If you're looking for a cozy recipe to cook that will make your house smell amazing, it's time to bring on the love with spiced Pear Applesauce!
There are so many reasons to love this homemade applesauce with a twist. Let's talk about just a few scenarios that may speak to your foodie love...
Have you ever had a neighbor offer goodies from the garden or fruit trees because they had too much?
Those neighbors? They're the best! When pears and apples are in full swing, I'm always looking for a way to use up the fruits of their labor!
This recipe is, in my humble opinion, perfection!
Why I love apple pear sauce
Spiced Pear Applesauce uses just a handful of ingredients and it has no refined sugar and is naturally gluten free.
And, this may trump every other reason I've given...It's quick and easy to make because there's no peeling required.
Wait, what?
You heard me right. You don't have to peel the apples OR the pears. To mean, I translate this to mean it's more time that I can catch up on the latest episode of Yellowstone or a good book on the porch!
Easy Pear Applesauce
I'm always on the lookout for healthy snacks and side dishes but it can be easy to fall into the rut of grabbing a heap of boxes at the grocery store.
This recipe will have you prepared with a grab and go meal prep snack and it's about as low maintenance as it can get.
You'll feel good about what you and your family are eating.
And as an added bonus, it makes your house smell like that candle you can't stop sniffing. You know the one...it makes you think of cozy autumn weather and crunchy leaves on the ground. Ahhhhh.
How to Make Pear Applesauce
I told you we'd only need a handful of ingredients and I wasn't joking. All we need are:
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- apples
- pears
- water or apple juice
- cinnamon
- lemon juice
- maple syrup (optional but delicious!)
So basically we're talking about ingredients you can literally count on one hand!
To make a batch of this pear sauce recipe in your slow cooker or Instant Pot, here's what you'll do. (Specific instructions for each method are in my recipe card below).
- Combine apples, pears, water, ground cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice in your slow cooker or Instant Pot. Give it a little stir.
- Let it cook and wait for the smells to emerge on your slow cooker as it heats or from your Instant Pot when it's done cooking.
- Let it cook, then let it cool to the point you can taste test, my favorite part! The fruit is already sweet and you may find you don't need to add any additional sugar.
If it needs a little something extra, add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup. The real stuff, please! - While the pear applesauce is still warm, transfer the mixture to a blender, filling only partially. I'm gonna say that again - don't fill the blender all the way when you have warm or hot foods like applesauce or soup.
If you like your applesauce chunkier, you can use an immersion blender or a potato masher and blend to your desired consistency.
Random side note - an immersion blender sounds very fancy, but it's really not and it's really useful. If you like making soups and, well - applesauce - you might want to spend a few dollars on one!
How to use this side dish
Okay, now we've made it, so what should we do with it?
As I mentioned before, it's wonderful as a snack in packed lunches.
You can also use it to top pancake or waffles, or use the pear and apple sauce for pork chops or pork tenderloin. Call me weird, but I like dipping in it!
It will keep, covered in the fridge for up to five days.
You can also put it into containers and freeze your sauce for up to three months. I like glass mason jars for at home and plastic containers to freeze and send for lunches.
Bonus - they keep the lunch cold, too!
I hope you'll give this spin on apple sauce a try!
Other healthy recipes using fruit
Recipe
Spiced Pear Applesauce
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large apples cored and chopped
- 2 large pears cored and chopped
- ¼ cup apple juice
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup optional
Instructions
TO MAKE IN THE INSTANT POT
- Combine the apples, pears, apple juice, ground cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice in your Instant Pot give it a stir to combine. Add the lid and lock it into place. Switch the vent to Sealing and set the “Manual” or Pressure Cook setting to 4 minutes.
- When the cook time has completed, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure by venting.
- Let cool slightly and taste for sweetness. Add maple syrup to taste. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for a chunkier style sauce.
TO MAKE IN THE SLOW COOKER
- Combine the apples, pears, apple juice, ground cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice in your slow cooker and give it a stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, stirring once or twice.
- Let cool slightly and taste for sweetness. Add maple syrup to taste. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for a chunkier style sauce.
Notes
- If you don't have apple juice, you can substitute water.
- For added fiber (and to make it easier on yourself - because you deserve it!), don't peel the apples or pears before cooking. After you blend it all those bits will be blended it. This means more fiber and nutrition for everyone and you don't have to tell it's good for them!
- Pear applesauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. It may also be stored in a container and frozen up to three months.
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories and other nutritional values vary depending on which brands were used.
