With summer finally closing down and autumn ramping up, apple season has finally arrived. Barrel after barrel of all kinds of apples are rolling in. So what to do with all those apples? Pies are the obvious go-to choice and are the clear All-American option. But how many apple pies can a family eat in a season? For that matter, how many pies should a family eat? Also keep in mind that the saying “easy as pie” was clearly uttered by someone who has never tried to make a crust from scratch. Make applesauce instead.
Ginger Ale Applesauce
If you’ve been out to the apple orchard and have a sack of apples waiting for a recipe, try this super-simple Ginger Ale Applesauce recipe. Using a can of Seagram’s Ginger Ale adds just a little kick to the applesauce, elevating above the average canned variety.
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, depending on the number of apples you have and the size of your slow cooker.
Choosing the Right Apples
With hundreds of apple varieties to choose from, which ones make the best apple sauce? Some of the choice comes down to personal preferences. Do you want your applesauce sweeter or tarter? Most folks will want something in the middle. For a well-balanced applesauce, use three sweet apples and three slightly tart apples. Absolutely avoid the Red Delicious!
Sweet Apples
- Crispin (AKA Mutsu)
- Fuji
- Gala
- Golden Delicious
- Honeycrisp
Slightly Tart Apples
- Gravenstein
- Jonamac
- McIntosh
- Pink Lady
Ingredients
- 1 can (12 oz.) Seagram’s Ginger Ale, room temperature
- 6 apples
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
To Make Ginger Ale Applesauce
Prep the Apples
Wash the apples first. Peel the apples. Then core the apples. Cut the cored apples into ½ inch chunks.
Add to Slow Cooker
Add the apples to the slow cooker. Pour the Seagram’s Ginger Ale over the apple chunks, taking care to cover them evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the apples and ginger ale.
Cook Slowly
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
Stir and Mash
After the apples have cooked for 6-8 hours, mash them gently with a fork. The more you mash the finer the texture of your applesauce.