Yeah, after picking 35 pounds of apples during our first u-pick orchard experience, we were pretty much swimming in ’em. It was mostly awesome but, I have to admit, slightly daunting.

Homemade applesauce is always a great way to use up an apple harvest. So I made applesauce the very first day we had them at home, and then a couple of weeks later, the last few pickins made their way over to applesauce land too.

Applesauce land. What a glorious-sounding place that would be. Or actually … *imagination going into overdrive* … perhaps actually potentially terrifying.

We should never speak of Applesauce Land again.

Speaking of terrifying, this date looks like he has something to say and he’s not too happy about it, doesn’t he?

Sorry, date, but you were right, because YOU … you were the special ingredient that took my homemade applesauce game to new heights this fall.

This fella turned into that stuff …

… and friends, it makes for some AMAZING applesauce.

I mean, caramel and apples are MFEO, right? And date caramel is this sort of amazing stuff made with pureed medjool dates and water – maybe a pinch of sea salt for a salted effect, even. The result is a delicious caramel-like substance made only with whole-food ingredients, and a fruit to boot.

Date caramel is what inspired this apple dip recipe, too. So I guess I’m not only on an apple kick, but I’m on a date kick too.

There are worse kicks to be on, right?

So here’s what we’ve got.

Apples. Loads of them. (Both of my batches were made with mostly honeyscrisps, which are already pretty sweet.) Then we have lemon peels and cinnamon sticks, both mandatory in any homemade applesauce recipe I make.

Then we simmer with a bit of water until just softened.

THEN we puree the dates with some water and stir it on in to the bubbling pot of applesauce, giving it a caramelly glow and a warm sweetness that just takes this applesauce over the top.

Now, I mostly don’t eat sweet stuff anymore – sugar is a rarity for me. So personally, I am fine with a less-sweet applesauce.

You might want it sweeter – or your apples might not have been as sweet as mine from the get-go. If either of these are the case, feel free to add more dates. Or even throw in some plain-ol’ granulated sugar if you’d like. Pure maple syrup makes for an interesting sweetener too. Doctor it up until you smile when you take a taste. Then you know you’re there.

So! Are you ready to come on over to Applesauce Land?

Yep. Still terrifying.

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Date-Sweetened Homemade Applesauce

This homemade applesauce boasts an unusual ingredient in place of traditional sugar – pureed dates! Dates give it a warm, almost caramelly sweetness that I’m completely in love with. You can use any apple, but I recommend honeycrisps. They make a delicious applesauce.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10 cups applesauce

Calories 97kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 8 pounds apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 15 medium apples) (I use mostly honeycrisps)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 3-inch cinnamon sticks
• Peels from one lemon cut with a vegetable peeler and as much pith removed as possible (about 5 strips)
• 10 medjool dates pitted
• Another 1/2 – 3/4 cups water

Instructions

• Add peeled, cored, and chopped apples to a large pot (I use a 7-1/4 quart Dutch oven) along with the cinnamon sticks and lemon peel. Add 1 1/2 cups water.
• Place on the stove over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the apples are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the pitted dates and 1/2 cup water in the pitcher of a high-speed blender. Puree until completely smooth, adding additional water if needed to keep things going.
• If, after the 20 minutes, the apples are tender enough to mash with a potato masher, go ahead and mash them as much as possible. Otherwise, cover them back up and give them a bit more time to cook.
• Once the apples are mashed and stirrable, add the pureed dates. Stir until combined. Taste and add more sweetener if desired (see notes). Continue simmering until applesauce is the thickness you’d like. I cook it for just a few more minutes and it’s usually perfect.
• Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon sticks and discard.
• If you want completely smooth applesauce, let it cool and then puree in batches in the blender.
• Store in airtight jars in the refrigerator. With a batch this big, I usually like to freeze some in jars or freezer bags to enjoy later on.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 21g

The post Date-Sweetened Homemade Applesauce appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

But lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about apple picking, and on this side of the mountains, no less. Obviously, we needed to give this a try.

So off we went, down to a farm in the valley, grocery bags in hand – juicy (and giant!) honeycrisps and galas clustered on heavy branches everywhere we turned. 10 minutes later, we found ourselves lugging three heavy bags of apples to the weighing station. 35 pounds of apples, at $2.50 a pound. We experienced a bit of sticker shock, but on the plus side, there’s nothing quite like being flush in apples. Especially those crunchy, juicy, sweet honeycrisps. So, yes Will Hunting, we definitely like them apples.

Recently, I’ve found myself fascinated with the concept of date caramel. I’ve seen a few recipes swirling around for “caramel” sauce made with Medjool dates and it has been on my list to try for awhile now. Needless to say, having fifty thousand apples in my possession is pretty strong incentive to make a caramel recipe, so Medjool dates made their way onto my grocery list and into my blender. I wasn’t going to make straight-up date caramel, exactly, but instead a nice date caramel-ly dip to go along with oodles of apples.

In my search to find the original source for date caramel, I finally found this recipe from Nourishing Meals, shared back in 2010. But her recipe wasn’t for date caramel … it was for a caramel apple dip with dates! Brilliant original idea, Kare. Brilliant.

Ah well, I suppose if this 3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip didn’t turn out to be the most original, at least it is supremely delicious.

So here’s what we’ve got. Sticky-sweet Medjool dates. Some hot water. Creamy, dreamy almond butter – sublime with apples in and of itself, but also luxurious incorporated into a healthier caramel apple dip recipe.

Plus, some vanilla extract and a hefty pinch of salt. Oh, and some cinnamon if you like. I know that’s actually five ingredients but 1) I don’t count the salt and 2) The cinnamon is optional. Perhaps lame excuses, but we can all agree either way that this a nice and simple recipe, no?

I love this recipe. It’s not silky smooth like caramel – and yes, you can taste the almond butter – but it still gives off a luxuriously caramelly vibe and that, my friends, is what it’s all about.

Apples and caramel and fall and oh-so-cozy happiness.

Okay, but maybe a few less apples next year at the u-pick orchard.

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3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip

Made with sticky-sweet Medjool dates, creamy almond butter, and pure vanilla extract, this healthier take on caramel apple dip makes the whole apple-a-day thing even more of a treat.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 10 medjool dates pitted*
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup almond butter here’s how to make your own
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
• Pinch kosher salt + more to taste if desired

Instructions

• Add medjool dates and water to the pitcher of a high-speed blender. If necessary, let sit for 10-30 minutes, until softened.
• Add the almond butter, vanilla, pinch salt, and cinnamon if using. Puree on high speed until completely smooth, a minute or two. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed to keep things moving.
• Transfer to serving bowl. Keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days … um, it never really lasts that long around here.

The post 3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.