Citric Acid Free Whole30 Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Warm, fragrant, and naturally sweet, this homemade apple sauce is the kind of simple comfort food that makes you wonder why you ever bought it in a jar. Store-bought versions are a minefield for anyone avoiding citric acid, since it's one of the most common preservatives used to extend shelf life and brighten flavor in packaged fruit products. Here, fresh lemon juice does the light lifting instead, keeping the apples from browning while adding just enough brightness without any synthetic additives. A generous hit of cinnamon and a whisper of nutmeg give the sauce real depth and warmth that the store-bought stuff simply can't match. You control the texture too — mash it chunky for something rustic, or run an immersion blender through it for a silky, spoonable finish. It's equally at home alongside a pork tenderloin, stirred into morning oats, or eaten straight from the pot with a spoon while nobody's watching.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 3 lbs apples (about 6 medium), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the apple chunks, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to coat the apples.
- 2
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely tender and collapse easily when pressed with a spoon, about 20–25 minutes. If the pan looks dry before the apples are soft, add water 2 tbsp at a time.
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