Blackberry applesauce is an easy way to turn a bounty of brambles into a jarred favorite. The deep purple color and the sweet, slightly wild flavor of blackberries are folded into soft, homemade applesauce. It can be canned for shelf stability, frozen for later, or kept in the fridge for short-term use. The recipe cooks in a single pot on the stove and scales easily to suit your harvest.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
If you have made plain applesauce before, blackberry applesauce will feel familiar: cook the fruit until soft, puree it to a smooth consistency, then process jars in a boiling water bath if you want shelf-stable results. Because apples and blackberries are both high-acid fruits, no additional acid is required for safety. The method follows tested fruit puree canning procedures and uses standard applesauce processing times.
This recipe yields a small batch—about 3 to 4 pints—which is convenient for most kitchens and easy to double for a larger harvest. If you prefer not to can, the sauce freezes well. Many home cooks leave the blackberry seeds in; if you prefer a seedless texture, a food mill or a fine-mesh sieve will remove them with little extra effort.
Notes from My Kitchen
Our wild brambles along the fence yield far more berries than we can eat fresh. After pies and freezer jam, blackberry applesauce is my go-to for the last of the harvest. I usually leave the seeds in to save time, but I keep the sauce apple-forward so the apples provide body while the blackberry flavor remains bright.
At our house it disappears fastest stirred into morning oatmeal or spooned right off the jar for a quick snack. It also makes a thoughtful homemade gift when canned or jarred for the pantry.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Blackberry Applesauce
- Recipe Type: Fruit applesauce
- Canning Method: Water bath canning or steam canning
- Prep Time: About 20 minutes
- Cook Time: About 30 minutes
- Canning Time: 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts
- Yield: About 3 to 4 pints
- Jar Sizes: Quarter pint, half pint, pint, or quart
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Apples, blackberries, a little water or juice, and optional sugar
- Safe Canning Source: Fruit puree method with applesauce processing times
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
This recipe uses only a few forgiving ingredients, so it’s a great way to use apples and berries that are past their peak for fresh eating.
- Apples: The base and body of the sauce. Sweet, fast-softening varieties like McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, or Golden Delicious work well. Mix varieties for a rounder flavor. Peel and core, or leave peels on if you plan to run the finished sauce through a food mill.
- Blackberries: Provide color and brambly flavor. Wild or cultivated berries, marionberries, or other bramble berries are fine. Fresh or frozen work equally well; frozen berries do not need to be thawed. If seeds bother you, strain or mill them out.
- Water or juice: A splash helps the fruit start to simmer. Use water to keep the berry flavor prominent or unsweetened apple juice/cider for added sweetness. Avoid juices with preservatives.
- Sugar: Optional, for flavor only. Taste the finished sauce and add sugar, honey, or maple syrup if desired.
Optional additions like a pinch of cinnamon or a bit of lemon zest can dress the sauce up. Use roughly 1 cup of blackberries per pound of apples and increase the berries for a bolder blackberry profile. Avoid low-acid ingredients such as bananas or vegetables when planning to water-bath can this sauce.
Step by Step Instructions
Blackberry applesauce is made in one pot. The main decision is whether to keep the seeds or strain them out for a seedless texture. The rest is cooking the fruit down and pureeing to the texture you prefer.
Prep 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 can skip peeling. Rinse the blackberries and remove any stems or spoiled berries.
Cook It Down
Add the blackberries and the water or juice to the pot with the apples. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Stir often to prevent sticking and cook until the apples are very soft and the blackberries have collapsed—typically 20 to 30 minutes. Add a splash more liquid if the pot becomes dry.
A slow cooker is an excellent option for larger batches: 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low, stirring occasionally, yields a gently cooked fruit mixture with minimal risk of scorching.
Puree Smooth or Strain for Seedless
For seeded sauce, an immersion blender or a potato masher in the pot is sufficient. For a seedless result, run the cooked fruit through a food mill to remove seeds and any remaining peels, or cook the blackberries separately for a few minutes and press them through a fine-mesh sieve before combining with the apples. Ensure the final sauce is a smooth, even puree with no large chunks; this helps heat penetrate jars evenly during canning.
Taste the sauce and add sugar if desired. Bring the sauce back to a full boil before filling jars.
Fill the Jars
Ladle the hot sauce into hot, clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, apply lids, and screw bands to fingertip tight.
Canning Blackberry Applesauce
Uncanned, the sauce keeps in the refrigerator for about a week and in the freezer for up to a year if you leave headspace for expansion. To store jars on the shelf, process them in a boiling water bath. Make sure the water bath canner is hot when you lower the jars in, and keep jars covered by at least an inch of water.
