Apple Sauce
A Simple Dessert, or a Dressing/Sauce for Pork

Apple sauce atop vanilla ice cream in a bowlVanilla Ice Cream with Homemade Apple Sauce

Who doesn't love apple sauce?

Add it to smoothies to for added thickening, or use the sauce "as is" as a quick dessert.

The way I made it is quite chunky as you can see in the image, but you could blend it if you wanted a smoother sauce!

It's certainly easy to make as our recipe will show you!

Dehydrated Apples are Ideal for Apple Sauce

Dehydrated apples are a great way to make your own apple sauce. Simply rehydrate the apples in water and then cook them down into a thick sauce.

You can add spices or sweeteners to taste. This is a great way to use up any extra apples you may have on hand. Learn how to dehydrate apples here.

It's also a great addition to pork chops!

Our recipe (coming up) is really easy and fast to make and it's in the Recipe eBook... just add some dehydrated cranberries and raisins. Also, you'll see that we added a tablespoon of apricot jam—it adds a little extra zing!

If you're looking to cut down on sugar consumption, take a look at my site, FinallyKeto. But what I want to add here is this: Try Polaner Sugar-Free jams.

They look and taste just the same as their sugar-laden counterparts. I get my Polaner jams from Amazon. Here is the Apricot Jam on Amazon.com

Polaner Sugar Free with Fiber, Apricot Jam, 13.5 Ounce
Polaner Sugar Free with Fiber, Apricot Jam, 13.5 Ounce

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no price increase to you. Read disclosure here.

Ingredients for Apple Sauce

  • 1 apple, peeled and diced
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice
  • tablespoon of water
  • handful of dehydrated cranberries
  • handful of dehydrated grapes (raisins)
  • 2 dessertspoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam

How to Make Apple Sauce

Here's how to make this super-easy apple sauce! If you're using dehydrated apples, be sure to rehydrate them first. They may be a little brown in appearance, but they will still taste great.

Your raisins are fine to use "as is," but rehydrate the dried cranberries prior to adding to the sauce.

  1. Peel the apple, and dice into small to medium pieces.
  2. Put in a non-stick pan and add the lemon juice, toss.
  3. Add the water and cinnamon, and stir well.
  4. Add the raisins and cranberries, stir, and cook for about five minutes.
  5. Add the brown sugar, stir, and heat on low for a minute.
  6. Add the apricot jam, stir well, and serve!

This sauce is so easy to make!

Want to Use Fresh Ingredients?

If you want to use fresh ingredients that you may have on hand, do this:

Apple sauce atop vanilla ice cream in a bowl

It's easy to make this chunky apple sauce with fresh ingredients.

First tip: To save time, cheat by using store-bought dried cranberries and raisins!

The amount of grapes to use for dehydrating to make the raisins is approximately 3 oz.

I hear ya! You're not gonna run your dehydrator just for a handful of raisins, so put some aside in the refrigerator when you make your next batch of raisins.

If you're looking to replicate those smaller black-dark colored raisins that you get in boxes, choose black grapes. But once you've eaten your own dehydrated grapes - from whatever color of grape you like, you'll never go back to boxed raisins, honest!

Same thing applies to cranberries - dry a handful, or put some in your refrigerator and add whatever amount suits your tastebuds!

Apple sauce in a dish, with cinnamon sticks

Delicious Combos to Tantalize Your Taste Buds!

There are endless possibilities when it comes to apple sauce combinations. You can add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to give it a little extra flavor.

Or, mix in some other fruits like cranberries or pears for a unique twist.

The sky is the limit when it comes to creativity with this versatile dish. So go ahead and experiment until you find your perfect combination.

Learn how to dehydrate cranberries here.

And see how to dehydrate pears too!


🍍 🍎 🥦 🥔  🍒 🧄

20 Taste-Tested EASY Recipes - eBook or paperback

actually, there are 26 recipes!

The recipes also include the
food ingredient amounts to use
when you have fresh food on hand!

Here's How to Make EASY
MEALS with Dried Food
Recipe Book

🍕 Pizza!      🥧  Shepherd's Pie!
🥘  Beef Stew!
plus Cauliflower Soup and
Cauliflower Mash, along
with crazy Carrot Soup!

Desserts:
Carrot Cake and
Cranberry Pineapple Pie!
and more...

🍍 🍎 🥦 🥔  🍒 🧄

Here's How to Make EASY
MEALS with Dried Food
Recipe Book

20 Taste-Tested EASY Recipes - eBook or paperback

actually, there are 26 recipes!

🍕 Pizza!
🥧  Shepherd's Pie!
🥘  Beef Stew!

plus Cauliflower Soup and Cauliflower Mash, along with crazy Carrot Soup!

Decadent Desserts:
Carrot Cake and Cranberry Pineapple Pie and more...

The recipes also include the food ingredient amounts to use when you have fresh food on hand!


How Did Making Apple Sauce Become "A Thing"?

There are a few theories about the origins of applesauce:

  • It likely started as a way to use up apples that were bruised or otherwise not ideal for eating raw. As we all know, apples have been cultivated for thousands of years, and people realized that cooking down crushed or chopped apples made a tasty dish.
  • Applesauce is closely linked to apple butter, which originated in medieval Europe. Apple butter is made by cooking down apples into a thick, sweet spread. Applesauce is a less condensed version of this preserve. Regional variations of apple butter and applesauce developed over time.
  • American colonists adopted European preservation techniques like drying apples and making apple butter, applesauce, cider, and vinegar. Having shelf-stable apple products was important for getting through cold winters. Regional recipes evolved through the sharing of cooking methods and ingredient availability.
  • In the 1920s, Mott's applesauce began commercial production of smooth, spoonable packaged applesauce. This made it very popular nationwide rather than just a homemade, small-scale item. Its mass production increased accessibility and mass appeal!

So while there's no definitive inventor or moment of origin, applesauce likely emerged over centuries as an apple-based dish that was cheaper and longer-lasting than fresh apples. It became a standard comfort food in many cultures.

Use Apple Sauce as an Ingredient in Recipes

Apple sauce is not just for eating on its own. It can also be used as an ingredient in many recipes. Try using it as a topping for pancakes or waffles.

Or, use it as a filling for pies or pastries. Use it as a healthy alternative to sugary sauces in recipes too!

So, next time you are in a pinch, reach for the apple sauce.

Dive In!—It's Really Easy to Make

We enjoyed our sauce warm, straight from the pan, spooned right over some French vanilla ice cream—absolute HEAVEN in a dish!

It didn't take more than five minutes to make either, which gave us just enough time for the ice cream to soften a little in the bowls. 

A female making apple sauce in a pan

You can double up the recipe ingredient amounts, as the quantity above was good for two people—and store the leftovers in your freezer. And yes, you can omit the apricot jam, but honestly—it adds a little zing—and thickens the juice.

If your apple sauce seems a bit runny, keep heating it up and the extra liquid will evaporate. If you're into smoothies, add some of this sauce to your blender for instant thickening.

You can use this as a thickener too when making fruit leathers—click fruit leathers for more information and fruity ideas.

Try using a three-fruit marmalade (or a regular marmalade) too and let us know how that worked for you! Send in your comments by contacting us here.

Before you go, check out our books from Easy Food Dehydrating. Treat your doggie to homemade tasty dog food too!

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