Strawberry Applesauce

Strawberry applesauce is a fun twist on the classic, with bright berry flavor and a rosy pink color that kids (and adults) love. It’s perfect for canning or freezing, and the recipe is flexible—sweeten to taste, or leave it unsweetened if your fruit is ripe and flavorful.

Homemade strawberry applesauce is a delicious way to preserve fresh fruit in season, with sweet, ripe apples and fresh strawberries.  This naturally pink sauce is perfect for canning—and you don’t need to add any sugar unless you want to. 

Whether you’re filling lunchboxes, prepping for winter, or just looking for a way to preserve an abundance of fruit, this easy berry applesauce recipe comes together quickly and it’s perfect for meal prepping ahead of a busy school week for the little ones.

If you’ve already canned classic applesauce, this is a great variation to add to your pantry. The strawberries give it a beautiful blush color and a flavor that feels like summer in every spoonful. 

Best of all, it follows the same safe water bath canning method as plain applesauce, and you can adjust the apple-to-strawberry ratio to suit your tastes.

Ingredients for Strawberry Applesauce

This recipe starts with simple, wholesome ingredients:

• 4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (see notes below)
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 1 cup water (or use apple juice for a little extra sweetness)

You’ll get the best results if you use a mix of apple varieties. I like to combine sweet apples like Gala or Fuji with a few tart ones like McIntosh or Cortland. That gives the sauce a more balanced flavor without needing extra sugar. Choose ripe, fragrant strawberries—overripe berries are fine for sauce, as long as they’re not spoiling.

You can add sugar to taste, as well as any dry spices or extracts (like vanilla or lemon extract) to make this recipe your own. I like it just as it is, but honey is a nice touch if I have tart apples.

Preparing the Fruit

Start by peeling, coring, and dicing the apples. You’ll lose a bit of weight during prep—plan on ending up with about 2 ½ pounds of prepared apple pieces from 4 pounds as purchased.

Hull the strawberries and give them a rough chop. One pound of strawberries is about 3 cups hulled and chopped. If you want a stronger berry flavor, you can use more strawberries (up to 2 pounds), and the canning times stay the same.

Cooking the Sauce

If canning, prepare a water bath canner, clean half pint, pint or quart jars, and two-piece lids before you begin. Keep everything hot until ready to use. 

Place the apples, strawberries, and water (or juice) into a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The apples should be very soft, and the strawberries will break down almost completely.

Once everything is tender, it’s time to process the sauce:

• For a smooth sauce, puree the mixture using an immersion blender, food processor, or standard blender.
• For a classic applesauce texture, use a food mill to remove any skins or tougher bits (this works especially well if you leave the apple skins on).
• For a chunky sauce, mash everything with a potato masher.

Taste the sauce. If your apples and strawberries were fully ripe, you probably won’t need to add any sugar. But feel free to add a bit to taste—anywhere from 1 to 3 tablespoons per pint jar, if you like a sweeter sauce.

Canning Strawberry Applesauce

Once your strawberry applesauce is finished cooking and hot, ladle it into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue, then apply the lids and screw bands until fingertip-tight.

Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner, for 15 minutes for pints and half pints, and 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude (see below).

Once the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them. Set the jars on a towel-lined counter and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark pantry. Properly canned strawberry applesauce will keep for 12 to 18 months.

Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for canning strawberry applesauce are as follows:

• 0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts
• 1,001 to 3,000 feet: 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts
• 3,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts
• Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes for pints and 35 minutes for quarts

Note here the canning times for pints between 1,000 and 6,000 feet are the same, but there is an increase for quarts.  

FAQ

Yield Notes

This recipe uses 4 lbs apples as purchased, which makes about 2 ½ pounds when peeled and cored.  One pound of strawberries is about 3 cups hulled and chopped.    

This recipe yields about 3 pints of sauce, depending on how juicy your fruit is and how long you cook it down. If you increase the strawberry content, your yield may go up slightly, but strawberries also reduce quite a bit during cooking.

Want a larger batch? You can safely double this recipe as long as your pot is big enough to cook the fruit evenly without scorching.

Strawberry Canning Recipes

Canning Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

Canning Strawberry Pie Filling

Christmas Jam

Old Fashioned Strawberry Jam (No Added Pectin)

Tips for Success

• Choose sweet apples: The sweeter the apples, the less (if any) sugar you’ll need.
• Use ripe strawberries: Fully ripe berries have the best flavor and color.
• Skip the sugar if you want: It’s totally optional here, and the sauce is still safe for canning without it.
• Make it your own: Add a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla for extra depth, or try blending with other seasonal berries. Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are all fine substitutions in this recipe and don’t impact canning safety.