Homemade Applesauce Recipe No Sugar & Naturally Sweetened
This homemade applesauce recipe with no sugar is one of the easiest ways to turn fresh apples into a simple, naturally sweet snack. Made with fresh apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a little water, it has all the cozy flavor of traditional applesauce without any added sugar.
We have an apple tree on our property that produces hundreds of apples every fall, so when we moved into this house, I quickly had to figure out how to make just about every apple recipe from scratch! This homemade applesauce quickly became a family favorite. We don’t even miss the added sweetener because apples become naturally sweeter as they cook. You may be surprised by just how sweet and flavorful homemade applesauce can be without adding any sugar at all.
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You can leave this applesauce slightly chunky for an old fashioned homemade applesauce recipe with no sugar, or blend it until completely smooth. I’ve also included an optional maple syrup variation if your apples are particularly tart or you simply prefer sweeter applesauce.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Applesauce
- No added sugar: The apples provide plenty of natural sweetness, especially when you use naturally sweet varieties.
- Simple ingredients: You only need apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Easy to customize: Make it completely smooth or turn it into a chunky applesauce recipe by simply blending it less.
- Naturally gluten and dairy free: No substitutions are needed.
- Perfect for apple season: This is an easy way to use a large batch of fresh apples after apple picking or harvesting apples from your own tree.
- Freezer friendly: Make a large batch while apples are in season and freeze some for later.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This homemade applesauce recipe with no sugar is made with just a handful of simple ingredients:
- 3 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1–2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, optional, or to taste
For naturally sweet applesauce, choose apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious. You can also combine sweet and tart varieties for a more balanced apple flavor.
How to Make This Homemade Applesauce Recipe (No Sugar)
This homemade applesauce recipe is easy to make on the stovetop and requires very little hands-on work.
1. Prepare the Apples
Peel and core the apples, then cut them into roughly 1-inch pieces. To make preparation even faster, you can use an apple peeler-corer-slicer. After running the apples through it, cut the apple spirals into a few smaller sections so they’re easier to cook.
2. Add Everything to the Pot & Simmer
Add the apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and sea salt to a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Give it all a good stir. Then bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft.
If excess liquid remains, remove the lid and simmer for another 5–10 minutes or until the applesauce reaches your desired thickness.
3. Mash or Blend
Remove from the heat and mash or blend. For chunky applesauce, mash the apples with a potato masher. For smooth applesauce, puree with an immersion blender or vitamix. Or you can make chunky applesauce with an immersion blender by simply not blending fully.
Taste the applesauce. If additional sweetness is desired, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
4. Serve or Store
Serve warm or allow to cool before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.
What Are the Best Apples for Homemade Applesauce?
The best apples for applesauce depend on whether you prefer a sweet, tart, or balanced flavor.
For naturally sweet applesauce without added sugar, try:
- Honeycrisp
- Fuji
- Gala
- Golden Delicious
- Or homegrown apples from your tree! This is what we use. 🙂
For more tartness, add Granny Smith apples to the mix.
Using more than one apple variety is one of my favorite ways to make homemade applesauce because it creates more depth of flavor. Try combining a naturally sweet apple like Fuji or Honeycrisp with a smaller amount of Granny Smith.
Smooth vs. Chunky Applesauce
The nice thing about making applesauce from scratch is that you control the texture.
For a chunky applesauce recipe, use a potato masher and stop while small pieces of softened apple remain. This gives it that rustic, old-fashioned texture.
For smooth applesauce, an immersion blender is the easiest option. Blend directly in the pot until the applesauce is as smooth as you’d like.
Homemade Applesauce Recipe for Baby
Homemade applesauce can also be prepared as a simple apple puree for babies who are developmentally ready for solid foods.
For a homemade applesauce recipe for baby, I’d make a separate portion without the maple syrup, cinnamon, or salt. Cook peeled apples with a little water until completely tender, then puree until smooth, thinning with additional water as needed to achieve an appropriate consistency.
Always prepare and serve foods according to your baby’s individual developmental needs and your pediatrician’s recommendations.
How to Store Homemade Applesauce
Allow the applesauce to cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Store homemade applesauce in the refrigerator for about 5–7 days.
For longer storage, freeze it in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. You can portion it into smaller containers before freezing so it’s easy to thaw only what you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to add sugar to homemade applesauce?
No. Apples contain natural sugars that become more concentrated and noticeable as they cook. Using naturally sweet apples makes it easy to prepare a homemade applesauce recipe with no sugar added. If your finished applesauce is more tart than you’d like, you can add a small amount of pure maple syrup to taste at the end.
Do you need to peel apples for applesauce?
No, but peeling them creates a smoother, more traditional applesauce. If you leave the skins on, an immersion blender or high-speed blender can help create a smoother texture.
Why do you add lemon juice to applesauce?
Lemon juice adds acidity, which balances the sweetness of the apples and brightens their flavor. Only a small amount is needed, so it shouldn’t give the finished applesauce a strong lemon flavor.
Should applesauce be cooked with the lid on or off?
Keep the pot covered for most of the cooking time. Trapping the steam helps the apples soften without requiring a lot of added water. Once the apples are tender, remove the lid if necessary and simmer for a few more minutes to evaporate excess liquid.
Should I drain the water before mashing applesauce?
Usually, no. The cooking liquid contains apple flavor and can be incorporated into the applesauce. If there’s too much liquid, simmer the apples uncovered until some of it evaporates rather than draining it away.
More Reader Favorite Homemade Apple Recipes
- Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pie
- Gluten Free Invisible Apple Cake
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @wholisticmandy on Instagram. Your reviews help support this blog and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
Homemade Applesauce Recipe (No Sugar)
Equipment
- 1 Immersion Blender optional
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples, then cut them into roughly 1-inch pieces. To make preparation even faster, you can use an apple peeler-corer-slicer. After running the apples through it, cut the apple spirals in half or quarters so they're easier to cook.
- Add the apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and sea salt to a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft.If excess liquid remains, remove the lid and simmer for another 5–10 minutes or until the applesauce reaches your desired thickness.
- For chunky applesauce, mash the apples with a potato masher. For smooth applesauce, puree with an immersion blender or blender. Or you can make chunky applesauce with an immersion blender by simply not blending fully. Taste the applesauce. If additional sweetness is desired, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
- Serve warm or allow to cool before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.
Notes
- Use a mix of apples: Combining sweet and tart varieties gives the applesauce a more balanced, flavorful taste.
- Start with less water: Apples release quite a bit of liquid as they cook. Start with ¼ cup and add a splash more only if needed to prevent sticking.
- Don’t drain excess liquid: If the apples are soft but there’s still liquid in the pot, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for a few minutes to let it evaporate.
- Adjust the texture: Mash with a potato masher for chunky, old-fashioned applesauce or use an immersion blender for a smooth consistency.
- Taste before sweetening: Apples become naturally sweeter as they cook, so taste the finished applesauce before adding the optional maple syrup.
