I bought a few Gala apples at the end of the summer that tasted kind of flat and flavorless so I just left them in the fridge, planning to turn them into pie or turnovers at some point.  Weeks later, craving something sweet and easy to make, I decided to turn my flavorless apples into chunky applesauce. By the way, we don’t make ordinary applesauce on this site. Hayley’s version includes chai spice. My recipe has a hint of vanilla.

INGREDIENTS
4 Honeycrisp or Gala apples
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

TOOLS
medium (3-quart) pot, with lid
apple corer
paring knife or peeler
measuring cups and spoons

METHOD
1. Core and peel apples, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
2. Place chopped apples and water in pot over medium-low heat.
3. Cover pot, then simmer until apples are tender–about 20 minutes.
4. Take the apples off heat, then mash with a spoon.
5. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.
6. Serve warm or chilled.

NOTES & TIPS
• Add half the brown sugar, then taste. Apples vary in sweetness so you may prefer to use less sugar.
• If you like your applesauce baby smooth, allow it to cool, then pulse it in a blender or food processor for a minute or two.
• Try serving warm over ice cream.

READY IN
30 minutes

YIELD
4 servings