Easy Overnight Crockpot Applesauce

A few weeks back the kids went to a local orchard and picked some apples. We got a couple bushels and because small kids were picking apples and because we went to an orchard that doesn’t spray their trees with nasty pesticides, we got quite a few apples with blemishes and “issues”. The apples sat in the kitchen for awhile and we picked the nicest looking ones for school lunches and snacking. Then after a couple weeks we were left only with apples that were spotted, bruised, and unsavory looking. There were a few that needed to go immediately in the compost bin but the others I knew would make a tasty applesauce.

Always looking for easy I decided to make it in the crockpot and because I didn’t start my applesauce making adventure until nearly dinner time I also opted to make it overnight. I chose to leave the skins on the apples because there are so many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to be had by leaving the skins in tact (vitamins A & C, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, folate, fiber, and antioxidants). It seems a waste to peel all that goodness off and throw it away. I just made sure to wash each apple thoroughly before coring and chopping.

Overnight Crockpot Applesauce Recipe

20 apples (cleaned, cored, chopped)
1 1/2 Cups coconut sugar
1 Cup apple cider or apple cider vinegar (I used ACV)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (I used the latter)

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If it cooked before bedtime you can still leave it, just switch your slow cooker to the ‘warm’ before going to bed. In the morning (or when ready to eat) use a hand mixer (I like the Cuisinart Smart Stick) to smoosh the apples up and make applesauce. It is delicious hot breakfast to wake up to…especially on chilly fall days. Plus it tastes way better than the store bought stuff!