Crockpot Applesauce With Brown Sugar (No Chopping!)

This crockpot applesauce with brown sugar starts with whole apples, so there’s no chopping required. Peel and core them, add them to your slow cooker with brown sugar, cinnamon, water and lemon juice, then let them cook until they’re soft enough to mash.

I’ve made this applesauce by the truckload every fall for years, but I recently tested something I couldn’t stop wondering about: Do I actually need to chop the apples first? Turns out, I don’t! I left them whole, cooked them on high for five hours without stirring and mashed them right in the crockpot. That’s how I’ll be making it from now on.

My teen has called this the “best applesauce he has ever eaten in his life,” and a batch rarely lasts more than two days in our fridge. If you have even more apples to use, my homemade apple cider is another favorite that starts with whole apples!

Why This Recipe Works

• You can skip the chopping. Peeled, cored apples soften in the slow cooker until you can mash them right in the pot. Cutting them into little pieces first is unnecessary.
• No stirring during cooking. I tested the whole-apple method with the lid on for five hours on high. There’s no need to keep coming back to check and stir.
• Brown sugar and cinnamon make it special. This is a sweet, cinnamon-forward applesauce, with brown sugar adding a richer flavor than white sugar.
• You control the texture. Use a potato masher for a rustic applesauce with some soft apple pieces, or keep mashing for a smoother consistency.
• It puts a big batch of apples to use. I like using a mix of varieties, making this a practical recipe for an apple-orchard haul or apples already sitting in the fruit bowl.
• It fits into real life. Start it earlier in the day for a dinner side or afternoon snack. I also love making it on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning so the house smells like apples and cinnamon when guests arrive.

Slow Cooker Applesauce Ingredients

You don’t need perfectly matched apples or an exact weight for this recipe. I use about 10–12 medium apples, and a little variation in size or quantity is completely fine.

Apples: Use whatever varieties you have on hand. Honeycrisp, Gala, Pink Lady, Jonagold and Granny Smith are all good options. I like combining sweet and tart apples for a more rounded flavor. Peel and core them, but leave them whole. There’s no need to chop!

I use a peeler that makes spiral cuts, but I leave each apple together rather than chopping it into separate pieces.

Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds sweetness and a light molasses flavor that pairs beautifully with the apples and cinnamon. If your apples are especially sweet, or you prefer less-sweet applesauce, reduce the amount. You can always stir in more after cooking and tasting.

Cinnamon: One tablespoon gives this applesauce a pronounced cinnamon flavor. Use less if you prefer a milder batch, then add more to taste after cooking.

Water: Add the water before cooking to provide moisture as the whole apples begin to soften. Keep it at 1 cup even if your apples vary a little in size.

Lemon juice: Once the peeled, cored apples are in the crockpot, drizzle the lemon juice over them to help keep them from browning before cooking begins. No lemon-water soak needed! If I don’t have a lemon handy, I use a squirt or two of fresh orange juice instead. Both work great.

How to Make Crockpot Applesauce with Brown Sugar

Best Apples for Applesauce

My favorite applesauce starts with a mix of sweet and tart apples. You get a more rounded apple flavor, and it’s a great way to use whatever varieties you brought home from the orchard.

• For sweetness: Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp.
• For tartness: Granny Smith, McIntosh or Ida Red.
• For a balance of sweet and tart: Pink Lady, Braeburn or Jonagold.

There’s no perfect combination you need to track down. Use one variety or mix several together. The important part is cooking the apples until they’re soft enough to mash easily. Firmer varieties may need a little extra time.

If you use mostly sweet apples, you can reduce the brown sugar. With a tart batch, taste after mashing before deciding whether to add more.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Let tenderness guide you. My whole apples were ready after 5 hours on high, but apple size, variety and your slow cooker can affect the timing. They should collapse easily when pressed with a potato masher.
• Choose your texture. I use a potato masher right in the crockpot. Mash lightly for chunky applesauce or more thoroughly for a smoother batch. For a very smooth consistency, carefully use an immersion blender, keeping the blade submerged to prevent hot splashes.
• Adjust sweetness after cooking. Reduce or omit the brown sugar if you prefer. Once the apples are mashed, taste before adding more. Naturally sweet apples are especially good for an applesauce with no added sugar.
• Go lightly with extra spices. For more warmth, try ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg or allspice, or a small pinch of ground cloves. Add one at a time and taste before adding more.
• Add vanilla at the end. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract after mashing for a subtle flavor that complements the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Apple Butter vs Applesauce

Applesauce is cooked until the apples are soft enough to mash. Apple butter cooks longer so more moisture evaporates, creating a thicker, more concentrated spread.

Despite its name, apple butter doesn’t contain butter! I use applesauce as a snack or side dish and homemade apple butter for spreading on toast, pancakes and waffles.

Can You Use This Applesauce in Baking?

Yes, but keep in mind that this applesauce contains brown sugar and plenty of cinnamon, so it will add sweetness and spice to whatever you’re making.

Use it in recipes that call for applesauce, such as muffins, quick breads and cakes. If the recipe specifies unsweetened applesauce, omit the brown sugar. You may also want to reduce or omit the cinnamon depending on the flavors in your baked goods. For replacing oil, butter or eggs, follow a recipe with tested applesauce substitutions.

How to Serve Homemade Applesauce

In our house, this applesauce rarely lasts long enough to need a plan! Here are a few ways to enjoy it:

• As a snack: Serve warm straight from the crockpot or chilled from the fridge.
• With pork: Pair it with pan-fried pork chops or pulled pork sandwiches.
• For an easy family dinner: Serve alongside chicken tenders or sloppy joes.
• On the holiday table: Add a bowl alongside holiday ham or turkey.
• For breakfast or dessert: Spoon it over oatmeal, stir it into plain yogurt or serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to chop apples for crockpot applesauce?

No! I cook peeled, cored apples without chopping them into separate pieces. After about 5 hours on high, they’re soft enough to mash directly in the crockpot.

Can you make crockpot applesauce without brown sugar?

Yes. Omit the brown sugar for applesauce with no added sugar. Use naturally sweet apple varieties, then taste after cooking and mashing to decide whether it needs any sweetener.

How to Store Homemade Applesauce

• Refrigerator: Divide the applesauce into small, shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Store covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Once chilled, transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving room for expansion. Freeze in portions for up to 4 months for best quality.
• Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then stir before serving. Enjoy chilled or gently reheat for warm applesauce.

More Apple Recipes to Try

• For dessert, try my crockpot apple crisp with whole apples, served warm with oat crumble and vanilla ice cream.
• For another way to use apples without chopping, make overnight apple oatmeal. The apples soften alongside steel-cut oats and get mashed in before serving.
• Instant Pot Apple Cider: Another way to put whole apples to work, with citrus and warm spices.
• Instant Pot Apple Pie Filling: Make a batch for your next pie or freeze some for later.
• Apple Carrot Cake Muffins: A favorite for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
• Instant Pot Pork and Apples: Bring those fall apples to the dinner table.
• Apple Pie Bars: All those apple-pie flavors in a dessert you can slice and share.

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