First foods database
🍎 Apple purée for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat apple purée? Yes, from about 6 months. Smooth, cooked apple is one of the gentlest first tastes, and it pairs well with porridge, yoghurt and savoury dishes like pork. It is also a useful way to sweeten foods naturally.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Fibre, Pectin
How to serve apple purée by age
6 to 9 months
Peel, core and chop apples, simmer in a little water until very soft, then blend smooth. Thicken over time by mashing rather than blending. Adding cinnamon gives warmth.
9 to 12 months
Serve a lumpier mash, or stir into porridge, yoghurt or spread on toast. Offer more vegetables than fruit purées.
12 months and up
Use as a dip, spread or pudding, or in baking instead of sugar. Check pouch labels for added sugar.
Choking safety
Purée itself carries a low choking risk. Raw apple pieces are a different food and a high choking risk: grate or cook them soft.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Pouches are best served on a spoon, not sucked from the spout.
- No added sugar needed.
Easy ideas
- Apple purée with porridge
- Apple and blackcurrant purée
- Apple purée with pork
Goes well with
Weaning with OBubba
Log first foods in seconds. OBubba spots the allergens for you.
Track every food your baby has tried, see reactions over time, and let OBubba gently pace new allergens one at a time. Free to download.
Questions parents ask
Can babies eat apple purée?
Can babies eat apple purée? Yes, from about 6 months. Smooth, cooked apple is one of the gentlest first tastes, and it pairs well with porridge, yoghurt and savoury dishes like pork. It is also a useful way to sweeten foods naturally.
Is shop-bought apple purée okay for babies?
Yes, if it has no added sugar. Squeeze onto a spoon rather than letting your baby suck the pouch. Labels should list only apple and maybe vitamin C.
How long does homemade apple purée keep?
About 2 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Sources
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).