Slow Cooker Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce

Well, as much as I would like to protest it, I think fall is officially here. It's not the idea of fall so much that I don't like, but the eminent progress to winter that makes it rather detestable. Nonetheless, fall does bring some of my favorite things with it - football, apples, and cinnamon (in no particular order). My husband can attest to my love of cinnamon. I buy it in the big container that probably has over a cup of cinnamon and still go through a couple of those bottles a year...

It has actually been almost a year since I saw this on Maria's blog, Two Peas and Their Pod. She adapted it from a recipe from the Cookin' Canuck which has a little bit more sugar. Between combining a couple of my favorite ingredients and being extremely easy, I knew it would be good. I also mix some applesauce into my oatmeal almost every morning, so I knew that it would go to good use. 

While Maria used a combination of different apples in her applesauce, I'm not exactly sure what type my apples were since we had gotten them from a local farm - and I forgot to ask. I do know that they tended to be more on the tart side and seemed destined for some form of baking. =) 

I can't tell you that this was the best thing I've ever eaten since it was just applesauce, but as far as applesauce goes, it was pretty good. It's definitely a great way to use up some apples if you have a few too many around, and besides, sometimes it's just nice to know exactly what went into what you are eating. Enjoy and please excuse the pictures. Turns out applesauce is not the easiest thing to photograph =)

(Printable Recipe) 

Slow Cooker Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod and Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients:
7 medium apples, variety of your choice, peeled, cored, quartered, and sliced
fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 c. water

Place all of the apple pieces in a large bowl. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the apples and stir. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.

Pour the water into the bottom of a large crockpot and add the apples. Cover with the lid and turn the slow cooker on. Cook for about 8 hours on low or on high for 5 hours, stirring occasionally. If you want smoother applesauce, puree in a food processor or blender. An immersion blender would also work well. The applesauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, it can be frozen.

Yield: approximately 4 cups of applesauce