Unsweetened Crockpot Applesauce

Name: Unsweetened Crockpot Applesauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Healthy
Ingredients: 10 medium-size organic sweet red apples such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady; 1 cup water; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup raisins

by Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition | Sep 7, 2021

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Learn how to make Unsweetened Crockpot Applesauce for a healthy homemade treat that is perfect for fall. This recipe is so easy to make and is a great snack or dessert recipe for kids and adults.

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Recipe Highlights

This homemade applesauce recipe is so simple and delicious! All you need are fresh, sweet apples such as Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp.
The only ingredients are apples, raisins, ground cinnamon, and a little bit of water, so this is a real food recipe that is vegan, gluten free, paleo, and super clean. You don’t even need any sugar in this recipe.
This Crockpot Applesauce can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 2 months. Just defrost it in the refrigerator and serve it cold.

Recipe Steps

You aren’t going to believe how easy this slow cooker recipe is to throw together. I like to get it ready early in the morning and have it done by dinnertime. Or, I’ve also put it together in the evening and then have it ready by morning. Here’s how I made my applesauce recipe with no sugar.

Step One

Wash the apples and pat them dry. I like to use between 10-12 whole red apples, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady. Stay away from Red Delicious.

The best apples to use for applesauce are ones that are naturally very sweet. You can use green apples for applesauce, but it will be pretty tart.

Step Two

Chop the apples into big chunks, removing the core, and throw them in a big crockpot. If you have a small crockpot, try using only 8-10 apples.

Sprinkle some cinnamon (2 teaspoons or so) on top, add the water and raisins, and set on high for 5 hours with the lid on.

Step Three

Once the applesauce is done cooking, just give it a big stir to help break up the apples and distribute the raisins and cinnamon.

You can serve the applesauce warm or transfer it to a glass container with a lid to refrigerator and serve later.

The applesauce will taste the sweetest when it is chilled.

Recipes Tips & Substitutions

If you have pears on hand, you can do a mix of apples and pears in this recipe.
Store the applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze any leftovers for up to 2 months. Defrost before serving.

FAQs

Do you need to peel the apples when making applesauce?

I don’t! The peel has healthy nutrition and fiber. The apple peel will cook down and you probably won’t even notice it once the applesauce is done cooking.

My kids don’t like raisins. Can I leave them out?

Yes, but the raisins do help add a bit of sweetness to the applesauce. As long as your apples are naturally sweet, I think it will be okay without the raisins.

Can this applesauce be served to babies?

Yes, but you may need to leave out the raisins as they can be a choking hazard for babies. You may also need to puree the applesauce to make sure it is a smooth texture that babies like.

This homemade applesauce is one of my favorite recipes to make and I think kids would dig it, too. My husband loves it and he’s kind of a big kid, ha ha!

Don’t miss my Instant Pot Cinnamon Raisin Applesauce if you prefer to use a pressure cooker.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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