Crockpot (Slow Cooker) Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce

When we were in California for the Blogher Food Conference we stopped to visit Josh’s mom in Placerville, which is Apple Hill country. We drove through the orchards, vineyards, and forests. It is a beautiful area, but beware if you get car sick. Those windy roads killed me:) It was worth it though because we bought the best apples ever.

I love eating apples for a healthy snack, but of course my mind kicked into cooking/baking gear and started dreaming up what I could make with these apples. When I saw Cookin’ Canuck’s family applesauce recipe, I knew I had to try it. We stocked up on: Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Empire, Honey Crisp, and Mutsu apples. I had never had a Mutsu apple before, but it is now one of my favorites. They are big green apples that are crisp and sweet, but also have a little tartness to them. It was so fun sampling new apples and picking them out ourselves.
I love this recipe because it is effortless! You make the applesauce in the crockpot (slow cooker) and there is no canning involved. The hardest part is chopping the apples, which I didn’t mind doing. I like chopping, it’s a great stress reliever:) I used a mixture of our CA apples-Gala, Honey Crisp, and Granny Smith. I also added in lots of cinnamon. The house smelled amazing while the applesauce was simmering.

I like chunky applesauce so I didn’t mush it up too much. If you want super smooth applesauce puree it in a food processor or blender. My favorite way to eat applesauce is on whole wheat toast. I use applesauce instead of jam. Weird? Probably, but that is me:) You can also stir it into your oatmeal, use it in your baking, or just enjoy it plain.