Blueberry applesauce takes a humble jar of everyday applesauce and turns it into a deep blue‑purple, berry‑rich treat the whole family reaches for. It cooks down in a single pot, jars beautifully in a water bath canner, and freezes just as well if you prefer to stash jars in the freezer instead of the pantry.
When fruit is at peak ripeness you can skip added sugar and still end up with a naturally sweet sauce. Around here the kids call it the “purple applesauce,” and a jar rarely lasts as long as the plain stuff.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Underneath the dramatic color it’s still applesauce, so it follows the same hot‑pack, boiling water bath canning process you use for plain applesauce. As the fruit simmers, blueberries melt into the apples and hand over both color and flavor. The recipe uses the fruit puree method tested by the University of Georgia and follows conservative, tested processing times for applesauce.
Both apples and blueberries are high‑acid fruits, so no extra lemon juice is required for safety. The important parts for safe canning are a true, smooth puree and the correct processing time. If you already make plain applesauce, this follows the same rhythm—you can shift the balance toward more apples or more blueberries depending on what you have on hand.
For a smooth finish without standing over the sink to peel, a food mill makes quick work of the job.
Notes from My Kitchen
This recipe started as a simple way to use a pint of berries and a bowl of apples that were past their prime for snacking. Cooking them together brightened both—especially the color, which leans toward a near‑midnight purple with only a handful of berries. I usually keep it apple‑forward so the sauce has body and doesn’t become watery, but in a good picking year I pack in extra blueberries for a stronger berry note.
It’s a good choice for large batches when berries are inexpensive late in the season. Because blueberry applesauce freezes as happily as it cans, there’s no pressure to use every jar right away.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Blueberry Applesauce
- Recipe Type: Fruit applesauce
- Canning Method: Water bath canning
- Prep/Cook Time: About 45 minutes total
- Canning Time: 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts (see altitude adjustments)
- Yield: About 3 to 4 pints
- Jar Sizes: Quarter pint, half pint, pint, or quart
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Apples, blueberries, a splash of water or juice, sugar optional
- Safe Canning Method: Fruit puree method (tested processing times)
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients for Blueberry Applesauce
A short ingredient list makes this a great way to rescue fruit that isn’t ideal for eating fresh.
- Apples: The base of the sauce—use sweet, tender‑cooking varieties that break down easily (McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious). A mix of varieties yields a rounded flavor. If you plan to use a food mill, peeling is optional.
- Blueberries: Ripe berries provide deep color and sweet berry flavor. Slightly soft berries are fine as long as they aren’t spoiled. Wild blueberries will give an even more intense color. Increasing blueberries strengthens berry flavor without changing canning time.
- Water or unsweetened apple juice/cider: Just enough to prevent scorching and bring the fruit to a simmer. Plain water highlights the berry flavor; unsweetened apple juice or cider adds a touch of natural sweetness. Use plain, additive‑free juices.
- Sugar (optional): Taste first—ripe fruit is often sweet enough. Add sugar, honey, or maple syrup only if needed for flavor. Sugar here is for taste, not safety.
Optional flavorings such as a pinch of cinnamon, grated lemon zest, or a splash of vanilla can be added in small amounts. Both fresh and frozen blueberries work well, so you can make this year‑round if you have frozen berries on hand.
A Note on Safe Substitutions
This recipe is suitable for water bath canning because apples and blueberries are high‑acid and because the finished sauce is a smooth puree, which lets heat penetrate the jars evenly. You can adjust the apple‑to‑blueberry ratio freely and fold in other high‑acid berries like blackberries or raspberries, or a small amount of cherries, without changing the method.
Avoid low‑acid ingredients—bananas, figs, melon, vegetables, or thickeners—as they change acidity or impede heat transfer and push the recipe outside the tested method. Keep it to fruit, keep it a true puree, and process for the full recommended time.
How to Make Blueberry Applesauce
The process cooks down in a single pot. Blueberries simplify the work since they require no peeling or pitting.
Prepare the Fruit
Wash the apples, then peel, core, and slice them into a large, heavy‑bottomed pot. If you plan to use a food mill, you may leave the peels on and remove them with the mill later. Rinse blueberries, discard stems and any spoiled berries, and add them to the pot. Frozen blueberries can be added straight from the freezer with no thawing required.
Cook the Sauce
Pour in the water or juice, cover, and bring to a gentle boil over medium‑high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often to prevent sticking, until apples are completely soft and blueberries have burst—about 20 to 30 minutes depending on apple variety. Add a splash more liquid if the pot looks dry.
