Looking for a way to enjoy the sweet, comforting taste of homemade applesauce all year round? This comprehensive guide to applesauce canning will show you exactly how to preserve that delicious flavor, ensuring you have wholesome goodness ready for snacks, baking, and more, without relying on store-bought alternatives.

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Key Ingredients for Applesauce Canning

Apples: 4-5 pounds, a mix of sweet and tart varieties (such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala for sweetness; Granny Smith or McIntosh for tartness)
Water: 1/4 cup (optional, for thinning if needed)
Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons (freshly squeezed is best, or bottled)
Sugar: 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup (optional, adjust to your sweetness preference)
Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon (optional, for added flavor)
Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon (optional, for a touch of warmth)
For Canning:
- Jars: Clean, sterilized Mason jars (pint or quart size)
- Lids and Rings: New, clean canning lids and bands
- Canning Pot (Water Bath Canner): Large pot with a rack for holding jars
- Jar Lifter
- Ladle
- Canning Funnel
- Bubble Remover/Headspace Tool
- Clean Towels

How to Make Applesauce Canning

This applesauce canning recipe is incredibly straightforward, making it a rewarding kitchen project for beginners and experienced canners alike. The beauty lies in its simplicity – transforming fresh, seasonal apples into a smooth, naturally sweet treat that’s perfect for any occasion. With just a few hours of your time, you’ll have jars of delicious applesauce ready to grace your pantry. Preparation time: Approximately 1 hour hands-on, plus canning time.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Apples: Wash your apples thoroughly. You can choose to peel and core them, or for a slightly less refined but equally delicious texture, leave the peels and cores on for cooking and strain them out later. Cut the apples into uniform chunks.
Cook the Apples: Place the apple chunks in a large pot. If you’re not using particularly juicy apples and want to ensure they start cooking without sticking, add about 1/4 cup of water.
Add Flavorings: Stir in the lemon juice (this helps prevent browning and adds brightness), and your optional sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg if desired. The lemon juice is crucial for both flavor and preserving the bright color of the applesauce during processing.
Simmer Until Tender: Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let the apples cook, stirring occasionally, until they are very tender and easily pierced with a fork. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
Mash or Blend: Once tender, you have a few options for texture. For chunky applesauce, simply mash the apples with a potato masher directly in the pot. For smoother applesauce, carefully transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. If you left the skins on, you can also press the cooked apples through a food mill to separate the pulp from the skins and cores. If the applesauce seems too thick, you can stir in a little extra water or apple juice until you reach your desired consistency.
Prepare for Canning: While the apples are cooking, prepare your canning equipment. Wash your jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Sterilize your jars by boiling them in water for at least 10 minutes or running them through a hot cycle in your dishwasher. Keep the jars hot until ready to fill. Heat your lids in warm (not boiling) water – follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Heat the Applesauce: Return the mashed or puréed applesauce to a clean pot and heat it gently until hot, but not boiling. This step is crucial for ensuring the applesauce is hot when it goes into the hot jars.
Fill the Jars: Using a ladle and a canning funnel, carefully fill each hot, sterilized jar with the hot applesauce, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace (the space between the top of the applesauce and the rim of the jar). Remove air bubbles by sliding a non-metallic spatula or bubble remover tool around the inside of the jar.
Wipe Rims and Seal: Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue. This ensures a good seal. Place a new lid on each jar and screw on the bands fingertip tight. Do not overtighten.
Process in Water Bath Canner: Carefully place the filled jars onto the rack in your water bath canner, ensuring they are upright and not touching each other. Add enough hot water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Adjust Processing Time: Once the water is at a rolling boil, start your timer. The processing time depends on your altitude and jar size. For pint jars at altitudes below 1,000 feet, process for 15 minutes. For quart jars, process for 20 minutes. Adjust times according to canning guidelines for your specific altitude.
Cool and Check Seals: After processing, turn off the heat and carefully remove the canner lid. Let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them using a jar lifter. Place the jars on a towel-lined surface, leaving at least 1 inch of space between them, and let them cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You will hear popping sounds as the lids seal. Once completely cool, check each lid by pressing down on the center. If the lid does not flex up and down, it’s sealed.

Why You’ll Love This Applesauce Canning

You’ll fall in love with the pure, unadulterated taste of homemade applesauce that applesauce canning provides. Unlike store-bought versions that can sometimes be overly sweet or have a less-than-ideal texture, this recipe delivers a naturally sweet, comforting flavor profile with a wonderfully smooth consistency – a feeling akin to a warm hug in a bowl, similar to how a perfectly baked apple pie makes you feel. The most significant advantage? The immense cost savings and satisfaction of preserving your own harvest or taking advantage of seasonal sales, ensuring you have a healthy, wholesome snack accessible year-round.

