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Easy, Chunky Homemade Applesauce – Grandma’s Recipe (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)

October 16, 2014 By Tia 9 Comments

Simple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauce

A long, long time ago, my parents got divorced. I was 11, turning 12 when my dad and I moved in with my grandma during the week. (I stayed with my mom on the weekends.) Although it sucked to have my parents split up, I got a wonderful opportunity to live with my grandma for just over a year before she passed away.

My grandma and I always had a special connection. I was her only granddaughter. Our birthdays were only 2 days apart. Well, 54 years and 2 days. In fact, the 31st anniversary of her passing is this month.

So many things pop into my head when I think of my grandma. I remember her grape juice. She always had a small juice glass with just a little grape juice in it. And she would sit at her dining room table with her elbows propping her arms up to a triangle where her hands met. One hand holding the other, which had a lit cigarette in it. It was the early 80s. Everyone still smoked.

Simple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauceI remember her cardigans and her polyester, elastic waist pants. I remember her rubber bands around her wrists (she was a bookkeeper) and her tissues tucked up her sleeve. (It’s really convenient sometimes.)

But one of the things I remember about her so well was her cooking. Whenever I start off a dish by sauteing onions, I flash back to her kitchen (when my mom was not going to be eating there) and her cast iron pot.

Oh, and her fried potatoes! Those were the best! I never had the patience to wait for them to be done. She was always telling me that they weren’t ready yet.

But one of my favorite things to make with her was applesauce. She thought store bought applesauce was silly when it was so easy to make homemade applesauce.

And it is.

So easy to make.

Homemade Applesauce.

Seriously!

Personally, I think it tastes way better, too. (Finished up a nice little bowl of while writing this post. Yep.)

I have seen so many recipes that call for sugar and a million spices. And so, sooooooooo many that call for making it in a crockpot.

Um, why?

Totally confusing to me. After peeling and chopping, which you are going to have to do whether you make it in a crockpot or not, it only takes 10 – 15 minutes.

Really! I swear!

Crockpot?! Seriously?!

Simple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauce

This applesauce is only two ingredients, if you count the water. It is so sweet and yummy on it’s own. Add spices when you go to eat it, if you want flavor.

That’s an awesome idea!

Use this as a base applesauce, and add flavors to change it up.

Like pumpkin in the fall? Swirl a bit of pumpkin in there.

Like cinnamon? Go for it.

Like strawberries? Dollop a little jam on top.

Heck, do you like oatmeal in the mornings? This makes a great topping.

Also, this is a great recipe to make a lot of and can. And I did just that.

I canned 4 quarts of this yummy stuff for eating this winter. And I am going to can more.

Simple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauce

All you need. Plus a pot or two.

Simple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauceSimple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauceSimple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauce

5.0 from 1 reviews
Easy, Chunky Homemade Applesauce - Grandma’s Recipe (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)
 
Save Print
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Total time
40 mins
 
Author: Tia
Serves: 6 pints
Ingredients
  • 6 lbs. Apples
  • 1½ cups Water (divided)
Instructions
  1. Peel, core and chop the apples. (I love the corer slicer combo. Makes it so much easier. (affiliate link))
  2. Place peels in medium pot with ½ cup water.
  3. Place apples in large pot with 1 cup water.
  4. Cover and cook each on medium high for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring ever few minutes, until it is the mushy-ness you want.
  5. Use a potato masher (pictured above) and mash the apples.
  6. Use a blender or food processor to blend up the peels.
  7. Mix the two parts together. The peel give extra flavor and sweetness to your applesauce. So yummy!
Notes
For canning - Spoon into warm jars and can in water bath. (I follow the instructions on the bottom of the Ball Jar box, so I am linking to them here. Someday I will do a canning post because I am digging it.)
Here is a link for the canning pot I use and the canning equipment. If you haven't canned before, you will need these. Yes, all of the equipment helps a lot. And yes the last two links are affiliate links.
3.2.2807

Linking this to Gluten-Free Wednesdays (GFW), the weekly blog carnival that  Shirley of gfe gluten-free easily, Linda of The Gluten-Free Homemaker and Lynn of Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures host.

Simple, chunky applesauce recipe. It's so easy, you won't believe it. (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan) | tiaskitchen.com/easy-chunky-homemade-applesauce-grandmas-recipe-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan #applesauce

Filed Under: Breakfast, Canning, Dairy Free, Desserts, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Recipes, Vegan, Yeast Free

« Pumpkin Apple Muffin Recipe (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)
Easiest Smooth Homemade Applesauce Recipe (Even Easier Than Grandma’s) »

Comments

  1. Jeanne Leder says

    October 18, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    Hey, Tia! Your applesauce looks beautiful! Especially in that pretty green bowl!

    And I agree with you – Why would anyone want to make applesauce in a slow cooker?!!

    Have a great day!!

    Reply
    • Tia says

      October 22, 2014 at 10:57 am

      Hi Jeanne,

      Thank you! I appreciate that. Hope you have a great day, too!

      ~Tia

      Reply
  2. APARTMENT2504.WORDPRESS.COM says

    October 31, 2014 at 4:34 pm

    yummy i always make apple sauce myself, as the one in the supermarket always has lots of unhealthy sweetener in it. leaving more pieces in it makes it a bit like a pudding I think, will give it a try next time

    Reply
    • Tia says

      November 8, 2014 at 11:23 pm

      Applesauce is so easy to make, so it makes it more than worth the time. I just love the chunks of apple, but it might be my sentimentality. 😉

      ~Tia

      Reply
  3. Jennifer says

    November 8, 2014 at 11:14 pm

    What kind of apples did you use?

    Reply
    • Tia says

      November 8, 2014 at 11:21 pm

      I used a combination of yellow delicious, red delicious, pippin and gala. I just used what was starting to go from the ones we picked earlier. Worked great and very sweet and flavorful.

      ~Tia

      Reply
      • Elaine says

        November 7, 2015 at 12:41 pm

        Good Afternoon,

        Thank you for the yummy Applesauce recipe. I would like to make your applesauce cake. I was wondering if there is another oil I can use besides grapeseed. Would coconut work our would you suggest that I only use grapeseed oil?

        Thank you,

        Elaine

        Reply
        • Tia says

          November 25, 2015 at 5:45 pm

          Hi Elaine

          Since I haven’t used anything other than grapeseed oil, I’m just not sure. In theory, I would think it would work, but I just don’t know since I haven’t tried it.

          ~Tia

          Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Apple Jam with Cinnamon - Gluten Free and Vegan Recipe says:
    October 12, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    […] after we got all of those apples at the orchard and made applesauce galore, we still had a bunch left. And last year I made apple jam. It was awesome! A nice change on the […]

    Reply

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Glad you're here. I'm Tia. I make yummy, simple food and recipes. Oh, and they just happen to be allergy friendly. If you want to know more about me... Read More…

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