You can also use a slow cooker for large batches: expect roughly 3–4 hours on high or 6–8 hours on low, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
Puree and Sweeten
When the fruit is tender, puree to your preferred texture. A food mill gives the smoothest result and removes apple skins; an immersion blender also works well. The finished sauce must be a true, even puree with no large chunks so heat travels uniformly through jars during processing.
Taste and add sugar or other sweetener a little at a time if desired. When the flavor is right, bring the sauce back to a full boil before filling jars.
Canning Blueberry Applesauce
Prepare a water bath canner, clean jars, and two‑piece lids and keep everything hot. Add enough water to the canner to cover jars by at least 1 inch and bring to a simmer.
Ladle hot sauce into hot, clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings fingertip tight. Place jars in the canner and return the water to a full rolling boil. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pints and half‑pints, or 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting times for altitude as noted below.
When processing time is up, turn off heat, remove the canner lid, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Then lift jars out and cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking seals, labeling, and storing.
Altitude Adjustments
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet: 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet: 20 minutes for pints, 30 minutes for quarts
- Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes for pints, 35 minutes for quarts
Note: pint processing time remains 20 minutes across 1,001–6,000 feet while quart time increases; this is intentional.
Ways to Use Blueberry Applesauce
Blueberry applesauce is as versatile as plain applesauce but with more personality. Spoon it straight from the jar, swirl it into oatmeal or yogurt, or pour it over pancakes, waffles, or vanilla ice cream. It’s mild enough for babies and toddlers and makes a quick warm dessert when topped with granola.
It also performs well in baking—use it in place of plain applesauce to add moisture and a hint of berry flavor to muffins, quick breads, and cakes. A jar makes a thoughtful gift tucked into a seasonal basket and brings a colorful addition to the pantry shelf.
Yield Notes
This recipe yields about 3 to 4 pints depending on fruit juiciness and how far you reduce it. Start with roughly 4 pounds of apples as purchased (about 2 1/2 pounds peeled and cored) and about 4 cups of blueberries. Final jar count can vary by a jar or two.
Doubling the batch is fine if your pot is large enough to cook the fruit evenly without scorching. For a single pint, use about 4 cups sliced apples (roughly 1 pound prepared) and a heaping cup of blueberries with a splash of water, sweetening to taste.
Blueberry Applesauce FAQs
Yes. Blueberry applesauce is a hot‑packed fruit puree and is processed in a boiling water bath with 1/2 inch headspace. Keep the sauce a smooth puree, fill hot jars, and process for the recommended time adjusted for altitude.
No. Both apples and blueberries are high‑acid fruits, so added lemon juice is not required for safety. Safety depends on puree texture, headspace, and correct processing time.
Absolutely. Frozen blueberries work well and do not need thawing. They often collapse more readily into a smooth sauce.
If you plan to run the cooked fruit through a food mill, you can skip peeling; the mill will remove skins. Without a mill, peeling yields a smoother sauce. Peeling affects texture, not canning safety.
No. Sugar is optional and used to adjust flavor. Taste after cooking and sweeten only if desired.
If you have more blueberries than you can eat fresh, blueberry applesauce is an easy, shelf‑stable way to capture both flavor and color for months to come.
Blueberry Applesauce
An easy, deep purple applesauce made with blueberries. Can be made with or without added sugar and is suitable for water bath canning when processed as a smooth puree.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs apples, as purchased, peeled, cored, and chopped (or leave peels on if using a food mill)
- 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup water or unsweetened apple juice/cider (adjust as needed)
- Sugar to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids; keep everything hot.
- Peel, core, and slice apples into a large, heavy‑bottomed pot (or leave peels on for a food mill). Rinse blueberries and add them to the pot.
- Add water or juice, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until apples are very soft and blueberries have burst, about 20–30 minutes.
- Puree the mixture with a food mill or immersion blender until smooth with no large chunks.
- Taste and add sugar if desired, then bring the sauce back to a full boil.
- Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pints and half pints, or 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude. Let jars rest in the canner 5 minutes, then cool undisturbed 12–24 hours before checking seals.
Notes
Use sweet, tender‑cooking apple varieties for best texture. Fresh or frozen blueberries both work. Yield is about 3–4 pints depending on fruit and reduction. Freeze option: cool and store in freezer‑safe containers with 1/2 inch headspace for up to one year.