Simple Baked Applesauce

There aren’t too many things as predictable as beautiful apples popping up at farmer’s markets right around the end of September.

And living in Michigan, having a couple of those warm “Indian summer” weekends in this early part of fall is just as predictable, and always a welcomed event for apple picking.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in an area literally surrounded by gorgeous apple orchards to pick from every fall. Our first apple picking adventure of the season was actually at Grandpa’s house right off his tree. The girls got to spend some after school time cleaning off his tree and they had a ball.

Completely untouched, unsprayed, and no fuss, these apples are just about as good as it gets for applesauce. The uneven bumps and color give character to these perfectly imperfect apples – and the flavor is always amazing.

I dress my applesauce up with the spices of the season, but it is certainly delicious on its own. You can traditionally can it or freeze, and enjoy your own applesauce year round.

Simple is the name of my game – everyone into the oven roaster, and after they bake, it gets blended right down in the pan.Whether you can walk right outside and pick them from your own tree, or are able to get them in season at a market near you, this applesauce recipe is for everyone.

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Tips:

• This batch makes quarts of applesauce.
• I honestly have used just about every different kind of apple imaginable for applesauce and it is always delicious. Other than sour apples, you really just can’t go wrong.
• I do have a couple of reasons for leaving the skins on. You could possibly call it lazy, but it really does take more time to skin them, and I just don’t have it! I think the applesauce taste and color is wonderful with the skins on. The other reason I like to leave the skin on is because the fiber in the skin balances the sugars in the flesh of the apple, making blood sugars keep a bit more stable. Go ahead and skin them though if you wish!
• I bake my apples in my oven roaster, but using a simple large roasting pan in the oven works just as well, and I did it that way for years.
• Ok so the immersion blender! OH how easy this makes the clean up part! No transferring to a blender and having more appliances to clean! It goes super fast, and all I have to do is rinse off my blender stick! I do believe a more high powered blender is going to give you a much smoother finish and texture, however, if that is your thing!
• I have become a bit more aware of the differences in cinnamon in the last couple years and prefer to stick with the ceylon cinnamon. And while you can definitely use ground allspice, I just love popping the allspice berries into something like this because the flavor is fresher and more intense.

This post was shared at Fat Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, & Allergy Free Wednesday!