Naturally Sweetened Pot o’ Gold Applesauce

by Amy · May contain affiliate links

Published Updated May 19, 2023

~ This Naturally Sweetened Pot o’ Gold Applesauce is such a fun St. Patrick’s Day snack! It’s quick and easy – and so healthy, too! With natural sweetness from a surprising (golden!) mix-in, your kids will love the luck-o-the-Irish twist, and you’ll love all the great nutrition! ~

This Recipe Is:     Ready in 30 Minutes or Less    Vegan (and Vegetarian)    Gluten Free    Paleo  

This Naturally Sweetened Pot o' Gold Applesauce is such a fun St. Patrick’s Day snack! Quick, easy – and so healthy, too! With natural sweetness from a surprising (golden!) mix-in, your kids will love the luck-o-the-Irish twist, and you’ll love all the great nutrition! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com
This Naturally Sweetened Pot o' Gold Applesauce is such a fun St. Patrick’s Day snack! Quick, easy – and so healthy, too! With natural sweetness from a surprising (golden!) mix-in, your kids will love the luck-o-the-Irish twist, and you’ll love all the great nutrition! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com
This Naturally Sweetened Pot o' Gold Applesauce is such a fun St. Patrick’s Day snack! Quick, easy – and so healthy, too! With natural sweetness from a surprising (golden!) mix-in, your kids will love the luck-o-the-Irish twist, and you’ll love all the great nutrition! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com

Two black cauldron-shaped bowls full of applesauce garnished with shamrock-shaped apple cutouts, with spoon, napkin and apples nearby.

Ok, story time!

Once upon a time, there were two cute little kids who were staying at a hotel.

It just so happened that it was St. Patrick’s Day, so when the cute little kids and their parents came back from having breakfast, they found multicolored Twizzlers shaped like rainbows … and Rolos, like tiny pots of gold … left for them by leprechauns (a.k.a. the hotel cleaning staff)!

And the two delighted little kids ate the candy and had a happy, magical St. Patrick’s Day (while their mom despaired that their healthy breakfast had just ended with candy). The end.

Closeup of one bowl of applesauce with spoon laid across it, on green placemat with shamrock apple cutouts.

Just kidding … we’re not at the end (yet)!

Actually, when that little girl (a.k.a. … ahem … ME) grew up a bit and started food blogging, she wondered if there was any way to have a healthfully magical St. Patrick’s Day treat.

She saw all sorts of cute, rainbow-y recipes. But could any of them actually be good for her? (I mean, let’s face it, there’s probably a reason why leprechauns aren’t often portrayed as svelte, shapely little men.)

The little girl (ME!!!) decided to create her own St. Patrick’s Day treat (a.k.a. this Pot o’ Gold Applesauce).

Applesauce in black-footed bowl with golden raisins and cinnamon on top, spoon laid across, and shamrock apple cutouts fro garnish.

It was both delicious and healthy, and she lived happily ever after.

The end. (Again.)

Oh … but wait … don’t you want some tips on how to make this? Of course you do! Read on …

Watch Out for Unhealthy Applesauce!

Be really careful when you’re buying applesauce at the grocery store. A surprisingly large amount of the brands and varieties out there contain high-fructose corn syrup. We recommend you simply purchase natural, unsweetened applesauce and add flavorings like cinnamon on your own at home.

Super closeup of applesauce with cinnamon, golden raisins and green apple shamrock on top.

Making your own homemade applesauce is a great bet, too, so you know exactly what’s in it (psssst … check out our recipe for Easy Homemade Applesauce).

A Surprising Sweetener

In this recipe, we don’t add any sweetener at all, except for golden raisins. Not only do they look like cute little nuggets of leprechaun gold, but they’re also delicious stirred into the applesauce!

Sort of like an apple cobbler made with apples and raisins – the flavors are perfect together, and even we were really surprised by how much yummy natural sweetness the raisins added to the unsweetened applesauce! No need for any other added sugars at all!

Making Your Tiny Decorative Shamrocks

Green apples on patterned-wood cutting board, sliced and cut into shamrocks using cooking cutter.

To make those cute little shamrocks that we used for decoration, cut thin (about 1/4″ – 1/2″) vertical slices of green Granny Smith apples. Then, use a sharp (preferably metal), shamrock-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the shamrocks. Our cookie cutter was about 1 3/4″ which was a perfect size!

You can place your little shamrock apples on top of each pot o’ gold or spread them around alongside. Either way, they’re great for nibbling, and you’ll be surprised how fast a lot of nutritious fruit gets gobbled up!

Magical and healthy, too!

Two black bowls of applesauce on green placemat with black napkin, spoon, and green apples surrounding.

Ok, ok … now this is really the end! THE END! (And Happy St. Patrick’s Day!)

More of Our Fun and Healthy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes …

One bowl of applesauce with second in background, with napkin, spoon and green apples surrounding.

Naturally Sweetened Pot o' Gold Applesauce

Yield: Varies
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Such a fun St. Patrick's Day snack! You'll love that it's quick, easy and healthy. And your kids will love that it's so cute and really yummy! 

  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less    Vegan (and Vegetarian)    Gluten Free    Paleo  

Ingredients

  • Granny Smith apples, for making shamrock cutouts
  • all-natural, unsweetened applesauce
  • golden raisins (about 1-2 tablespoons per serving, as desired)
  • cinnamon, if desired, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. To make decorative shamrocks, cut thin vertical slices of apple (about 1/4" - 1/2" thick). Lay slices flat on cutting board and use a small, sharp, shamrock-shaped cookie cutter (ours was about 1 3/4") to cut out shamrocks.
  2. Spoon applesauce into serving bowl.
  3. Sprinkle golden raisins (and cinnamon, if desired) on top. Decorate with apple shamrocks.
  4. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 serving (adjust as desired) Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 96Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 2gSugar: 20gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.

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This Naturally Sweetened Pot o' Gold Applesauce is such a fun St. Patrick’s Day snack! Quick, easy – and so healthy, too! With natural sweetness from a surprising (golden!) mix-in, your kids will love the luck-o-the-Irish twist, and you’ll love all the great nutrition! | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com
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29 thoughts on “Naturally Sweetened Pot o’ Gold Applesauce”

    • It really is delicious anytime, isn’t it? You don’t have to get all crazy with the shamrock vibe (although that sure is fun around St. Patrick’s Day! 😉 ) – just a great snack any day. I’m so happy to hear you and your kids enjoy it, Jennifer! ~Shelley

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