You’ve picked your apples, but now what to do with them? Well, after you make your apple pie (or a new variation of it), we suggest a chunky cinnamon slow cooker applesauce. Not only is this one of the easiest dishes you’ll ever make, but the smell alone will be enough to turn fall into your favourite season.
Before we give you our go-to recipe, we have a few secrets to share:
1. Soft apples make for a quicker applesauce—they cook faster since they don’t have to soften as much.
2. Didn’t go apple-picking and only have an old bag sitting in the corner of the pantry? Perfect. Once you cook the apples, you won’t notice the difference in texture.
3. We love a chunky sauce, but if smooth is more your style, use an immersion blender after you’re done cooking.
The type of apples you use will determine just how sweet your sauce will be. According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s guide, this is how your choice will impact your sauce:
Tart
Idared (firm)
Braeburn (firm)
Semi-sweet
Empire (semi-firm)
Jonagold (firm)
Spartan (semi-firm)
McIntosh (soft)
Sweet
Crispin’ (semi-firm)
Golden Delicious (soft)
Fuji (firm)
Gala (firm)
Northern Spy (firm)
The best part about this recipe is that you can customize it any way you want—leave the peels on your apples for a pretty pink hue, use a mixture of soft and firm apples for a semi-chunky texture, or sweeten it up with a little brown sugar.
We only have one rule: for every 6 apples, use ½ cup of liquid.
No-Fail Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce
9 apples (variety of choice)
3/4 cup apple cider or water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1. Peel (or don’t), core, and chop apples, making sure all pieces are about 1- to 2-inches.
2. Add chopped apples, apple cider, cinnamon sticks, lemon juice, and lemon zest to your slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (3 hours for softer apples). Remove the cinnamon stick, cool, and store. Makes about 5 cups.
So, how are you going to eat it all? Applesauce is more than just a delicious snack—add a big spoonful to your morning oatmeal, serve it alongside a pork roast or latkes, use it in baking, or add it to a peanut butter sandwich (you’ll thank us later).
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