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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Microwave Applesauce

    Published: Oct 11, 2011 · Modified: Nov 30, 2021 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A photo collage shows the finished microwave applesauce and the chopped apples in the microwave dish with sugar and squeezed lemons.

    This homemade microwave applesauce can be made right in your microwave in just minutes. Add your favorite apple pie seasonings or just stick with brown sugar and cinnamon. The final applesauce can be cooled and frozen for future use.

    A bowl of applesauce sits next to fresh apples and a bundle of cinnamon sticks.

    The best part of taking your family to an apple orchard in the fall is coming home with giant bags of apples for baking.

    There's nothing better than filling the kitchen with smells of apples, cinnamon and brown sugar.

    While most of our apples find their way into my freezer-friendly apple crisp, I also love to make big batches of microwave applesauce.

    This easy peasy recipe is done in just minutes making it the perfect cozy fall side dish for several easy dinners or a healthy snack for the family to enjoy. It could even double as a dessert spooned over a cup of vanilla ice cream.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Best Apples for Applesauce
    • Prep the Apples
    • How to Microwave the Apples
    • Storage Tips
    • How to Freeze Applesauce
    • Variations
    • Serving Suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    This recipe is so easy, you probably have everything you need in the pantry right now!

    Fresh apples and the other ingredients to make applesauce are on the counter.
    • Fresh Apples: You'll need about 6 - 8 fresh apples. I used honeycrisp for this batch.
    • A fresh lemon: Don't skip this, the tiny bit of acid from the lemon juice helps to keep the apples from turning and helps balance the sugar.
    • White and Brown Sugars
    • Cinnamon: Be sure to see the variations suggestions below for more fun ideas for flavoring your applesauce.

    Best Apples for Applesauce

    The best part of this applesauce recipe is just how flexible it is. I've made it with all kinds of different apples and they taste wonderful.

    For this batch, I used honeycrisp apples because I love how sweet they are but I also particularly love Granny Smith apples for applesauce. They are so tart and they balance the sweet brown sugar perfectly.

    The best apples for applesauce include:

    • McIntosh
    • Golden Delicious
    • Red Delicious
    • Gala
    • Fuji
    • Pink Lady

    For the best results, use a variety of apples for a deeper apple flavor.

    Prep the Apples

    Peel the apples and remove the cores. Chop them into large chunks and add them to a microwave safe container with a lid. (I love this ceramic casserole dish with a glass lid for microwave cooking.)

    A microwave container is filled with the chopped apples, sugars, and has a fresh squeezed lemon on the board next to it.

    Add the water, sugar, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Stir everything together.

    Sprinkle the cinnamon over the top and stir it in.

    Cinnamon has been sprinkled over the fresh apples.

    How to Microwave the Apples

    Place the lid on the dish and microwave the apples on HIGH for 6 minutes.

    After the first run, the apples will start to release their juices and the mixture might seem very watery. Just stir everything together.

    However, if your apples seem dry at this point, you can add a tablespoon of water more to the dish if needed.

    Microwave the apples again for 4 - 5 minutes, depending on how tender they were after the first run.

    Step by step photos show how to microwave and mash the fresh apples into applesauce.

    You can mash the apples into applesauce with a potato masher but I found it even easier to smash them with the tines of a fork.

    If you prefer a smoother puree, you can transfer the mixture to a blender or process it with an immersion blender.

    We love our cinnamon apples a little on the chunky side because they are easier to spoon over our favorite potato latkes.

    Storage Tips

    I love making microwave applesauce in my ceramic covered dish because it doubles as the storage container in the fridge.

    The applesauce will keep for 3 - 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

    The microwave container sits behind a serving of cinnamon applesauce with a spoon.

    How to Freeze Applesauce

    You can also make ahead applesauce for serving later and freeze it. Simply store it in an airtight container as long as you leave some space for the applesauce to expand as it freezes.

    Thaw in the fridge overnight or heat it up in the microwave.

    Variations

    As much as I love the simple cinnamon flavor, you could also swap things around a bit and have an entirely new recipe:

    • Add your favorite pie spice blend
    • Add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger
    • Add a little orange zest to brighten it up
    • Stir in dried cranberries before microwaving, they'll soften up as the apples cook

    Serving Suggestions

    How to Serve Applesauce for Dessert:

    1. Make a batch of applesauce and freeze it and then whip it into a yummy slushie with a touch of yogurt.

    2. When it's still slightly warm, it's absolutely divine over vanilla ice cream.

    3. Spoon it over a pound cake with whipped cream.

    Serve it as a Side Dish:

    Homemade applesauce this fast and easy is the perfect side dish for several cozy fall dinners, especially roast chicken and pork.

