You can make apples for applesauce out of any apples, but if you have a choice, opt for a mix of these apple varieties. Erin Huffstetler is a writer with experience writing about easy ways to save money at home. The Washington Apple Commision advocates for all apples.

If you like your apples to be cross between sweet and tart, these apples are for you. The heirloom variety Gravenstein might just be the best apple for making applesauce, but their short season and dwindling orchards make them more difficult to find. These apples have a bit of a bite, which is not surprising because several originated in New York state. Making applesauce requires a lot of peeling and coring. Once your apples have been peeled, cored, and chopped, you’re ready to start cooking them down into a sauce. You can make your applesauce on the stove, or you can make it in a slow cooker.

If you opt to make your applesauce in a slow cooker, there’s no need to add water to the pot. Just pile your apples in, add a splash of lemon juice to prevent browning, and sprinkle in any sugar or spices that you’d like. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples become soft enough to be mashed up. Use a potato masher for chunky sauce or an immersion blender for smooth sauce. Apples are often plenty sweet on their own, so you may want to wait until you’ve tasted your finished sauce before you decide if it needs sugar.