We admit to being a little bonkers about apples in Minnesota. In fact, the ever-popular Honeycrisp was developed in the fruit breeding program at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. And the debut of First Kiss apples at the Minnesota State Fair this year gave us even more reason to celebrate the delicious fruit! So if the crisp in the Minnesota air has you picking apples at orchards and celebrating all things fall, try this easy homemade applesauce recipe from our friends at GE.

Easy Applesauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 pounds apples
• 1 cup water or apple juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Optional: cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar

Instructions

1. Core and slice your apples and place in a large pot with the water and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until the apples are soft.

2. Run the cooked apples through a food mill fitted with a medium disc. The food mill will puree the apples and strain out any seeds or skins left in the cooked apples. Hint: If you don’t have a food mill, you can peel your apples prior to cooking and puree them in a food processor.

3. Store your applesauce in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Note: If you use sweet apples (hey, Honeycrisp!), you can get a surprisingly sweet applesauce with no added ingredients. If you prefer a sweeter final product, add between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of brown sugar and any other preferred spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.) to the apples prior to cooking. Use approximately 1 teaspoon of spice per batch of applesauce, or to taste.