Strawberry Applesauce combines sweet apples, juicy strawberries, and warm cinnamon into a naturally delicious homemade applesauce everyone will love. This easy recipe is smooth, fruity, and far better than anything from the store. Whether served as a snack, breakfast side dish, or healthy dessert, it's a simple way to enjoy homemade fruit year-round.
Strawberry Applesauce Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Snack, Side Dish, Breakfast
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 15 Minutes Prep + 25 Minutes Cook Time
- 🍴 Servings: 8 Cups
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Sweet, fruity, lightly tart, and warmly spiced
- 🍚 Best Served With: Pork chops, pancakes, oatmeal, yogurt, or granola
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, refrigerator, freezer, and canning friendly
Summarize and Save This Content On
There's something special about homemade applesauce simmering on the stove. The sweet aroma of apples, strawberries, and cinnamon fills the kitchen and instantly makes the house feel cozy.
My grandma always made homemade applesauce during apple season, and it was one of those simple recipes everyone looked forward to. She believed fresh fruit didn't need much help to taste amazing, and recipes like this remind me how a few simple ingredients can create something truly special.
This was inspired by my Ozark pudding recipe on this site, and tastes great with rhubarb ice cream and homemade banana ice cream.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy and wholesome: Made with simple ingredients and no preservatives.
- Naturally delicious: Sweet apples and strawberries create incredible flavor with minimal added sugar.
- Family friendly: Kids and adults both love the smooth, fruity taste.
- Versatile and make-ahead friendly: Enjoy it fresh, freeze it, or preserve it through canning.
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple fruit and pantry staples that work together to create a smooth, flavorful applesauce. Most ingredients are easy to find year-round, making this a recipe you'll return to again and again.
- Apples: Softer apples like McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Gala or Fuji create a smooth texture, while a firmer apple like Honeycrisp adds texture and flavor.
- Strawberries: Add fresh berry flavor and beautiful color.
- Water: Helps the fruit soften as it cooks.
- Sugar: Sweetens the applesauce to your preference.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the flavor and helps preserve color.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and classic applesauce flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Mix up the fruit: Replace some of the strawberries with raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries, or add peaches, pears, or rhubarb for a different flavor combination.
- Customize the sweetness: Reduce or omit the sugar, or sweeten the applesauce naturally with honey or maple syrup after cooking.
- Change the spices: Add nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, or a splash of vanilla extract for extra warmth and flavor.
- Adjust the texture: Using a blender creates a very smooth, silky applesauce. If you prefer a slightly chunkier texture, blend for less time, pulse instead of blending continuously or mash instead.
- Try a different cooking method: Make it in the slow cooker by cooking on low until the fruit is very soft and easy to blend.
How to Make Strawberry Applesauce
This homemade strawberry applesauce comes together in just four simple steps. Most of the work is hands-off while the fruit cooks, making this an easy recipe for beginners and experienced cooks alike.
Step 1: Prepare the fruit. Add the apples, strawberries, and water to a large pot and stir to combine.
Step 2: Cook the fruit. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is very soft and easily pierced with a fork.
Step 3: Add to blender. Carefully transfer the cooked fruit and any remaining liquid to a blender, working in batches if needed.
Step 4: Blend, taste and cool. Return the blended fruit to the pot. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon until fully combined.
Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed. Allow the applesauce to cool before serving, refrigerating, freezing, or canning.
Expert Tips
- Start with quality fruit: Use flavorful apples like Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious and ripe strawberries for the sweetest, best-tasting applesauce.
- Adjust to your taste: Start with less sugar, taste before serving, and customize the flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or other favorite spices.
- Blend safely and choose your texture: Don't overfill the blender when working with hot fruit, and blend until silky smooth or leave it slightly chunky if preferred.
- Store for success: Allow the applesauce to cool completely before storing to prevent excess condensation and maintain the best texture.
- Make extra: This applesauce freezes beautifully, making a double batch a great way to enjoy homemade applesauce later.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy air fryer apples and crockpot apple butter.
Storage Directions
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooled strawberry applesauce in freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion, for up to 3 months.
Canning: Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints or quarts, adjusting for altitude as needed.
Make Ahead: Prepare several days in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Breakfast favorites: Serve with oatmeal, yogurt, chocolate covered strawberry granola, mini German pancakes, air fryer frozen waffles, or croissant French toast.
- Healthy snacks: Enjoy on its own or with graham crackers and fruit.
- Dessert topping: Spoon over ice cream, simple cheesecake recipe, or mini pound cakes with strawberry glaze.
- Savory meals: Serve with pork chops, ham, roasted spatchcock chicken, or turkey.
Strawberry Applesauce Recipe FAQs
Peeling creates the smoothest texture, but it's optional.
Yes, using proper water-bath canning procedures.
Yes. Frozen strawberries work well in this recipe. No need to thaw them first, but you may need to add a splash of extra water if the mixture seems dry while cooking.
Yes. The natural sweetness of the apples and strawberries is often enough, especially if you use sweeter apple varieties like Fuji or Gala. You can completely omit the sugar or add a small amount after blending if needed.
More Apple Recipes
Do you love apples? Here are some delicious apple recipes you may also enjoy trying.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Strawberry Applesauce
Ingredients
- 8 cups apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- 3 cups strawberries chopped
- ½ cup water
- ¼ to ½ cup sugar to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the apples, strawberries, and water to a large pot and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is very soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Carefully transfer the cooked fruit and any remaining liquid to a blender, working in batches if needed.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- Return the blended fruit to the pot. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon until fully combined.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed. Allow the applesauce to cool before serving, refrigerating, freezing, or canning.
Notes
- Start with quality fruit: Use flavorful apples like Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious and ripe strawberries for the sweetest, best-tasting applesauce.
- Adjust to your taste: Start with less sugar, taste before serving, and customize the flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or other favorite spices.
- Blend safely and choose your texture: Don't overfill the blender when working with hot fruit, and blend until silky smooth or leave it slightly chunky if preferred.
- Store for success: Allow the applesauce to cool completely before storing to prevent excess condensation and maintain the best texture.
- Make extra: This applesauce freezes beautifully, making a double batch a great way to enjoy homemade applesauce later.
- Canning strawberry applesauce: Bring the blended applesauce back to a gentle simmer before canning. Ladle hot applesauce into clean, hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint or quart jars (adjust for altitude if needed). Let jars cool completely and check seals before storing. Tip: Always follow current USDA or Ball canning guidelines for altitude adjustments and safe processing times.
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