Start canning applesauce to preserve the flavors of fall with this easy step-by-step guide! Learn which apples to choose, how to make applesauce, and a simple water bath canning method.
With fall comes apples… lots and lots of apples! If you haven’t made at least one batch of Cheesecake Baked Apples or Homemade Apple Chips or Apple Slab Pie, then I’m going to assume you don’t like apples.
Me? I love apples! (Almost as much as I love pumpkin.)
But honestly? One of my favorite apple treats is pretty basic. I love Homemade Applesauce!
I enjoy applesauce all year long, so today I want to show you just how easy it is to make, and how easy it is to start canning applesauce.
APPLES GOOD FOR APPLESAUCE
What makes apples good for applesauce?
Tart, crunchy, pie apples are my favorite to use in applesauce. Apples like the ones we picked from our aunt’s tree.
If you don’t have a tree in your yard, then your next best option is apple picking with the kids at a local orchard. While you are there, make sure to pick up a gallon of fresh apple cider. Sooo yummy!
The farmer’s market is another good place to buy apples, and of course, there’s the grocery store. Juicy McIntosh, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Jonagold are good choices for homemade applesauce. Sweeter apples like Pink Lady or Gala are another affordable option.
My general rule of thumb: you will need 12 to 14 pounds of tart apples to make 7-8 pints of applesauce.
CANNING APPLESAUCE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For this canning applesauce recipe, you will need:
- Boiling-water canner (like this one)
- 7-8 clean pint jars plus rings and lids (lids MUST be new; I like these)
- Jar lifter, canning funnel, and tongs (this set is good)
- Small saucepan with hot water
- 12 cups of applesauce (here’s our favorite and EASY Homemade Applesauce Recipe)
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
- ¾ cup raw cane sugar (optional)
Apples are naturally high in acidity and do not require any additional ingredients. However, adding lemon juice can help maintain the color of the apples. Because of the lemon juice, the applesauce will become a little more tart, and that’s why we add the sugar.
You can do without the sugar completely if you like, but keep in mind that the kids may not like it. If you don’t want to add sugar, try a sweeter apple like a Braeburn.
If you don’t mind the color of the applesauce, you can skip the lemon juice and sugar. You can also leave the peels on to give your applesauce a pinkish hue – just make sure to blend it well!
HOW TO CAN APPLESAUCE (STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL)
Ready to learn how to can applesauce? Follow these simple instructions.
1. PREPARE THE APPLES.
Wash your apples well with a natural produce wash. Quarter the apples and remove stems as well as any bad spots.
If you have a food mill, your apples are ready to be cooked down. If you do not have a food mill, you will need to core apples and peel before cooking. Save those bits for apple cider vinegar! (An apple peeler and corer would be a good investment if you make applesauce every year.)
As you slice apples, place the ready-to-cook ones into a large bowl of water with a small amount of salt in it to prevent browning while you finish prepping.
2. COOK THE APPLES.
Once your apples are cut, dump out the saltwater and give them a rinse with fresh water. Transfer the apple slices into a large pot and add a few inches of water to the bottom.
Turn the burner on medium-high heat and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are tender. You will need to stir the apples on occasion to prevent them from sticking.
Run your cooked and tender apples through your food mill, or blend with a high-powered blender (like this one), immersion blender, or food processor to turn the apples into sauce.
If you prefer chunky applesauce consistency, you can use a potato masher (like this one). This will leave some chunks of apple in your sauce.
Add the lemon juice to your apple sauce first and mix well. Then stir in the sugar, tasting as you add and adjust according to your taste.
For all the details for making applesauce, follow the tutorial here.
3. FILL THE JARS.
Since Ball has changed the design of their jar lids, they no longer require boiling to prep the lids. (Double check the packaging to be sure you have the correct type.) Use warm, soapy water to clean and set aside. Boiling may cause the seal to not work properly.
Use a ladle and funnel to pour around 1 ½ cups of hot applesauce into each jar.
