Recipe

Sweet & Spicy Applesauce

A cozy homemade applesauce with a zingy kick from ginger and cayenne, brightened with lemon and finished with warm cinnamon. Easy, flexible, and way more exciting than store-bought.

By Matt Campbell

•

A glass jar of homemade sweet and spicy applesauce with cinnamon sticks on a wooden counter

Jump to Recipe

Applesauce has a reputation for being polite. Soft. Sweet. The kind of thing you eat when you are sick or when you forgot to buy snacks and you are pretending it was on purpose.

This one is not polite. This is sweet and spicy applesauce: warm cinnamon, bright lemon, a little ginger snap, and a tiny pinch of heat that shows up right at the end like, “Hey, remember me?” It is still cozy and kid-friendly if you keep the spice gentle, but it also has enough personality to sit next to pork chops and not get ignored.

It is also the kind of low-drama recipe I love. One pot, accessible ingredients, and plenty of room to make it your own based on what is in your fruit bowl.

Freshly peeled and sliced apples in a large pot with lemon and spices before cooking

Why It Works

Balanced flavor: Brown sugar and apples bring the cozy sweetness, lemon keeps it bright, and cayenne adds a controlled little kick.
Texture you control: Blend it silky, mash it chunky, or leave it rustic. You are driving.
Fast flavor build: Cooking the apples with spices from the start infuses the sauce instead of leaving you with “cinnamon on top” vibes.
Flexible apples: Mix sweet and tart varieties for the best depth, but it still works if you only have one kind.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store It

Refrigerator: Cool completely, then refrigerate promptly in a clean, airtight container for up to 5 to 7 days.
Freezer: Freeze in portions (muffin tins, small containers, or zip bags laid flat) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stove or microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts. Add a splash of water if it thickened.
Food safety note: This recipe is not written as a tested canning recipe. If you want shelf-stable jars, use a trusted canning resource and proper processing times.

Common Questions

What are the best apples for applesauce?

A mix is magic. Use a sweet apple (Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp) plus a tart apple (Granny Smith) or a sweet-tart apple (Pink Lady) for a sauce that tastes layered instead of flat. If you only have one kind, it still works.

Will this be too spicy for kids?

Not if you keep it mild. Start with just a pinch of cayenne or skip it entirely, then stir in a tiny amount at the end for the adults. You can also use a small pinch of black pepper for warmth without obvious heat.

Can I make it without sugar?

Yes. If your apples are naturally sweet, you can skip the brown sugar. Taste near the end and decide. If it needs help, try 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey instead.

How do I make it chunky vs smooth?

For chunky: mash with a potato masher and stop. For smooth: use an immersion blender right in the pot, or blend carefully in a countertop blender in batches.

Why does my applesauce taste a little bland?

Usually it needs acid or salt. Add an extra squeeze of lemon, plus a pinch of salt. Then taste again. Apples wake up fast with that combo.

Can I use ground ginger instead of fresh?

Absolutely. Use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger in place of fresh (to taste). Fresh gives a brighter zing, ground gives a deeper warmth.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large pot or Dutch oven with lid
Vegetable peeler
Chef’s knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Potato masher (for chunky) or immersion blender (for smooth)
Measuring spoons

I started making applesauce the same way I started learning most things in kitchens: I got tired of the boring version. Store-bought always felt like it was trying to be inoffensive. One cold weeknight I threw apples in a pot with cinnamon, ginger, and a little cayenne, mostly because I was already using those spices in dinner and figured, why not?

That first batch surprised me. The heat did not make it “spicy” so much as alive. It tasted like applesauce grew up, put on a leather jacket, and decided to hang out with pork chops and pancakes. Now I make it whenever I want something cozy but not sleepy.