Old Fashioned Granny Smith Applesauce

By
Giora Shimoni
Giora Shimoni
A kosher food enthusiast and home cook with hundreds of published recipes, Giora Shimoni has worked in online publishing for over 20 years.
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Updated on 03/8/22
Granny Smith Applesauce
© Miri Rotkovitz
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Although something as simple as applesauce might seem easy to make, it takes some trial and error to find the perfect consistency and sweetness. Because it's one of the first solid foods that is given to babies, applesauce also speaks of motherly love and beautiful memories.

We present here both a quick version and the original one in which the peels and cores of apples are used in the cooking process.

This dish is simple and can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. Serve it with roasted pork or turkey, add it on bran muffins or vanilla pound cake, or eat it by the spoonful with some granola.

Ingredients

  • 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

  • 1/2 cup apple juice

  • Cinnamon, to taste

  • Sugar, to taste

  • 3 whole cloves

  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, or to taste, optional

  • 2 cups water, optional

Steps to Make It

QUICK VERSION

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the apple slices and apple juice or water.

  3. Place over medium-high heat and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the apples begin to release their juices and the mixture starts to simmer.

  4. Add the cloves, reduce the heat, and cover.

  5. Simmer, stirring frequently and crushing the apples with a spatula, until the fruit is tender and the mixture is chunky, for roughly 15 to 20 minutes. If you prefer a smoother applesauce, cook it a little longer, and add a 1/4 extra liquid, juice or water.

  6. Remove from heat, discard the cloves, and sweeten to taste with cinnamon and sugar.

  7. Stir in dried cranberries, if using.

  8. Serve warm, or transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator. 

  9. Enjoy!

ORIGINAL VERSION

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the apple peels in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with water.

  3. Cook over medium heat until the peels are soft and the water is the color of apple juice, for about 15 to 20 minutes.

  4. Working over a bowl, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Save the liquid in the bowl, and discard the peels and cores.

  5. In the original saucepan or Dutch oven, place enough of the "apple liquid" to barely cover the sliced apples.

  6. Add the cloves.

  7. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the apples are tender and the sauce is chunky. For a smoother sauce, add more of the apple liquid or water and cook longer.

  8. Discard the cloves, and add cinnamon and sugar to taste.

  9. Add dried cranberries, if desired. 

  10. Serve warm, or transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator. 

  11. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Follow these quick tips to help achieve a wonderful applesauce:

  • If you make the original version of this recipe, it's a good idea to remove the seeds from the apple cores. Otherwise, the apple juice may turn out bitter. 
  • While the recipe calls for Granny Smith apples, feel free to substitute your favorite multi-purpose apples or to use a mix of varieties. Sweet-tart apples such as Pink Lady, Cameo, Braeburn, or Jonagold work well. 
  • The original recipe suggested adding cinnamon and sugar to taste before cooking, however, it is easier to adjust the sweetness once the apples have already broken down into a sauce. 
  • Water will work nicely if you don't have apple juice at hand.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
111 Calories
0g Fat
26g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 111
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 6mg 30%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 218mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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