Homemade Applesauce for the Little Ones

October 16, 2014

Homemade Applesauce for the Little Ones | Sarcastic Cooking

Andy is almost one year old, so I guess it is about time I forayed into a post about baby food. Luckily, this is a totally acceptable adult food too. You know, I am always watching out for you kidless folks!

My blog buddies have all been posting about their trips to apple orchards. One thing that happens every time anybody goes to an apple orchard is you end up with like forty pounds of apples. You keep looking at those apples and thinking, “What am I going to do with all these apples?” Kind of like George Costanza’s mother looks at all that paella she made.

Good news people! Make applesauce. Feed some babies. Or give the baby the big spoon and end up finding applesauce flung against your wall weeks later. It is a fun game.

Homemade Applesauce for Little Ones @sarcasticcook

I have been pretty lucky foodwise with Andy. He has been pretty open to most foods. I was really worried he would be like Mike and not like anything, in particular vegetables. So far the only thing he has had aversion to is tilapia (but he likes salmon) and peaches (peach season was a sad, lonely season for me).

We are past the puree phase in Andy’s food life. He just gets small cut up steamed vegetables, lots of fruit, waffles, scrambled eggs, and mac and cheese of course! I try and keep it varied and make sure to give him some of what we are eating for dinner, except on chili nights. Chili diapers are not fun.

Sorry. That was gross.

The only puree we still give Andy is applesauce. He loooooooves applesauce. I am pretty sure I could give him applesauce for every meal and he wouldn’t put up a fight.

This recipe has a little less sugar. I do not want a kid bouncing off the ceiling. Plus, apples have enough natural sugar in them. I once read that an apple is a good substitute for a cup of coffee because it gives you a jolt of sugar to get you moving. I would still reach for the coffee, but that is just me.

Homemade Kids Applesauce | Sarcastic Cooking

Get yourself one of these handy dandy tools and the saucing process is a breeze! I also think this would be a fun way to get your little ones cooking in the kitchen, with your supervision of course!

Truth be told, this recipe was just a way for me to exploit Andy’s cuteness for extra site visits…. Hopefully!

Happy saucing!

Homemade Applesauce for the Little Ones

Easy, homemade, reduced sugar applesauce perfect for snacking little ones!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 Pounds Apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1/3 Cup Unfiltered Apple Cider or Apple Juice
  • ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
  • ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • Juice from ½ Lemon

Instructions

  1. Add apples, cider, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, until apples are super tender.
  2. Allow apples to cool completely and either mash using a potato masher for a chunky applesauce or add to a food processor and puree until desired smooth consistency.

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  • Susan
    October 22, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    What a freaking cute kid. I’m shocked there were no pug photo bombs trying to lick that applesauce off his face. How much fun did he have playing with all that food?

    • Stefanie
      October 22, 2014 at 2:15 pm

      OMG he had sooooo much fun. He cried when I took the spoon away. Poor Weezer missed out on the fun. He got booted to the outdoors while I shot this.

  • Jennie @themessybakerblog
    October 17, 2014 at 7:49 am

    Andy looks like he’s having so much fun with that spoon and jar of applesauce. He kind of has me wanting to fling sauce on the walls too.

  • Francesca
    October 17, 2014 at 12:17 am

    Your little fella is adorbs. Good on you for making the homemade stuff instead.

  • Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
    October 16, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    omigosh I love all the Andy photos!!! and yummmmmehhhh applesauce!

    • Stefanie
      October 16, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      Hahaha, I’m glad you appreciate my exploitation of Andy’s cuteness!

  • Julia
    October 16, 2014 at 1:38 pm

    He is so freaking cute!! Love babies and footie PJs! Applesauce is such a great adult/kid food and healthy which is nice. Feeding kids is an interesting journey so I am glad that you have a not-so-picky one!

    • Stefanie
      October 16, 2014 at 1:47 pm

      I am enjoying feeding him now. I am sure as he gets older it will change.