    • The roasted chicken sits on top of roasted vegetables in a round roasting pan.
      Easy Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
    • A white baking dish is filled with wavy egg noodles, chopped pork, and corn and red peppers to show the final baked saucy pork and noodle bake casserole.
      Saucy Pork and Noodle Bake for Leftover Pork
    • A cooked, pan-fried pork chop sits on a dinner plate next to potatoes.
      Panfried Pork Chops that Don't Suck
    • A baking dish is filled with roasted sausages, potatoes, and apples. A jar of mustard and a platter of baked pretzels are in the background.
      Roasted Sausages and Potatoes with Apples

    Use It for the Main Dish:

    My easy roasted pork tenderloins in applesauce is a quick one pot dinner to make on a busy night.

    • Two pork tenderloins in a dutch oven.
      Roasted Pork in Applesauce

    If you’ve tried this microwave applesauce or any other recipe on PeanutBlossom.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
    FOLLOW along on Instagram @peanut.blossom as well as on  Pinterest and Facebook.

    📖 Recipe

    A serving of applesauce with a spoon.

    Microwave Applesauce

    5 from 1 vote
    This easy applesauce is made right in the microwave in just minutes. Mix in your favorite apple pie seasonings or simply use the brown sugar and cinnamon combination.
    TOTAL TIME 20 minutes
    PREP TIME 10 minutes
    COOK TIME 10 minutes
    YIELD 3 cups applesauce
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 - 8 medium apples peeled, cored, and cut up into chunks (Use a mix of sweet and tart apples for best flavor.)
    • ¼ cup water or apple cider
    • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

    Instructions

    • In 1 ½ quart glass casserole, combine all the ingredients.
    • Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, or until apples are tender. Add a little more water as needed. Mash the apples with a fork to see how soft they are. Microwave up to another 4 - 5 minutes so they mash easily.
    • Since some apples are juicier than others, use your personal preference about how smooth you want the applesauce.
    • For a chunky applesauce, mash apples with a fork or potato masher. For a smoother texture, put cooled mixture through a blender or food processor.

    Recipe Notes

    Freezing Instructions

    This applesauce can be frozen as long as you leave space for it to expand in the container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and heat back up in the microwave before serving or enjoy chilled.
    COURSESide Dishes
    CUISINEAmerican
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

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    A photo collage shows the finished microwave applesauce and the chopped apples in the microwave dish with sugar and squeezed lemons.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. BNE

      October 13, 2011 at 3:22 pm

      I have made lots of applesauce, but never in the microwave. I will have to give it a try. We also love warm applesauce over vanilla ice cream. Your blog pictures were beautiful.

      Reply
    2. Renee

      October 11, 2011 at 6:16 am

      Ours is gone, now, and making more is on my to-do list today 🙂 Gorgeous photos, as always, Tiffany!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. This chicken wild rice soup is extra easy says:
      February 8, 2020 at 11:59 am

      […] Warm and cinnamon-spiced homemade applesauce […]

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    2. All the easy apple recipes you'll ever need for fall says:
      October 11, 2019 at 10:20 am

      […] Applesauce with pork chops that don’t suck: Yes, that’s the real name. Not even kidding. Get our applesauce recipe here. […]

      Reply
    3. Recipes, Books, and Educational Kids' Apple Activities says:
      October 15, 2015 at 2:01 pm

      […] Homemade applesauce: EASY peasy and a kid’s classic for sure. I also keep huge batches portioned off into small […]

      Reply
    4. Top 5 Autumn Apple Recipes | Lasso the Moon says:
      October 14, 2012 at 10:23 pm

      [...] Homemade applesauce: EASY peasy and a kid’s classic for sure. I also keep huge batches portioned off into small [...]

      Reply
    5. Stock your fridge for fall! » Peanut Blossom says:
      July 5, 2012 at 5:10 pm

      [...] roast with mustard roasted potatoes and applesauce: This was our favorite method for potatoes until we discovered the roasted smashed ones. Enjoy with [...]

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

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