Homemade Applesauce

When life gives you apples, you make homemade applesauce. It’s fall, y’all! And Mother Nature is giving us a lot of apples.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t resist it when I’m walking through the grocery store, and heaps of red and pink and yellow apples are throwing out honeyed scents in all directions. So I always come home with WAY too many apples. It’s a problem, but a beautiful one. Because then I get to make homemade applesauce.

Don’t worry, it’s not hard at all. You just cook down the apples until they’re soft and plump, and then smush them with your favorite fall spices. You can use a normal pot, but using a slow cooker makes the process even easier, and a pat of butter stirred in at the last moment makes the applesauce silky and rich. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. After all, butter makes it better. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 medium apples (nothing too tarts; ones you’d like to eat)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3/4 tablespoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

First, core and slice the apples. Dump the apples in your slow cooker and spread in an even layer. Cover with 1/2 cup water. Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir occasionally.

When the apples are soft, pour out any excess water. Smush the apples with a potato masher or a large spoon until the applesauce is acceptably chunky. (Do not blend or puree unless you want apple soup.) Lastly, stir in the butter and serve warm. Happy fall!