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german applesauce or apfelmus in a jar with a spoon in it and half an apple beside it.
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German Applesauce (Apfelmus)

Make smooth German applesauce (Apfelmus) with fresh apples, a little sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice. This easy homemade applesauce needs about 30 minutes and is perfect for freezing.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Dessert, German Baking and Desserts
Cuisine: German
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Adina Beck

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2.2 lbs apples Notes 2, 3
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Note 4
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar, Note 5
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • juice of ½ lemon about 1 tablespoon
  • ¼ cup water
US - EU

Instructions

  • Prepare the apples: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut the quarters into smaller pieces.
    2.2 lbs apples
  • Combine ingredients: Place the apples in a large pot. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, lemon juice, and water. Stir to combine.
    2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon + juice of ½ lemon + ¼ cup water
  • Cook the apples: Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft.
  • Blend applesauce: Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Transfer to clean jars or other airtight containers (Note 6).

Notes

  1. Blending: An immersion blender works very well, but you can also use a regular blender, food processor, or Thermomix. If using a regular blender, let the apples cool slightly and blend in batches, following the manufacturer's instructions for hot liquids.
  2. Apples: Use sweet or slightly tart apples, such as Golden Delicious, Gala, Braeburn, or Jonagold. The amount of sugar needed depends on how sweet the apples are.
  3. Apple peels: If you have a powerful blender, such as a Thermomix, you can leave the peels on the apples. Blend thoroughly until the sauce is smooth. Keep in mind that red peels may slightly change the color of the applesauce, which I actually love; sometimes my sauce is yellow, sometimes pink, or a bit orange.
  4. Sugar: Taste the applesauce after cooking and add more sugar if needed. For naturally sweet apples, you can leave the sugar out entirely.
  5. Vanilla sugar. If you use vanilla sugar instead of vanilla extract, reduce the granulated sugar to 1 tablespoon.
  6. Storage: Let the applesauce cool, transfer it to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.4mg