Slow Cooker Applesauce is quick & easy to make at home, with no added sugar required. All you need is a few simple ingredients and it tastes better than any store-bought version!
Prepare the apples by peeling them and removing their cores, stems, and seeds. (Use an apple corer & divider to save time after peeling.) Cut them into 1-inch pieces to promote even cooking. Note: You can skip peeling the apples if you plan to puree them in the blender later.
Place the cut apples, water, and ground cinnamon in the bowl of your slow cooker. Cover with the lid and set the machine to cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Stir halfway through the cooking time, if possible.
When the apples are done cooking, they should be very soft and tender, and easily pierced with a fork. Use a potato masher to mash the apples until they are relatively smooth, with a lightly chunky texture. For a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker to blend until smooth.
Let the applesauce cool, then transfer to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze applesauce for up to 3 months, if you'd like to make a larger batch.
Notes
Nutrition information is for roughly a 1/4 cup of applesauce, assuming you get 2 1/2 cups total from this recipe. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
My favorite apples to use for applesauce are Honeycrisp because they taste so delicious! The resulting applesauce reminds me of fruit compote that you could literally spoon warm over a scoop of ice cream for dessert. But any other variety of apple you love will work for this recipe, too.