam–even more now that my littlest has decided he likes jam sandwiches. :)
I am constantly running out of jars.. I think I am finished canning and my husband wants to know why I didn’t can pears or something else..
I’d use them for jams and for storing dehydrated fruits and veggies (and herbs)
I just picked about 5 bushels of organic apples yesterday! I can wait to use these jars.
I will can jam!
I want to can some more tomatoes. There is never enough strawberry jam around here either!
AROUND HERE WE LIKE TO ADD RED HOTS TO MAKE SPICY SAUCE.
I would can some sort of apple relish!
what a great treat on a cold winter day
Please can you explain something for me? Love the recipe and advice but I’m a complete newbie to all this. I’ve got my apples cooked and made into a sauce and put into glass jars with metal screwtop lids. But then you say “Process for 20 minutes, adding time for elevation”. Am I right that you are saying to put the closed jars in a large saucepan full of water, and boil them for 20 minutes? Won’t the glass crack? I wasn’t sure what a “canner” is. I think it’s a language thing as I’m in the UK. The ones on Amazon look like my giant pasta saucepan or like my steamer. Is that what you mean? Put the glass jars in the cage inside the steamer and steam for 20 minutes? Again, what about the glass? Also, “adding time for elevation”. I’m really sorry but I don’t understand what you mean. What does this refer to? Does the apple sauce rise inside the jar or is it because it bubbles when heated? Thanks so much for anyone’s advice. Apples coming out of ears here!
You do want to submerge the full jars into boiling water. If you’re using canning jars they’re made to do this and should not break. Elevation changes how long something needs to be boiled. Check out this website for comprehensive canning instructions: https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html
I think in the UK, you call it bottling instead of canning but I could be wrong there…
I have an apple pealed to use. I peals, sliced, and removes core, it takes 50 seconds per apple. No mashing needed. Chickens get the peelings. I like to use a mix of gala and red delicious, no sugar needed.