Imagine the delight of opening a jar filled with your carefully preserved applesauce, ready to be enjoyed as is, spooned over pancakes, or incorporated into your favorite baking recipes. This is a culinary tradition that’s not only economical but also incredibly rewarding, allowing you to control the ingredients and avoid unnecessary additives. Give applesauce canning a try and experience the unparalleled joy of stocking your pantry with homemade goodness that will be a staple for months to come.

Storing and Reheating Tips

Properly stored, your applesauce canning creations can last for up to 12-18 months on your pantry shelf. Ensure that the lids have sealed properly; unsealed jars should be refrigerated and consumed within a week. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark, dry place, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.

Before sealing, if you have any extra applesauce that you don’t plan to can immediately or find that some jars haven’t sealed, store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer shelf life without canning, freezing is an excellent option. Allow the applesauce to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a little headspace for expansion. Frozen applesauce will maintain its quality for up to 6-8 months. To reheat refrigerated or thawed applesauce, simply warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until it reaches your desired temperature.

Applesauce Canning

This comprehensive guide to applesauce canning will show you exactly how to preserve that delicious flavor, ensuring you have wholesome goodness ready for snacks, baking, and more, without relying on store-bought alternatives.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 20

Cooling Time 24

Course: Dessert, Preserves

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

4-5 pounds apples a mix of sweet and tart varieties (such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala for sweetness; Granny Smith or McIntosh for tartness)
1/4 cup water optional, for thinning if needed
2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed is best, or bottled
1/4 cup sugar optional, adjust to your sweetness preference
1 teaspoon cinnamon optional, for added flavor
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional, for a touch of warmth

For Canning

Clean, sterilized Mason jars pint or quart size
New, clean canning lids and bands

Equipment

Mason jars
Canning Pot (Water Bath Canner)
Jar Lifter
Ladle
Canning Funnel
Bubble remover/headspace tool
Potato masher
Blender
Food processor
Food Mill

Method

Wash your apples thoroughly. You can choose to peel and core them, or for a slightly less refined but equally delicious texture, leave the peels and cores on for cooking and strain them out later. Cut the apples into uniform chunks.
4-5 pounds apples
Place the apple chunks in a large pot. If you’re not using particularly juicy apples and want to ensure they start cooking without sticking, add about 1/4 cup of water.
4-5 pounds apples, 1/4 cup water
Stir in the lemon juice (this helps prevent browning and adds brightness), and your optional sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg if desired. The lemon juice is crucial for both flavor and preserving the bright color of the applesauce during processing.
4-5 pounds apples, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let the apples cook, stirring occasionally, until they are very tender and easily pierced with a fork. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
4-5 pounds apples
Once tender, you have a few options for texture. For chunky applesauce, simply mash the apples with a potato masher directly in the pot. For smoother applesauce, carefully transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. If you left the skins on, you can also press the cooked apples through a food mill to separate the pulp from the skins and cores. If the applesauce seems too thick, you can stir in a little extra water or apple juice until you reach your desired consistency.
While the apples are cooking, prepare your canning equipment. Wash your jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Sterilize your jars by boiling them in water for at least 10 minutes or running them through a hot cycle in your dishwasher. Keep the jars hot until ready to fill. Heat your lids in warm (not boiling) water – follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Clean, sterilized Mason jars, New, clean canning lids and bands
Return the mashed or puréed applesauce to a clean pot and heat it gently until hot, but not boiling. This step is crucial for ensuring the applesauce is hot when it goes into the hot jars.
Using a ladle and a canning funnel, carefully fill each hot, sterilized jar with the hot applesauce, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace (the space between the top of the applesauce and the rim of the jar). Remove air bubbles by sliding a non-metallic spatula or bubble remover tool around the inside of the jar.
Clean, sterilized Mason jars
Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue. This ensures a good seal. Place a new lid on each jar and screw on the bands fingertip tight. Do not overtighten.
New, clean canning lids and bands
Carefully place the filled jars onto the rack in your water bath canner, ensuring they are upright and not touching each other. Add enough hot water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Clean, sterilized Mason jars
Once the water is at a rolling boil, start your timer. The processing time depends on your altitude and jar size. For pint jars at altitudes below 1,000 feet, process for 15 minutes. For quart jars, process for 20 minutes. Adjust times according to canning guidelines for your specific altitude.
After processing, turn off the heat and carefully remove the canner lid. Let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them using a jar lifter. Place the jars on a towel-lined surface, leaving at least 1 inch of space between them, and let them cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You will hear popping sounds as the lids seal. Once completely cool, check each lid by pressing down on the center. If the lid does not flex up and down, it’s sealed.
Clean, sterilized Mason jars

Notes

Properly stored, your applesauce canning creations can last for up to 12-18 months on your pantry shelf. Ensure that the lids have sealed properly; unsealed jars should be refrigerated and consumed within a week. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark, dry place. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.