Home-canned applesauce is one of the easiest ways to put fall flavor on the shelf. The process is straightforward, the ingredient list is short, and a small batch means you can work at a comfortable pace without a huge mess. If you’ve hesitated because canning sounds complicated, this is a gentle on-ramp: cook the apples, puree to the texture you like, hot-pack into jars, and give them a simple boil. The payoff is a clean, bright sauce that’s ready for breakfast bowls, pork dinners, baking, or a quick snack—no thickeners or heavy sweeteners required.
You don’t need special apple varieties to succeed. What matters most is sound fruit and balanced flavor. Mixing sweet and tart apples gives you a rounder sauce and lets you skip added sugar if you prefer. Lemon juice is optional for color and brightness; apples are naturally acidic enough for safe water-bath canning. Sugar and spices are flavor choices, not safety requirements.
A few workflow tips keep things smooth. Heat your empty jars so they won’t shock when filled with hot sauce. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer while you pack so it stays hot going into the canner. Leave 1/2 inch of headspace and remove air bubbles so the jars vent cleanly during processing. When the time is up, let jars rest a minute with the heat off before lifting them out; that small pause helps reduce siphoning.
Modern guidance also simplifies prep: when your process time is 10 minutes or longer, you don’t need to pre-sterilize jars—washing and rinsing is enough. The water-bath step does that for you. And because this is a small batch, you can focus on good texture. A food mill gives a classic smooth sauce; a masher keeps it rustic. Either way, you control the result.
Below is a right-sized recipe that yields two pints—enough for the pantry without tying up your afternoon.
Small-Batch Applesauce (Water-Bath Canned)
What equipment do I need?
- Boiling water-bath canner or deep stockpot with a fitted rack
- 2 pint (16-oz / 473-ml) canning jars with 2-piece lids, plus 1 extra jar in case of overfill
- Jar lifter, canning funnel, headspace/bubble tool (or thin spatula), clean damp cloth
- Large heavy pot for cooking apples
- Food mill, immersion blender, or potato masher
- Ladle
How much time will this take?
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 20–30 minutes (until apples are soft)
- Canning (at 0–1,000 ft): 15 minutes processing + 5 minutes resting in hot water + cooling
How much does it make?
- Yield: about 2 pints (approx. 4 cups / 950 ml), 8 servings (1/2 cup each)
What apples and ingredients do I use?
| Ingredient | US Measure | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Firm, sound apples (mixed sweet/tart) | ~3 lb (about 8–10 medium) | ~1.36 kg |
| Water (for the pot) | 1/2 cup | 120 ml |
| Lemon juice, optional (color/brightness) | 1–2 Tbsp | 15–30 ml |
| Sugar, optional (to taste) | 0–2 Tbsp | 0–25 g |
| Ground cinnamon, optional | 1/2–1 tsp | 1–2 g |
| Pinch of salt, optional (balances flavor) | ~1/16 tsp | <1 g |
Notes: Apples are sufficiently acidic for safe canning; lemon juice is for flavor and color, not safety. Sugar is optional.
Step-by-step instructions
- Prep the canner and jars
Place the rack in your canner, add enough hot tap water to cover filled jars by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm), and start heating to a simmer. Wash jars, lids, and bands; keep jars hot (in the canner water or a 180°F/82°C oven). Lids can stay at room temperature unless your manufacturer instructs otherwise. - Cook the apples
Peel, core, and chunk apples (1–1½-inch pieces). In a large pot, combine apples with the water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 15–25 minutes. - Puree to desired texture
For smooth sauce, run through a food mill or puree with an immersion blender. For chunky, mash with a potato masher. Return sauce to a gentle simmer. - Season (optional)
Stir in lemon juice for brightness, sugar only if needed, cinnamon if you like, and a tiny pinch of salt. Keep the sauce hot (simmering) while you fill jars. - Fill the jars
Using a funnel, ladle hot applesauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace, wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, center lids, and apply bands fingertip-tight. - Process
Lower jars into boiling water. Ensure water covers jar tops by 1–2 inches. Process pints for 15 minutes at 0–1,000 ft (see altitude times below). Maintain a steady, gentle boil. - Finish and cool
When time is up, turn off heat and let jars rest in the hot water 5 minutes. Lift out, keeping jars upright, and cool undisturbed 12–24 hours. - Check seals and store
Remove bands, check that lids are concave and firmly sealed, wipe jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within 1 week.
How do I adjust for altitude?
- 0–1,000 ft: 15 minutes
- 1,001–3,000 ft: 20 minutes
- 3,001–6,000 ft: 25 minutes
- Above 6,000 ft: 30 minutes
Do I need to pre-sterilize jars?
Not when your water-bath process time is 10 minutes or more. Wash jars well and keep them hot; the canning step handles sterilization.
Storage and shelf life
- Best quality within 1 year when stored cool and dark (sealed).
- Refrigerate after opening and use within 7–10 days.
- Expect natural separation over time; stir before serving.
Troubleshooting quick answers
- Siphoning (loss of sauce): Rest jars 5 minutes in the hot canner after processing; avoid a hard boil; debubble thoroughly.
- Floating/surface liquid: Normal with smooth sauces; it redistributes after a day.
- Too thick/too thin: Thin with a tablespoon or two of hot water while reheating before filling; cook a few minutes longer for thicker sauce (before canning).
Nutrition (per 1/2-cup / ~125 g serving; unsweetened, no spice)
- Calories: ~50
- Carbohydrates: ~13 g
- Total Sugars: ~11 g
- Dietary Fiber: ~1–2 g
- Protein: ~0 g
- Fat: ~0 g
- Sodium: ~0 mg
Nutrition will vary with apple variety and any sugar added.
