We Tested 4 Ways to Make Applesauce, and the Best Method Is Also the Fastest

Until you’ve made homemade applesauce yourself, you might not understand why people do it. After all, the supermarket stuff is inexpensive, convenient, and perfectly fine. But homemade applesauce is something else entirely: fragrant and fresh-tasting, with a texture you can make as chunky or smooth as you like and a sweet-tart flavor that puts the apples front and center. If you’ve gone apple-picking or have a surplus of fresh fruit, it’s a natural way to put it to delicious use.

But the apples you choose and how you cook them can make the difference between applesauce that’s bright and balanced and one that’s watery, mushy, or overly sweet. Likewise, the cooking method has a profound effect on flavor and texture, whether you’re using the stovetop, a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, or the oven. We tested all of these factors in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen to crown the overall winner. 

Nicole Hopper tested all of the applesauce methods.

A word about our method

We conducted two rounds of testing. First, we made applesauce with different apple varieties to determine which produced the best flavor and texture. Once we found our preferred apples, we used them to test four cooking methods: pressure cooker, slow cooker, oven, and stovetop.

For each method, we used the following ingredients (from our Easy Homemade Applesauce recipe) to make 2 1/2 cups of applesauce:

• 2 pounds mixed apples (4 large apples)
• 3/4 cup water (or less, if specified in the descriptions below)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/16 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The first round of testing: the best apple variety

Before we tested which cooking method produces the best homemade applesauce, we set about determining which apple variety yielded the best flavor and texture. We made four single-varietal batches of our applesauce recipe, using Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious, or Honeycrisp apples, as well as a batch using a combination of apple varieties that included a Pink Lady apple. 

The Granny Smith batch was too tart and soft, the Golden Delicious batch was a little too sweet and floral, and the Gala batch was too mushy. The Honeycrisp batch was the best of the single-varietals, with a more balanced flavor than the others, but ultimately, the combo batch — featuring one Honeycrisp, one Pink Lady, one Golden Delicious, and one Granny Smith — was the clear winner. The flavors and textures were superb, with each apple contributing its best qualities — sweeter apples lent body and mellow fruitiness, while tart apples added brightness to keep the applesauce from tasting too cloying. 

With our multi-apple approach, we then tested the applesauce recipe cooked four different ways: in a pressure cooker, in a slow cooker, in the oven, and on the stovetop.

Pressure cooker

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Rating: 6/10

Method: To test this technique, we stirred together all of the applesauce ingredients in an Instant Pot. Because the pot would be sealed (meaning no evaporation), we used 1/2 cup water (1/4 cup less than the base recipe), which is the minimum amount of liquid required for the pressure cooker model we used. We locked the lid in place, turned the steam release handle to SEALING position, and set the cooker to cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. We allowed the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then turned the steam release handle to VENTING to quick-release the remaining steam. We removed the lid and mashed the applesauce with a potato masher, but it was already pretty mushy. 

Results: It took about 12 minutes for the cooker to come up to pressure. With additional time for prep, cook, natural release, and quick release, the total time was 45 minutes — not any quicker than our winning method. The apples broke down the most and produced the loosest consistency, and there was a strong floral flavor that made the applesauce taste “off.”  

Pros: This method would work well if you’re making a double or triple batch. It’s mostly hands-off once the cooker is sealed. The texture is very smooth, so if you like store-bought smooth applesauce, this method may be for you. 

Cons: This method requires a special piece of equipment, and it was no quicker than our winning method yet involved more cleanup. It’s hard to adjust the consistency or gauge doneness once the cooker is sealed. The texture was loose and bordering on watery, and the applesauce ended up with a strong floral flavor.

Slow cooker

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Rating: 6.5/10

Method: For this test, we stirred together all of the applesauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Because there would be no evaporation, we used half the amount of water as our base recipe. We covered the cooker and cooked on HIGH until the apples were tender (2 hours in our test; older models might take longer). We then uncovered the cooker and mashed the applesauce with a potato masher to our desired consistency.

Results: This applesauce was notably darker than the others, perhaps due to more caramelization of the apples’ natural sugars during the longer cook time. There was a faint off-putting aftertaste that was hard to pinpoint, something a little chemical or plasticky.

Pros: This is a hands-off method that would work well for larger batches. The apples became very tender and easy to mash.

Cons: Although convenient, this method requires a slow cooker and has the longest cook time. The applesauce had a slightly unpleasant aftertaste.

Oven

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Rating: 8/10

Method: As with the previous methods, we used half the amount of water as the base recipe for this test since the applesauce would cook in a closed environment with no evaporation. We combined the ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, covered tightly with aluminum foil, and baked at 350°F until the apples were very tender, about 55 minutes. We then uncovered the dish and mashed the apples to our desired consistency. 

Results: The applesauce had a vibrant, fresh-apple flavor and slightly thicker consistency than any of the other methods. The apples cooked evenly without turning mushy.

Pros: This technique delivers great apple flavor and even cooking, and the applesauce doesn’t require babysitting as it cooks.

Cons: This was the second-longest method at 1 hour 10 minutes. Doneness is hard to monitor under the foil. The texture is slightly drier than that of the winning method.

Stovetop

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Method: This is the method that our base recipe uses: Stir all the ingredients together in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very tender, about 20 minutes. Mash with a potato masher until desired consistency.

Results: Steady, direct heat from the stovetop softened the apples quickly. The covered saucepan trapped moisture, while occasionally lifting the lid to stir allowed for enough evaporation to give the applesauce a great texture — soft and tender, not too thick or too loose. The flavor was well balanced, offering sweet and tart notes with no unpleasant aftertaste.

Pros: This was the fastest method we tested. It’s easy to monitor doneness as the applesauce cooks, so you can adjust the texture to your liking. The applesauce had the ideal balance of moisture and bright-tart-sweet flavor. No special equipment is needed.

Cons: This is the most hands-on method, requiring occasional stirring to prevent scorching.

Final takeaways

For the best homemade applesauce, use a mix of apple varieties and cook them on the stovetop. Combining sweet and tart apples gave us a more balanced, complex flavor than using any single variety, while the stovetop offered the most control over the cooking process.

It was also the fastest method we tested, taking just 35 minutes from start to finish. The oven was a strong runner-up, producing evenly cooked apples with excellent fresh-apple flavor, but it took about twice as long. The pressure cooker and slow cooker are convenient, largely hands-off options, but neither matched the stovetop method for flavor, texture, or speed. Sometimes the simplest method really is the best.