Process jars for 15 minutes for pints and half pints, or 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting processing times for altitude. After processing, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Place jars on a towel and let them cool, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals and refrigerate any jars that did not seal properly. Properly sealed jars keep at room temperature for 12 to 18 months.
Altitude Adjustments
Processing times increase with elevation. Typical guidelines:
- 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
These adjustments ensure safe processing as elevation increases.
Serving Ideas
Blackberry applesauce is excellent at breakfast—stir it into oatmeal or plain yogurt, or spoon it over pancakes and waffles. Its deep purple hue makes simple dishes feel special, and the soft texture is suitable for young children straight from the jar.
It also works in baking: substitute it for plain applesauce in muffins, quick breads, and cakes for added moisture and berry flavor. Warm a bowl, top with granola for a quick dessert, or serve a spoonful alongside roast pork or chicken. A small jar makes a thoughtful homemade gift when paired with other pantry items.
Yield Notes
This recipe starts with about 4 pounds of apples as purchased (roughly 2 1/2 pounds peeled and cored) and about 4 cups of blackberries (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds). Cooked and canned, that typically fills about 3 to 4 pints. Yield will vary with how juicy the fruit is and how much you reduce the sauce. You can double the recipe if your pot is large enough; a slow cooker is helpful for larger batches. To make a single pint, use about 4 cups of sliced apples and a generous cup of blackberries with a splash of water.
Blackberry Applesauce FAQs
Yes. This is a hot-packed fruit puree and is safe for a boiling water bath when jars are filled hot, headspace is correct, the puree is smooth, and processing times are followed and adjusted for altitude.
Either run the finished sauce through a food mill to remove seeds and peels, or cook the blackberries briefly and press them through a fine-mesh sieve before combining with the apples. If seeds don’t bother you, simply blend everything smooth.
Yes, as long as you stick to high-acid fruits like raspberries, blueberries, or cherries. Avoid low-acid ingredients such as bananas or vegetables, which would require different canning methods.
Absolutely. Add frozen berries directly to the pot with the apples and liquid; they often break down more quickly than fresh berries.
No. Sugar is optional and only affects flavor. Taste the sauce after cooking and add sweetener only if desired.
If your brambles produced more than you can use, blackberry applesauce is one of many ways to preserve berries for the pantry.
Blackberry Canning Recipes
Old Fashioned Blackberry Jam (No Added Pectin)
Canning Blackberry Pie Filling
Seedless Blackberry Jam (No Added Pectin)
If you tried this Blackberry Applesauce recipe, leave a star rating and share your feedback in the comments. Homemade preserves are a joy to make and even more satisfying to share.
Blackberry Applesauce
Equipment
- Water bath canner (if canning)
- Canning funnel
- Canning jars, lids, and bands
Ingredients
- 4 lbs apples, as purchased, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 4 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup water, or unsweetened apple juice or cider
- Sugar to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath canner, jars, and lids. Keep everything hot if you plan to can.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into a large, heavy-bottomed pot, or leave peels on if using a food mill. Rinse the blackberries and pick out any stems or soft berries.
- Add the blackberries and water or juice, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until apples are very soft and blackberries have collapsed, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Puree to your preferred texture. Use an immersion blender for a seeded sauce or a food mill for a smooth, seedless sauce. Ensure the final puree has no large chunks.
- Taste and add sugar if desired, then return the sauce to a full boil.
- Ladle the hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings to 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 for 5 minutes, then cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking seals.
Notes
Apple Varieties: Sweet, quick-softening apples like McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, or Golden Delicious work best.
Blackberries: Fresh or frozen are acceptable. Use about 1 cup of berries per pound of apples and increase for a stronger blackberry flavor.
Seeds: Leave in for a rustic texture, or remove with a food mill or sieve for a smooth result.
Sweetener: Optional. Add after cooking to taste.
Yield: About 3 to 4 pints from 4 lbs apples and 4 cups blackberries. Yield varies with fruit juiciness and reduction.
Freezer Option: Cool and store in freezer-safe containers with 1/2 inch headspace for up to a year.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.
Blackberry applesauce is one of many fruit sauces you can make with an apple base. The same straightforward method applies to other combinations, making it an adaptable recipe for seasonal preserving.
Apple Canning Recipes
Cranberry Apple Jam
Apple Jam
Apple Blossom Jelly (or Cherry, Peach, Pear)
