Cooking Hack: Quick Applesauce for One

by Dorothy Reinhold on September 26, 2018


Print This Post Print This Post Quick Applesauce for One: Chop an apple finely, microwave it briefly, mash, sprinkle with cinnamon and you have super fast applesauce for one person.You don’t need to open a big jar when you just need a bit of applesauce for your morning oatmeal or for dinner with a pork chop or sausage.

Quick Applesauce for One: Chop an apple finely, microwave it briefly with cinnamon and vanilla, mash, and you have super fast applesauce for one person.

If you have an apple, you can have applesauce for one in 5 minutes. And let’s admit upfront that fresh apples deliver a big reward, flavorwise, so this is worth your (little) while.

Sometimes you want a dollop of applesauce on your morning oatmeal, or you need a bit to eat with your pork chop, roast chicken or grilled sausage dinner. You don’t have to open a big jar just to get the amount you need; just let your microwave oven do the quick work for you.

How to make Quick Applesauce for One

3 apples on a white cutting board being sliced on ShockinglyDelicious.com

The hardest part is cutting the apple, and that isn’t hard. Cut the apple in half, then in quarters. Remove stem, cut out core, and peel each quarter.

Finely chopped apples on a white board with a black-handled knife

Chop the apple finely. If you leave it in big chunks, it takes longer to cook.

Cut apples with cinnamon for Applesauce for One in a white bowl with a forkSlice the apple thinly into a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon or a spice blend (use what you have). No sugar is needed for most apples, but suit yourself and add a pinch of sugar, brown sugar or honey if you want to.

Applesauce for One being mashed with a fork in a white bowl

Once it has cooked, mash it with a fork until it is as chunky as you like it.

Applesauce in a white bowl on a wooden cutting board with a spoon alongside

Are you ready to make it? It is so easy.

Quick Applesauce for One

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: Serves 1

Quick Applesauce for One

Quick Applesauce for One: Chop an apple finely, microwave it briefly, mash, sprinkle with cinnamon and you have super fast applesauce for one person.You don’t need to open a big jar when you just need a bit of applesauce for your morning oatmeal or for dinner with a pork chop or sausage.

Ingredients

  • 1 apple (Fuji, or use your preferred variety)
  • 1/4 teaspoon or more ground cinnamon, or a spice blend like Apple Pie Spice or even Pumpkin Pie Spice (use what you have!)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Quarter, core and peel the apple. Slice the quarters thinly into a microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon to your liking -- 1/4 teaspoon or more -- and vanilla.
  2. Microwave cook on high for 2-2 1/2 minutes (I tested this in a 1100-watt microwave). Test with the tines of a fork; apples should "give." Remove from microwave and mash with a fork until chunky, to your liking.
  3. Makes about 1/4-1/3 cup applesauce -- enough for one good serving!

Notes

Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious

This recipe was tested using a 1100-watt oven. If yours is more powerful, it might take less time; a less powerful oven will take more time.

Different varieties of apple may take differing amounts of time. Check at the 1-minute mark.

Do me a personal favor and don't use a Red Delicious apple. Pick something more flavorful and with a better texture! Fuji, Gala, any interesting heirloom variety you have access to.

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/cooking-hack-quick-applesauce-for-one/

areyoupinningPin this recipe for Quick Applesauce for One to your Pinterest board to save it

Quick Applesauce for One in a white bowl on a white marble counter on ShockinglyDelicious.comWhat to eat with homemade applesauce

Applesauce for One in a white bowl on a wooden cutting board

  • Oatmeal
  • Cottage cheese
  • Roast pork or pork chops
  • Grilled sausages
  • Roast chicken
  • For a healthy dessert!

This post was originally published July 14, 2012. It has been revised and updated.

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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }

Ellen October 3, 2018 at 3:28 am

Brilliant! Tucking this away for my applesauce loving kids when they go to college! Thanks for sharing at the Celebrate365 blog party.

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Krista October 1, 2018 at 6:57 am

What a great applesauce! I have to make it for my kids!

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Jamielyn September 29, 2018 at 6:56 am

Looks delicious! Perfect for fall!