You want to leave a good inch headspace at the top of the jar. Much less than an inch could result in them “boiling over” right through the lids and preventing a good seal.
Jiggle the jar a touch or use a chop stick around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles.
The funnel should keep the rims of your jars clean, but double-check to make sure there is no food on the rim and wipe the rim for good measure.
Use tongs to remove a lid from the hot water and place it on the jar. Screw the ring over the lid and set aside.
4. WATER BATH CANNING APPLESAUCE.
If you don’t have a hot water bath canner, a large stockpot will work IF you have a canning rack to place on the bottom to keep the jars from directly touching the bottom of your pan.
If you plan on canning applesauce (or other foods) often, I highly recommend buying a canner like this one. There are a lot of kitchen appliances you don’t need, but something that saves you time and money is worth the investment!
Place the jars in the bottom of your canner and cover with 1 inch of water.
The temperature of the water needs to resemble the temperature of your filled applesauce jars. This way, the jars heat evenly with the water, and the risk of breaking is minimized.
Bring the canner to a good, strong boil and set the timer for 15 minutes. After the timer goes off, turn the heat off and carefully remove the jars from the water. Set the jars on a kitchen towel on the counter to cool.
5. FINISH YOUR HOME CANNED APPLESAUCE.
Let your jars cool for 12+ hours before removing the rings and checking the seals. Mark the contents on the lid or labels with the date.
If any jars have not sealed properly, store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Otherwise, store canned applesauce in the pantry for up to 18 months.
Be sure to add your home-canned goods to your kitchen inventory. The purpose of canning is so you actually eat it and save money!
CANNED APPLESAUCE AS AN EASY SIDE DISH
My goal is always to fill half of my plate with produce at any meal or snack.
Sometimes, when we get close to grocery shopping day, my fruit and veggie options are pretty limited.
Canning applesauce means that I can pull a jar off my pantry shelf to add a bit of sweetness and some produce to my meal. Yes, applesauce counts as produce! It is made with apples, after all.
It’s also a great option when I want something sweet but without added sugar. A bowl of applesauce in the middle of winter is a great option for the fresh, crisp taste of the orchard when nothing is growing!
CANNING RECIPE FOR APPLESAUCE FAQS
Should I add citric acid when canning applesauce?
You don’t need to. Lemon juice or citric acid are optional additions to applesauce to help keep the color and act as a preservative. But apples are acidic enough on their own that you don’t need to add these extra ingredients if you don’t want to.
Do you need to pressure can applesauce?
Since applesauce is highly acidic on its own, you don’t need to pressure can it. Water bath canning is fine. Pressure canning is typically used for lower-acid foods, because it reaches a higher temperature and can destroy more harmful bacteria.
Can I make this canning recipe for applesauce without sugar?
Absolutely! The sugar is just there as an option if you prefer the taste. Once you have pureed the apples, taste the applesauce. You may like it as is.
MORE YUMMY WAYS TO USE APPLES
- Apple Recipes Roundup
- Sweet Potato Apple Breakfast Bake
- Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Cheesecake Baked Apples
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Cinnamon Apple Pie Jam
- Homemade Apple Crumble Ice Cream
If you have the space, freezing applesauce is another super simple way to preserve it!
Would a steamer basket work to stop the jars from touching the bottom of the pot?
It might! It’s worth a shot!
Great idea Tiffany! We go through a LOT of applesauce with my 2 boys!
I love your site! It is beautiful, easy to navigate, and full of great content! Kudos!
🙂 Mary @ simplynatureplusnurture.com
If you don’t have a canning rack and need to preserve your produce before you can get or borrow one ^_^ you can improvise with a kitchen towel or two in the bottom of your pot. Messy, but it works!
My mom (and grandma, and great grandma for as I remember as a child) used kitchen towels to do it. But instead of placing them in the bottom of the pan, they would wrap each can with a towel to ensure they wouldn’t bump into each other either.
Yum!
Excellent tutorial.
Thank you for sharing.