How to Can Homemade Applesauce

Applesauce in 3 pint jars on a cutting board with red apples

Learn how to make your own homemade applesauce in this easy fall canning recipe! This sugar optional homemade applesauce is a great way to use up fresh apples! Enjoy it as a snack or use it to make dessert and more.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Cooling Time 12

Total Time 13 10

Servings ½ cup servings (Makes 6 pint or 3 Quart Jars)

Calories 84kcal

Author Marisa Moore

Ingredients

7 ½ to 10½ pounds apples (about 22 to 32 medium)
Ball® Fruit-Fresh® Produce Protector
1 to 1 ½ cups water
1 ¾ to 2½ cups sugar (optional)
3 tablespoon bottled lemon juice

Instructions

Wash apples under cold running water; drain. Remove stem and blossom ends. Peel if desired. Cut into quarters. Treat with Fruit-Fresh to prevent darkening.
Drain apple quarters. Combine apples and water in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until soft, stirring to prevent sticking. Remove from heat. Purée mixture using an electric food strainer or food mill to remove peels and seeds. Return apple pulp to saucepan. Add sugar, if desired, and lemon juice, stirring until dissolved. Bring applesauce to a boil (212°F), stirring to prevent sticking. Maintain temperature at a boil while filling jars.
Ladle hot applesauce into a hot jar, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Clean jar rim. Center lid on the jar and adjust the band to fingertip-tight. Place the jar on the rack elevated over simmering water (180°F) in a boiling water canner, repeat until all jars are filled.
Lower the rack into simmering water. Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint or quart jars for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool for 5 minutes. Remove jars from the canner; do not retighten the bands if loose. Cool 12 hours. Test seals. Label and store jars.

Notes

Eliminate the sugar for sugar free applesauce. Yes. The sugar in this recipe is optional.
Chunky Applesauce: Coarsely crush half of the cooked apples and purée the other half; combine mixtures. Process as for applesauce.
Don’t start counting the time until all jars are in and the water starts to boil. So, in this case, 20 minutes from when the water in the canner starts to boil.

Nutrition