No Fuss, No Sugar Applesauce
It’s getting colder-both inside and outside of my home. Before my little toes hit the barn wood floor in my bedroom, I locate my robe and house shoes, while still underneath my comforter. (Things change in the middle of the night when you own two naughty kitties.)
I love this time of year-hot tea is a must while watching the leaves changing. And of course, heartier meals are on my dinner table, along with desserts filled with spices-like my Skinny, Ginger Puff Cookies.
One of my favorite things to make this time of year is a No Fuss, No Sugar Applesauce. With a few ingredients and a crockpot, I have chunky, spicy, yummy applesauce without any fuss. Have it as a dessert or as a side dish. Get crazy. Do what you want!
Biceps would like to try it warm over ice cream. We’ll see about that-kind’ve defeats the purpose….
Here’s all that you’ll need to make your No Fuss, No Sugar Applesauce (printable recipe at the bottom):
10-13 Apples (I had Gala’s on hand in the freezer)
1 tsp liquid Stevia or to taste (you can add more later)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
1 1/2-2 Cups Water
Crockpot
After thoroughly washing the apples, core the center.
Then cut each apple into quarters.
Throw all of your apples in the crockpot, and add 1 tsp of liquid Stevia.
While adding the 1 tsp of Cinnamon to the crockpot with one hand, try taking a picture of it with the other hand, so that your picture looks like this. Nice and shaky.
Now, add the yummy 1/8 tsp of Ground Cloves.
Pour 1 1/2-2 Cups of water into the crockpot. You’ll need enough water so that the crockpot is half full of water. It doesn’t need to cover all of the apples.
Put the lid on the crockpot and turnn on “Hi” for 5-6 hours, or on “Low” for 9-10 hrs.
After a few hours of allowing the apples to cook, I use a hand potato masher and squish the apples every hour or so. Add more water if necessary.
The applesauce is finished when it’s still a bit chunky but has the consistency of, well, applesauce. Serve warm or cold. You can freeze half for later or eat it all in one sitting. (Although, I will warn you that since the peels are on these apples, you can over-apple. If you know what I mean.)
This No Fuss, No Sugar Applesauce is so tasty that you’ll feel like you’re indulging each time you eat it-you can even trick the wee ones into eating their daily dose of fruit.
I hope you enjoy this spicy No Fuss, No Sugar Applesauce as much as we do. And boy howdy, do we ever enjoy it.
- 10-13 Apples (I had Gala's on hand in the freezer)
- 1 tsp liquid Stevia or to taste (you can add more later)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp Ground Cloves
- 1½-2 Cups Water
- Crockpot
- Wash, core and quarter each apple. (Leave the peels on.)
- Add the apples to the crockpot.
- Add the spices.
- Pour the water over the top until crockpot is half full of water.
- Turn the crockpot to "Hi" for 5-6 hrs, or on "Low" for 9-10 hrs.
- Use a hand potato masher after the apples have cooked for several hours to mush them up a bit. Do this every hour or so.
- Serve warm or cold.
I’ve decided this fall, now that I’ve done it both in the crockpot and the stove, that I’m only going to make applesauce in a crockpot from now on. My name is Katie and I would love to invite you to link up to the Fall Into the Holidays seasonal blog hop!
http://redcrowgreencrow.wordpress.com/2012/10/14/fall-into-the-holidays-5/
Katie @ Horrific Knits
Katie-
Thanks for the invite! I’m in!
This looks so good and easy! I love the smell of cinnamon and apples and I love applesauce. If you get a chance come link up your recipe at my Pin Party.
http://sarahdawndesigns.blogspot.com/2012/10/pintastic-monday-link-party-13.html#.UHx5Wa4-WnA
Sarah-
Thanks! Will do!!!
Love this a lot! Thanks for sharing it in the Mommy Club. I’m featuring you on my Facebook wall!
Have a super week!
Crystal
Yum!!! very tasty sounding apple sauce!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
Love crockpot applesauce! Thanks for the reminder that I need to do this really soon 🙂
What kind of stevia do you use in this?
Yolanda-
I use a liquid Stevia from Whole Foods. It’s their store brand. Hope this helps!
Yes, it does. Thanks!
well, looks like a mom’s staple! Mine is simpler even with just apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The apples are so sweet here, no need for sugar…
Rose-
Jealous! I just use a little Stevia to make sure the sweet tooth hubby likes it. I think I could get by without sugar, too!
Sounds super easy! And I LOVE that you don’t have to peel the apples.
I have a question for you though and this may sound dumb because I’ve never made applesauce before. 🙂
My kids don’t like chunky applesauce so I am thinking I can just use an immersion blender to make it a little less chunky. But do you know how the skins would fair if I try to go for less chunky applesauce? Do you think it would work?
Thanks! And thanks so much for linking up!
Ashley
http://www.simplydesigning.blogspot.com
I’m sure you could use a blender to make the applesauce smooth. If you really want to ensure that it’s super smooth, I would then recommend peeling the apples. Or you could tell them that you are the mom and they’d better like it the way you made it or get nothing. That’s what my mom would have done-and she’s pretty awesome….
I have some stevia…great idea to make applesauce with it. I like your seasoning. Thanks for sharing your recipe on foodie friday.
[…] what I’ll be doing this morning? I will be showing how to make No Sugar, No Fuss Applesauce LIVE on Fox23′s “Great Day, Green […]