Take the best-tasting autumn apples, combine them with juicy pears and what do you get? Apple pear sauce: a healthy, no-sugar-added applesauce snack (or dessert!) your kids will happily eat.
Juicy, crunchy, sour, or sweet, apples in autumn are the perfect family treat! Whether you bake them in a pie, slice them for a lunch box snack, or use them for this easy applesauce recipe, apples pack great nutrition into every delicious bite. One medium apple has just 95 calories and 4 grams of filling fiber, and now that they’re in season, the flavors are at their peak.
To show my love for apples, I use them in this simple stovetop applesauce recipe.
Apple Pear Sauce
Author: Liz
Most of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in apples is actually in the peel, so I leave the peels on for this simple, stovetop recipe. Once blended, the cooked peels virtually disappear. Sweet soft apples such as McIntosh and Gala work best in this naturally no-sugar-added applesauce, and their red peels add a nice rosy color.
Ingredients
- 3 large apples (about 1½ pounds), unpeeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pear, unpeeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup 100% apple juice
- Juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Place the apples, pear, apple juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a medium pot and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook at a low boil, covered, until the apples are very tender, about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Let cool about 20 minutes.
- Place the cooked fruit in a blender and blend until smooth and the peels are incorporated. (If you don’t have a blender and plan to mash the fruit with a fork or potato masher, you may want to slice off the peels first before cooking for a nice, smooth texture.)
Notes
Don’t have a ripe pear on hand? Not to worry! Add an extra apple instead or 1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries.
Tell me about your favorite applesauce recipe!
thanks so much for including me! pear sauce was my favorite when i was little. i love the apple pear combo!
Great resource of delish recipes!
This looks really tasty! A great way to use that fall produce!
Apple Pear Sauce sounds delicious! Thanks for including my chunky applesauce recipe and reminding me about it. It’s almost time to make a batch!
Yum! Loving this appilicious round-up! Thanks so much for including my homemade applesauce. I was just thinking Big Tex and I need to go apple picking soon so we can make some more 🙂 Your apple pear sauce sounds divine!
Thanks EA. Yes, it’s high time we all went apple picking 🙂
Love the addition of pears. I never think to do that. Any particular type you think works better than others? I always make my applesauce in a slow cooker…so easy! Here is my recipe: http://eatsimply.org/when-life-gives-you-a-lot-of-apples-make-applesauce/
For applesauce, we like to use sweet, soft apples like McIntosh and Gala. Enjoy!
This sounds delicious, I can’t wait to try it! I love both apples and pears 🙂
Glad you like the recipe. It’s so easy!
I use applesauce in my baking all the time, but I should really make my own. It’s high season for apples right now!
Oh wow, that looks delicious! Never knew it was quite easy to do- saving me money 😉
I need to make this! True story- I buy applesauce containers… for my husbands lunch! He is still a kid at heart- and has the taste buds to prove it 🙂 I need to up my game now and make this homemade version! Love the addition of pear!
Making applesauce this weekend. Can not wait! Love apple season.
We love home made apple sauce. Thank you for this great recipe!
Hope you enjoy it Nancy! Thanks 🙂