Odd, but I add cinnamon to Apple Butter, not to applesauce. I like my sauce a little on the tart side and rarely even add sugar. But this one is from U of Illinois extension if you are looking for an extension office recipe: Applesauce will vary in texture and flavor depending on the variety of apple used. All-purpose apples such as Granny Smith, Rome Beauty, Fuji and Jonagold (as well as many others) produce good results. 8 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices 1/2 cup water 2 lemon slices 1/2 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Combine apples, water and lemon slices in a large saucepan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until apples are part sauce and with some chunks of apple left. Watch closely and stir often to prevent burning. Applesauce should be thick; add more water if necessary. Leave sauce chunky or put apples and lemons through a food mill or coarse sieve. Stir in sugar to desired sweetness. Add cinnamon and nutmeg. Serve warm or chilled. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to one week. Yield 5 to 6 cups. To make unsweetened applesauce: omit added sugar and select a naturally sweet variety such as Golden Delicious, Red Delicious or Gala. To Freeze: Increase spices to twice the indicated amount, as they lose flavor during freezing. Refrigerate until chilled. Pack cool applesauce into rigid freezer containers to within 1/2-inch from the top and seal. Use a container size suitable for your family's needs. To use: thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in cold water for 3 hours. Can be frozen for up to one year at 0ðF. To Can: Pack hot applesauce into clean standard canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with 2 piece canning lid and screw band. Process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove jars, cool, check seals, label and date. Store sealed jars away from sunlight in a cool, dry place for up to one year.

DL, To remove the peel after cooking, you use a food mill or sieve, yes? If you like it not too smooth, I'd suggest peeling and coring the apples first. (And chop roughly, or even finely in food processor.) That way you can cook it as much or as little as you like to get a good consistency with some "body" left in it. Stop cooking when it's just a little LESS smooth than you want it, since it'll cook a bit more when you process. I'm one of those who recommends a mix of apple types for best flavour (and for an interesting texture, as some will soften more and sooner). Of the kinds you mentioned, Granny Smith and Jonagold are pretty sturdy. Macintoshes a bit less so but hold up OK. Their flavour makes a very nice sauce, IMHO. Delicious will definitely soften quickly. If it comes out more tart than you like it from the varieties you choose (e.g. including some Granny Smiths), you can just add a little sweetener (sugar, or honey). Life is too short not to have applesauce the way you like it! Good luck! Z

I use my big electric roaster pan for cooking up my apples. I just wash and quarter them, and cut out the bad parts and dump them in the pan with a just bit of water. Put in the cover and check on it once in a while until they are ready - then I run them through the food mill. If I want to make juice for drinking or jelly, I add a lot more water. I'd also like to add that if your pan on your cermaic stove takes forever to boil water, you don't have the propery size/type pan. I had a few big stock pots that took forever, and this fall I spent the money and got a good heavy, flat bottem 12 qt stock pot that is just the right size. I am amazed at how quickly I can heat thing up now. Once it is boiling, I turn the burner down to about 2.5 to maintian the boil for water bath. I started paying attention, and with a slightly warped pan, or one the wrong size, the burner well keep cycling on and off. No wonder it took for ever to heat up. I was seriously thinking about getting a different stove, but with getting some proper pans, I really like my stove again. I've been using the Presto 16 qt canner on it with great results. Just have to make sure the heat plate is centered on the burner correctly. I'm down to my last 20 lbs of apples - I am so glad to be getting done! Cathy

I've never frozen applesauce but only because if I can it, I can use the freezer space for other things like fresh garden sweet corn. I have frozen apple pies, though it's been a while. (I freeze lots of pies, just don't make apple pies very often.) I think the thickener makes a big difference. I didn't have good luck with flour. It broke down and the filling was watery. I think if I were doing it again, I'd lightly pre-cook the apple filling and use tapioca or a tapioca-flour or tapioca-cornstarch combination. I use ClearJel, but not everyone has that on hand. I do freeze uncooked pies all the time. It actually seems to tenderize the crust and increase flakiness. Line the plate with pastry, put in the filling (cooled if pre-cooked) and cover with the remaining pastry dough. Don't cut vents. Freeze on the shelf unwrapped. Then, once the pie is frozen solid, wrap well. I double-wrap, first layer aluminum foil (which can be re-used many times) then secondly a bag. When ready to bake unwrap the pie, cut vents and place on the lowest or second-lowest shelf of the oven still frozen. I usually bake 20 minutes or so at about 375 then lower the temperature to 325 for an additional 40+ minutes. How much time depends on the density of the filling. Basically I watch for thickened juices to begin bubbling through the vents. I haven't had any problems with soggy bottom crusts. Carol