Chunky Maple Cinnamon Homemade Applesauce Recipe

This wildly delicious chunky maple cinnamon homemade applesauce is sure to be a go-to recipe this fall and year round! It’s thick and almost tastes like apple pie filling with the perfect amount of sweetness. Make this homemade applesauce recipe to serve alone or with ice cream for dessert or use it as a sauce for savory foods like pork chops and chicken.  

Whether you make homemade applesauce often or you’re totally new to it – you’re going to LOVE this simple homemade applesauce recipe!

I personally like my applesauce thick and chunky, not watery, with lots of flavor which is exactly what you’ll get here.

The sauce turns out with a flavor and texture similar to apple pie filling, only in sauce form.

You could even puree it to get a really smooth sauce, but I love the texture you get just by mashing the apples.

Just as good as the taste is the time it takes to make it!  From start to finish, you’ll be done in 45 minutes.

Homemade applesauce doesn’t get any better!

What You Need to Prepare this Homemade Applesauce Recipe

I used 5 sweet apples (honeycrisp) and 3 tart (Granny Smith).  You can use a mix of sweet and tart to get the perfect flavor, or all tart if you prefer it less sweet.

Here’s everything you’ll need for this maple cinnamon applesauce:

• 4 lbs medium apples (about 8-9)
• water
• maple sugar (I prefer this too syrup, although syrup can work here as well)
• ground cinnamon
• teaspoon nutmeg
• lemon juice 
• pure vanilla extract

How to Make the Best Chunky Homemade Applesauce

Place the apples, water, maple sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and the nutmeg in a dutch oven or large saucepan.  

Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until apples are soft and broken down. 

For chunky applesauce, use a potato masher to smash the apples to your desired consistency. 

If you want smooth applesauce, you can use an immersion blender to blend it smooth right in the pot.

Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla, taste, and add the additional teaspoon of cinnamon if desired.  

Cool slightly before serving.  You can also cool completely, and then cover and chill in the refrigerator before serving. 

Save leftover applesauce in a tightly lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to one week or up to a few months in the freezer.

Recipes Substitutions and Additions

As I mentioned earlier, feel free to experiment with different apple varieties in this recipe.

In my opinion, a mix of sweet and tart apples is best since you get both flavor profiles.

Keep in mind that different apple varieties have different textures and some will break down more quickly than others when cooked.

You can adjust the cook time and heat on your stove to best suit the apples you’re using.

For the maple sugar, you can sub in coconut sugar or maple syrup.

The spices can also be adjusted to preference, using cinnamon only or adding in a bit of ginger and allspice or cloves.

I hope you’re ready for a seriously delicious homemade applesauce recipe that’s sure to become a new favorite!

Grab your apples and start peeling because it’s time for begin – let’s go!

Chunky Maple Cinnamon Homemade Applesauce Recipe

Chunky Maple Cinnamon Homemade Applesauce {Paleo, Vegan}

This all purpose, wildly delicious chunky maple cinnamon homemade applesauce is sure to be a go-to recipe this fall and year round! It’s thick and almost tastes like apple pie filling with the perfect amount of sweetness. Have it alone or with ice cream for dessert or use it as a sauce for savory foods like pork chops and chicken - you can’t go wrong!

Author: Michele Rosen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Course: Dessert, Sauce/Side

Cuisine: fall, Paleo, thanksgiving, Vegan

Keyword: apples, applesauce, paleo, vegan

Servings: 8 servings

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5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

• 4 lbs medium apples about 8-9 peeled, cored, and cut into 1” chunks*
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup maple sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon divided into 2 + 1 teaspoons.
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place the apples, water, maple sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and the nutmeg in a dutch oven or large saucepan.
2. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until apples are soft and broken down. For chunky applesauce, use a potato masher to smash the apples to your desired consistency. If you want smooth applesauce, you can use an immersion blender to blend it smooth right in the pot.
3. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla, taste, and add the additional teaspoon of cinnamon if desired.
4. Cool slightly before serving. You can also cool completely, and then cover and chill in the refrigerator before serving. Save leftover applesauce in a tightly lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to one week or up to a few months in the freezer. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*I used 5 sweet apples (honeycrisp) and 3 tart (Granny Smith)

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal

Carbohydrates: 41g

Protein: 1g

Fat: 1g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g

Monounsaturated Fat: 1g

Sodium: 4mg

Potassium: 277mg

Fiber: 6g

Sugar: 32g

Vitamin A: 126IU

Vitamin C: 11mg

Calcium: 33mg

Iron: 1mg

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Want More Paleo + Vegan Apple Recipes?  Try One of These!

Caramel Cinnamon Baked Apples

Maple Pecan Apple Crisp

Chewy Apple Pecan Cookies

Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal

Apple Cinnamon Homemade Granola 

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