preserve · Preserve

How to Can Applesauce from Scratch

Making shelf-stable applesauce means cooking down apples with minimal water, then processing filled jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Use a mix of apple varieties for depth, add lemon juice for acidity, and follow proper canning safety to create applesauce that keeps for a year.

Total time: 1 hr 15 min
Hands-on: 30 min
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

8 pounds apples
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice per quart

Step by step

Prepare your apples. Wash, core, and roughly chop 8 pounds of apples. Leave the peels on — they add flavor and will strain out later. Mix varieties like Honeycrisp with Granny Smith for complexity.
Cook the apples. Put chopped apples in a heavy-bottomed pot with 1 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples break down completely.
Create smooth sauce. Run the cooked apples through a food mill or fine-mesh strainer to remove peels and create smooth applesauce. For chunkier sauce, mash with a potato masher instead.
Season and acidify. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice per quart of applesauce. Add sugar or cinnamon to taste, but remember that plain applesauce is more versatile.
Prepare canning equipment. Sterilize jars and lids. Fill your canner with water and bring to a simmer. Keep everything hot while you work.
Fill and seal jars. Ladle hot applesauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims clean, place lids, and screw on bands finger-tight.
Process in water bath. Lower filled jars into boiling water. Water should cover jars by 1-2 inches. Process pint jars for 20 minutes, quart jars for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Cool and check seals. Remove jars and cool on a towel for 12-24 hours. Check that lids have sealed by pressing the center — they should not flex or pop.

Tips & troubleshooting

Choose apples that are ripe but not overripe — they should still have some firmness
The food mill is worth buying if you plan to make applesauce regularly — it removes peels effortlessly
Make sure your water bath stays at a rolling boil throughout the processing time
Label jars with the date — properly canned applesauce keeps for up to one year
Save apple peels and cores to make apple jelly — just simmer them in water and strain

Variations

Spiced Applesauce. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves per quart before canning
Chunky Style. Skip the food mill and mash cooked apples by hand with a potato masher for rustic texture
No-Sugar-Added. Use only the natural sweetness of the apples — choose sweeter varieties like Gala or Fuji
Apple-Pear Sauce. Replace 2 pounds of apples with ripe pears for a more complex flavor profile

Questions

Do I need to add sugar to applesauce for canning safety?: No, sugar is not required for safe canning. The lemon juice provides the necessary acidity. Add sugar only for taste.
Can I use a pressure canner instead of a water bath?: Yes, but it's not necessary. Applesauce is high-acid and safe for water bath canning. If using a pressure canner, process for 8 minutes at 5 pounds pressure.
What if my jars don't seal properly?: Refrigerate unsealed jars and use within a week, or reprocess with new lids within 24 hours of the original canning.
How do I adjust processing time for high altitude?: Add 5 minutes to processing time for altitudes 3,001-6,000 feet, and 10 minutes for altitudes above 6,000 feet.
Can I double this recipe?: Yes, but cook apples in batches if your pot isn't large enough. Don't overfill your pot — apples need room to bubble and cook evenly.