Dutch Applesauce (Appelmoes) Recipe

Home-made apple sauce in a blue dish next to a red apple on a wooden table.
Kirk Mastin/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 2 cups

The Dutch love eating applesauce (or appelmoes as they call it) as a condiment with their main course. It's very much part of the everyday family meal here in Holland.

Our applesauce recipe is so easy to make when you use the microwave. We guarantee that the hardest thing about it is peeling the apples! Knowing which apples make the best sauce is another matter (see below).

The Best Apples for Applesauce

Theoretically, applesauce can be made from any soft apple because they'll cook faster. But some claim a mix of apples makes the best sauce. Any of these would be great: Braeburn, Cortland, Crispin (Mutsu), McIntosh, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gravenstein, Liberty, Jonamac, Ida Red, and Rome.

More Delicious Dutch Apple Treats

  • Dutch Apple Pie Recipe: Unlike the streusel-topped pies Americans call Dutch apple pie, the original version is topped with a lattice crust.
  • Dutch Appelflappen Recipe: This one is not only fun to say but delicious to eat. Better known as apple fritters or apple beignets, appelflappen are often served at New Year's Eve celebrations.
  • Dutch Apple and Rhubarb Cobbler Recipe: Unlike American cobblers made with sliced fruit, this Dutch version, known as schoenlapperstaart, uses pureed fruit mixed in with a cake batter and no crumble on top.

Ingredients

  • 4 apples, peeled, cored and diced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon speculaaskruiden, or pumpkin pie spice

  • 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. In a microwave-safe dish, combine 4 peeled, cored and diced apples, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon speculaaskruiden or pumpkin pie spice and 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste.

  2. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and then mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher for chunky applesauce. For smooth applesauce, run the mixture through a ricer or use an immersion blender.

  3. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate any leftovers, covered, for up to one week.

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tips

  • Avoid using metal tools when preparing or dishing up your applesauce, because the metal causes a reaction that can taint the color and taste.
  • Make your own speculaaskruiden.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
73 Calories
0g Fat
19g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 73
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 8mg 38%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 136mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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