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An easy and delicious recipe for homemade small batch Crock-Pot applesauce that makes just 24 ounces. If you are cooking for two, this recipe is perfect!
Apple picking in the fall is a cherished seasonal activity that captures the very essence of the season. As the leaves on the trees begin to turn shades of red, russet, and yellow, orchards everywhere come alive with the promise of crisp, juicy fresh apples waiting to be plucked from the branches. I’ve been apple picking a few times, most recently with my family at an apple orchard in Plain City, OH called The Orchard and Co.
Honeycrisp Apples
The apples were quite small, but firm and tasty. When I was deciding what to do with all the apples we picked, one of the first things that came to mind was to make my own homemade version of applesauce. Since my family was visiting, I made a big batch, and it was delicious. It was a great way to use all the extra apples. It was so good that I wanted to make it again, but the second time around I needed a much smaller amount. So I started experimenting, and came up with this recipe for homemade small batch crockpot applesauce. It took a few tries to get the ingredients correct, but it was definitely worth the time and effort! For the small batch version, I used Honeycrisp apples again, but they were the larger apples found at the grocery store. It was equally delicious as that first big batch made with smaller apples.
Why This Recipe Works
This easy recipe for a small batch of delicious applesauce has simple ingredients, and makes about 3 cups of applesauce, or 24 ounces. It’s a great side dish, or healthy snack. The day I finally got it right, my husband and I had a helping each with our dinner, and there was enough left over to fill a 16 ounce mason jar. The perfect, small batch amount.
Best Apples for Making Applesauce
What type of apple you use to make homemade applesauce is a personal preference. When it comes to picking an apple variety, there are many to choose from. Here are just a few kinds of apples that make the best applesauce:
- Gala
- Fuji
- Golden Delicious
- McIntosh
- Braeburn
- Rome
- Granny Smith apples
- Pink Lady
How To Make
- Peel, core, and slice the apples.
- Place the apples in a 3 or 4 quart slow cooker.
- Add the lemon juice, and stir so apples are coated.
- Add white sugar, light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water.
- Mix together. Place one or two cinnamon sticks on top.
- Cook for 2 1/2 hours on high.
- When done, remove the cinnamon stick(s) and stir the apples well. They will break up easily.
- Store in mason jars or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Crockpot Applesauce Tips
- I used a 4 quart oval crockpot to cook this small batch applesauce. If you want to make more than 24 ounces, simply double the recipe. There should be plenty of room in the crockpot.
- When this easy applesauce recipe is finished cooking, it works very well to simply stir it for a few minutes with a large spoon. This results in a slightly chunky applesauce. For a smoother consistency, an immersion blender or a potato masher can be used.
- The white sugar and brown sugar amounts can be adjusted, but make sure your total amount of sugar equals 6 tablespoons.
A Lovely Gift
I believe that a gift presented in a mason jar has its own particular charm…and this slow cooker applesauce recipe proves my point! These fluted 16 ounce mason jars (pictured above) are relatively new, and they have the prettiest shape. Add a free printable fall gift tag, and you have a lovely gift that celebrates apple season. It comes straight from your kitchen…and your heart.
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Homemade Small Batch Crockpot Applesauce
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. Honeycrisp apples (about 4 large apples)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Instructions
- Peel, core, and slice the apples.
- Place the apples in a 3 or 4 quart slow cooker.
- Add the lemon juice, and stir so apples are coated.
- Add white sugar, brown sugar, and water.
- Mix together. Place cinnamon stick on top.
- Cook for 2 1/2 hours on high.
- When done, remove the cinnamon stick and stir the apples well. They will break up easily.
- Store in mason jars in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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I made the Small Batch Applesauce and love it. It’s perfect as are so many of your recipes. I love that they don’t require ingredients that I don’t normally have on hand.
I’ve made this recipe before. Really like the ease and taste of Of making this applesauce recipe.
Dear Ann, this is a first for me, but I just wanted you to know how much I have enjoyed your recipes, and particularly the small batch applesauce recipe. I had made it a few times for just my husband and me and then for our grown children and grandchildren. Then I volunteered to make it with our grandson’s pre-kindergarten class last week. I multiplied the ingredients by four and practiced before the big day. It turned out great, and the teacher and class were delighted. We began the process at eight, and we were ladling it up by 12:45. I used McIntosh and Granny Smith because they were the ones that looked best at our market. We passed along the recipe so you may have some new fans. I just wanted to let you know how much this was enjoyed and appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Jan…thank you so much for taking the time to share about the applesauce! I love that you were able to visit your grandson’s class. I’m so happy it all turned out OK. Happy Fall!
My mother always used Paula Reds for her applesauce. The produce manager at a nearby IGA store would call her when he received a delivery of Paula Reds. So sweet of him. My mother made her own applesauce up until her passing last October at the age of 90. As she got older she would freeze it in storage bags rather then canning, as she did when she was younger. I sure miss her!
My grandchildren are coming for the weekend in late September. This will be a fantastic activity to do with them! We will celebrate autumn and I’m sure the house will smell fabulous. Thanks for the find on the mason jars. They’re beautiful.
Made a double batch with this recipe. VERY popular with the family. And the house smelled so good while cooking. I will definitely make this again! Thanks Ann!
Ann, I made your recipe with Honeycrisp apples from our trees. I made about a double batch and it is delicious! Saved some for our evening meal and the rest I put up in canning jars. While sitting on the counter, they sealed on their own (no hot water bath needed) My hubby just loves it too! He has raided the jars. We love the chunkiness of the apples. Wonderful recipe Ann !
Thanks.
Made this yesterday, it was FABULOUS! Heading back to the store to get more apples, I’ll never be able to have store bought applesauce again. Thank you for another great recipe.
Ann that sound delicious! I’m making it tomorrow. 🤤
Thank you for this applesauce for 2 recipe. I normally fill my slow cooker with at least 3 different types of apples, and then freeze batches every year. This will be so much easier.
Hi Ann, this looks delicious! I have apples from our own young tree I would like to use for this but they are kind of small and I’ll have to cut away some bad spots from them. Do you have a weight or cup measurement on how much apple you had from the 4 large (2 to 2-1/2 lbs.) apples please?
Hi Shannon…I just sliced an apple. It filled a 1 cup liquid measurer to the brim. I packed it down as best I could. For this recipe, I actually weighed my apples, so if you have a kitchen scale, that would work too. Enjoy!
It’s meaning present. You completed all steps from picking apples, cooking, and packaging. I haven’t got the cinnamon stick, can I use cinnamon powder? But I don’t know how to remove it after applesauce is done.
I always use powdered cinnamon to taste, at the end. I have an elderly aunt who can’t have cinnamon, so for her, I add a little more brown sugar.
Hi! If you add ground cinnamon, it will have to be stirred into the applesauce…and it will have a stronger cinnamon taste. I’m sure it would be delicious!