There’s two reasons you should consider making your own applesauce. First, because it’s mind-blowingly good (and easy).
I promise you, if you’re thinking applesauce falls into the “just okay” department of delicious foods, then clearly you’ve never tried a freshly-made batch! Homemade sauces absolutely burst with juicy flavor, and are a wonderfully comforting way to eat nutritious whole fruits during the colder seasons.
Second, you can customize your blend to no end! Of course there’s the fun traditional riffs, like adding a little cinnamon or maple, but I like to stir in superfoods to create playful variations that are excitingly rich in healing micronutrients, and unusually flavorful. These make a thoughtful, special party favor for seasonal gatherings, or you can simply enjoy the gift that keeps on giving all to yourself!
Superfruit Applesauce
There’s nothing like fresh applesauce, which you can make out of any variety of apples, or a combination of several. Boosted with superfoods, these blends come alive with flavor and nutrition, making the nostalgic snack more irresistible than ever.
Makes approximately 1 quart
8 apples (your favorite variety), or about 3 pounds
2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Superfruit powder*
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Add to a large pot along with water and lemon juice. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat to moderate, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, covered, or until apples fall apart easily when mashed with a fork. Uncover and cook for 3-5 minutes longer until most of the liquid at the bottom has evaporated. Transfer the apples and any remaining liquid to a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled, about 90 minutes, then mix in superfruit powder.
Applesauce will last, refrigerated for about 4 days. Or, divide applesauce into half-pint mason jars and store in the freezers where it will keep for several months, until ready to use.
*Variations: Use various types of superfoods to make different flavors, evenly dividing the applesauce into half-pint mason jars and making several blends out of a single batch. You can mix in superfruit powder to taste, and virtually any variety can be used! Here are some ideas:
(Per 1 cup of prepared applesauce) Acai: Mix in 2 teaspoons acai powder Maqui: Mix in 1 teaspoon maqui powder + pinch Ground Cinnamon Yacon: Mix in 2 teaspoon yacon syrup + ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pomegrante: Mix in 2 teaspoons pomegranate powder + pinch ground ginger powder (optional) Goji: Mix in 1 tsp goji powder