Cinnamon Applesauce

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This Cinnamon Applesauce is made with not only cinnamon, but pumpkin pie spice which makes this applesauce taste like Fall in a single bite! Bright and tangy lemon, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar combine to make a super easy applesauce that you won’t be able to stop eating! It is a favorite fall food recipe that is perfect for serving with pork chops, pancakes, or plain, by the spoonful!

Ingredients

• 4lbs Whole Apples- Use whichever apple that you prefer that has the best flavor. Gala, Honeycrisp, Braeburn and Granny Smith are all good options! They all have different levels of tartness, so feel free to use a couple of each!
• 1 Lemon- Use a fairly good size, juicy lemon. We will use about 1/4 cup of juice, plus the zest.
• Cinnamon- Ground Cinnamon
• Pumpkin Pie Spice- This combo adds a little of all the best spices- you can also use an apple pie spice if you have that instead.
• Brown Sugar- Brown sugar adds just a little caramel-like sweetness…and who doesn’t like caramel apples??

What is the difference between Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Pie Spice?

Every brand is a bit different, but generally speaking, the difference between pumpkin pie spice and apple pie spice is that pumpkin pie spice tends to use a bit stronger blend of spices.

Pumpkin Pie spice usually includes cloves, which is very distinct spice, where Apple Pie spice is generally a more mild blend. Either way, you will have a lovely blend of spices that will be delicious with the apples. You can’t go wrong!

The benefit of using a blend is that you don’t have to buy 10 or so individual spices, which can be very expensive. This way you get a blend of all of the best ones for one price!

How to Make Cinnamon Applesauce

Cinnamon Applesauce is such a piece of cake to make! In this recipe, I do call for peeling the apples, but if you like a little extra fiber, and don’t mind the added texture of the skins, you don’t even have to peel them!

Simply cut your apples into about 1-2 inch chunks, and place them in a deep sauce pan. Add the lemon juice, zest, salt, brown sugar and spices and simmer everything over medium heat with the lid on.

At first the apple mixture is going to seem too dry, but don’t fear! The salt and sugar will draw out the juices and it will get juicy after a few minutes. Turn the heat down and put the lid on and let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once your apples have softened, you can either mash them gently by hand for a heartier, chunky applesauce, or you can use an immersion blender, (like this Vitamix one) to blend it into a velvety smooth applesauce. Then, turn off the heat and place the lid on while it cools.

I had to include this picture (below). We had so many apples on our trees this year (usually the bears steal a bunch!) that I couldn’t keep up with them all! I sliced and froze a whole bunch. When I opened the freezer to grab something, I discovered this bag of happy, sweet little apple faces smiling back at me! And in the picture above, do you see the one sad apple? Please tell me you see them too!! 😆

What to do with Cinnamon Applesauce?

Cinnamon applesauce is such a great item to keep in the fridge or freezer to pull out when you need it. Of course one of the favorite pairings is with pork chops. In fact, please check out my Thyme Crusted Pork Chop for the perfect Fall dinner recipe. This sauce is delicious with that!

Another way to use it is slathered on a piece of sourdough toast! I have been doing this waaay too much with this applesauce and also with my Fresh Pear Jam. So. Good.

Put a dollop of Cinnamon Applesauce on a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top it with some granola, or chopped walnuts or pecans for a deconstructed apple crisp!

Another delicious fall breakfast idea is to put it on a big, poofy Dutch Baby like this one, and sprinkle it with powdered sugar! With the applesauce already made, this would be a super quick and easy breakfast idea!

How to Store Cinnamon Applesauce

This applesauce recipe makes quite a bit of applesauce. I am not saying that it will last more than one sitting, but if it does, it freezes beautifully! Here are a couple of ideas:

• One of my favorite ways to store this is in zip top freezer bags. Simply fill the bags to 3/4 full, and then lay them flat as you seal them up. There should only be a small amount of room at the top, so try to squeeze out as much air as possible as you seal it. Smash them flat and then stack them on a shelf or flat space in your freezer!
  • When you are ready to eat it, you can either pull out a bag a day ahead and let it defrost in the fridge overnight, or you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds. You can also set the bag in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes and let it gently defrost.
• You can store it in the fridge for a week. Just place it in a container with a snap top lid, or a bowl sealed with plastic wrap.
• Another option is not to store it at all, but to share it with friends and family! It makes a lovely, love gift idea. Fill some 4 ounce jelly jars with applesauce and seal them with a lid. Then buy a pretty ribbon to wrap around the top and voila. Who doesn’t love getting fresh jellies, jams, or applesauce! Just make sure they know to eat it within the week, or pop it in the freezer to store for up to a year!

However you use it, I hope you enjoy it! I would love to hear from you in the comments below! Thank you and thank you for visiting Mollie in Montana~*! ♥️