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Hot Buttered Apple Sauce With Cinnamon And Nutmeg

Hot buttered apple sauce with cinnamon and nutmeg is cooked until the apples turn fully soft, then mashed smooth or left chunky. Brown butter adds a warm, caramel-like aroma while a short simmer keeps the texture naturally velvety.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

apples
  • 8 large apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or McIntosh), peeled, cored, and chopped
butter
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter Plus additional brown butter for serving.
cider
  • 0.25 cup apple cider or apple juice
sweetener
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
spices
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
serving butter
  • 1 additional brown butter for serving For finishing each bowl.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the apples
  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until just starting to brown, then add the chopped apples immediately. Watch for small amber flecks in the butter as the apples hit the pan.
  2. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften. The pan should smell lightly nutty from the browned butter.
  3. Add the apple cider (or apple juice), brown sugar (or maple syrup), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until the apples are glossy and the spices look evenly distributed.
  4. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, until the apples are completely soft. You should be able to mash a piece easily against the side of the pan.
Mash and finish
  1. Mash the apples to your preferred texture, either chunky or smooth. Use the back of a spoon to create the bite you want.
  2. If you want smooth applesauce, blend the mixture with an immersion blender until velvety. Stop when the texture looks uniform with no visible apple chunks.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract, then taste and adjust sweetness as needed. The flavor should feel warm and balanced rather than overly sharp.
  4. Serve the applesauce warm with an extra pat of butter and a dusting of cinnamon. The topping should melt slightly on contact for a glossy finish.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the apples simmering covered just long enough to fully soften—then mash or blend immediately for the best texture. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a sealed container; freeze up to 2 months for later. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-based butter alternative in place of the butter.