I made both applesauce and apple butter doing this.
What you'll need:
Decent sized stock pot
Stick blender, food processor, or good sized blender.
1 inch water in bottom of pot.
Enough apples to fill the pot about 2/3 of the way up, cut into small pieces.
3 tbsp raw sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tbsp black strap molasses
Put an inch of water into the bottom of the pot. Fill it with the apple pieces, cook that down for about 20 minutes over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally.
Blend.
Next, add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Cook down for another 20 minutes. At this point you can remove about 1/2 for applesauce. If you like more spice, by all means, add more! (I would still go easy on the ginger and nutmeg, since they can be bitter if you go too far. DEFINITELY go with less-is-more when using cloves... because... well? Oy vey.
) My kids have semi-picky palettes, so I have a tendency to go a little easy on the spices, then add more if I think it needs it.
To what's left, add the molasses. Continue to cook uncovered over low heat, for about 3 hours, stirring every 5 minutes, until it is very thick and nicely brown. I like to use a silicone spatula for this, since it really gets the bottom of the pot nice and clean every time you stir, and nothing sticks.
I have heard you can do this in a crock pot also, but have never tried it. Not sure how the concentration process would go, but I might try it soon.
Good work! That was something I really needed to hear this morning. 
:
.
:
: but i get nervous too. 
:
:
:
:
:
:
Happy Birthday, Sara
I'm hoping for the best for you guys.
: for you guys!
Follow Mothering