Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
It’s finally here. Time to admit that fall has arrived. I can’t possibly continue to be stubborn about this any longer. The days are cooling down, pumpkin spice latte’s are calling my name, and we went apple picking. Apple picking is NOT a summer activity. So I’m caving. And this non-coffee-drinking-girl is going to get a pumpkin spice latte ASAP!
Making your own applesauce is really simple. Hubby and I don’t eat applesauce except during the fall when I make huge batches on the weekends. I usually make cranberry applesauce because I love the combination of apples and cranberries. But this year I wanted to try out a new recipe. This applesauce is very cinnamony and delicious. And I made it extra thick! I love eating it warm. Makes me think of apple pie. Especially when you top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
While I’m talking about apples, do you have one of these apple peeler, corer, slicer things? They’re AWESOME. It’s one of two uni-tasker we allow in the Beantown Baker kitchen (the other is the garlic press). Hubby really enjoys using this contraption partially because it’s fun to use and partially because he knows he’ll get more apple goodies if he helps out. If you have one in the back of your cabinet collecting dust, I recommend pulling it out while it’s apple season!
One Year Ago: Garlic Naan and Chicken Tikka Masala
Four Years Ago: The Cone Method
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
Yield: Makes ~3 cups
Ingredients:
6 apples, peeled and cored
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup water
Directions:
Cut the apples into large chunks and put them in a heavy pot over medium heat; add the brown sugar, salt, lemon juice, cinnamon and water.
Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the apples are extremely soft and mushy.
Using a potato masher or fork, mash the apples together until you have an applesauce-like consistency.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
How cool! These look delicious!
This totally takes me back to childhood. We ALWAYS used fresh rhubarb from our backyard to make yummy breakfast treats!
I think I will have to make these for my parents next time they visit. They will LOVE them!
Those look amazing! I’m always on the lookout for new rhubarb recipes, the season for it is so short in Western Ma, that I tend to buy WAY too much and stick in the freezer..
I have never had rhubarb before, but these look great!
They’re so pretty – I love family recipes!
I never know what to do with Rhubard, but these looks awesome!
divine. i want one. right now. pretty please?? 🙂
I love your recipes, lactose free and awesome, I will def. have to try this. Ps. we should team up and do something lactose free together in solidarity!
Thanks everyone – seriously if you have rhubarb hanging around. Make these. You won’t regret it.
I’m a little lost. The ingredients list mentions 5 c. rhubarb (and you break it into 3 c. for the filling and 2 c. for the sauce) but I don’t see in the step-by-step instructions when/where/how the 2 c. of rhubarb are used. Please help!
Thanks!
alexandjess – thanks for catching my mistake. I added the instructions about the sauce into the post, but you make the sauce by boiling 2 cups cut rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/3 cups water. The rhubarb for the sauce can be cut in large chunks because it all falls apart anyways.
Your sisters made the rhubarb rolls and stuffed dates yesterday for our Memorial Day cookout. They were delicious!!!! Can’t wait to have another piece tonight for desert. I have a new recipe for potato salad that is delish….let me know if you want me to pass on.
i made these tonight and they went awry for a series of reasons that were my fault and won’t go all into…. one thing i did though was use half rhubarb and half strawberries, which sounded delish but i didn’t cut the sugar enough and i think that also made things more watery. my question though, is whether by ‘shortening’ you specifically mean something like crisco or whether you just mean butter or margarine or anything like that. i used butter and didn’t see how i could get away with a little ‘stirring’ before rolling. i tried to cut it in with a pastry blender, but in the end maybe that was too much action for the dough as it seemed a little gummy after cooking….
i’d appreciate any advice!
natasha – I use Crisco for the dough. I think that’s what my dad always uses as well. Hopefully that is what caused the gumminess. Sorry they didn’t turn out for you.
My family has been making these for years. I have used butter or margarine to cut into the flour mixture for the dough and have never had a problem. I always roll my dough out into a rectangle and when I cut the rolls they NEVER look as neat as the ones you have pictured! I have added strawberries but only in the sauce. My mom liked to add red food coloring to make it look more rosy. We bake for 20 minutes before pouring on the sauce and then another 20 minutes. I have to make it every spring in honor of my mom.
my grandma recipe calls thesr soringtime rollypoly, and can ad what ever frozen berries you have , frozen is the least messy
sorry thats springtime rollypolly