Add your apples, water, salt, sugar (if using), orange and lemon juice (if using), and cinnamon sticks.
Heat, stirring frequently until the apples are completely soft.
Remove the cinnamon. and mash the apples with a potato masher. You can also use an immersion blender.
Stir in your vanilla extract.
If you are jarring the applesauce, boil your jars for 10 minutes and do not remove them from the hot water until you are ready to carefully ladle in the applesauce. Add in the sauce leaving ½ inch of space. Screw the lids on tightly, then boil the jars for another 10 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 12 hours.
Print out your jar labels on sticker paper and adhere to your jars.