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Catalina September 29, 2018 at 6:16 am

I am the only one in my family that loves applesauce! This recipe is so perfect for me!

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Dorothy Reinhold September 29, 2018 at 8:20 am

Catalina,
I hadn’t thought of that as a reason to make it for one, but it makes perfect sense!

Reply

michele September 29, 2018 at 6:13 am

I happened to have an apple and just made this for a snack… no more store-bought for me! This was Amazing!

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Dorothy Reinhold September 29, 2018 at 8:21 am

Michele,
Wonderful! Really, there is no reason to buy store-bought. It is so, so easy to make applesauce.

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Carrie R September 29, 2018 at 5:45 am

Perfect for when I need just a little bit of applesauce just for me! 😉

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Michelle September 29, 2018 at 5:03 am

My kids look forward to homemade applesauce in the fall. I love this idea!

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Wendy Klik September 28, 2018 at 4:48 am

Thanks for the downsized recipe Dorothy. Always helpful.

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Dorothy Reinhold September 28, 2018 at 2:44 pm

Wendy,
Back in the day, I would make a BIG POT of applesauce, but these days, I am less about the large servings and leftovers. Sometimes I want to make *just enough.* Right?

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Abeer September 28, 2018 at 1:08 am

I love easy and quick recipes like this! This applesauce looks fantastic!

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Toni | Boulder Locavore September 27, 2018 at 7:20 pm

My family will surely love this!

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Karen September 27, 2018 at 6:46 pm

This is so clever and simple! And I agree with you about red delicious.

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Dorothy Reinhold September 27, 2018 at 6:50 pm

Karen,
That variety needs to be ignored! It is just mealy and not good.

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Cheryl Sousan September 27, 2018 at 3:45 pm

great for a yummy snack any time!! My mom lives alone and I know she will really appreciate this!

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Dorothy Reinhold September 27, 2018 at 4:18 pm

Cheryl,
It is perfect for singles, or small families could double it.

Reply

Allison September 27, 2018 at 3:18 pm

This is such a great idea! And so much quicker and easier than making a huge pot of applesauce.

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Amanda September 27, 2018 at 2:06 pm

Wow this looks so tasty, thank you for sharing!

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Leana Clothier November 30, 2014 at 8:48 am

Tried the recipe as described and just ended up with hot apple slices which were not “mashable” as described. They tasted good, but I don’t see this as a successful recipe.

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Dorothy Reinhold December 3, 2014 at 5:23 am

Leana,
Thanks for coming back to tell me. The wattage of microwaves can vary greatly, which affects how quickly they will cook something. For example, my microwave is 1100 watts. Some very small ones are 750 watts, so you could see how such a lesser wattage would make a huge difference in timing. I don’t know if that was a factor in your trial or not. I can also envision that older storage apples might cook at a different rate than newly picked fresh apples. To solve this, continue to cook your apples until they are soft enough to break up and mash a bit with a fork. That might take another minute or 2 in your particular oven. I do hope you try it again!

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Leana January 16, 2015 at 11:40 am

Thanks for writing back, Dorothy! I’ll try cooking them longer this time and see if it makes a difference. Generally most apples that I use are old, by default, since I live in Iceland and nearly all of our produce is flown in/sailed in from abroad. 😉

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold January 16, 2015 at 12:53 pm

Leana,
Iceland! WOW!
I will admit that I never throw produce out — am too frugal. If apples are getting long in the tooth, I will make them into applesauce. Have you seen my other applesauce recipes? https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/oven-roasted-applesauce-scented-with-rosemary-and-vanilla-and-a-history-lesson-for-sundaysupper/ AND https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/shockinglydelicious-saturday-cooking-class-rustic-chunky-applesauce/
So happy to have a reader in Iceland!

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Asiya July 15, 2012 at 1:08 pm

Great idea! I’ve resorted to buying the baby food applesauce b/c that big jar is just too much..must give your method a try!

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redkathy July 14, 2012 at 2:52 pm

Ooohh I simply love this idea! My youngest son, a college guy living alone, would certainly appreciate this as well.

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