Apple sauce

Apple sauce is a purée (not necessarily served as a true sauce) made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and can be spiced or sweetened. Apple sauce is inexpensive and is widely consumed in North America and some parts of Europe.

A wide range of apple varieties are used to make apple sauce, depending on the preference for sweetness or tartness. Formerly, sour apples were usually used to make savory apple sauce.

Commercial versions of apple sauce are readily available at supermarkets and other retail outlets.

Apple sauce is made by cooking apples with water or apple cider (fresh apple juice). More acidic apples will render a finer purée; the highly acidic Bramley apple creates a very fine purée. The apples may or may not be peeled. If they are not peeled, the peels and seeds are typically separated in a food mill. Sugar and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and even Red Hot candies may be added for flavor. Lemon juice, citric acid, or other acidifiers may be used to preserve the color and ensure a high enough acidity for safe storage. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) also preserves the color.

Apple sauce can be made by baking rather than boiling, in which case the apples are peeled and cored before cooking. The same process is applied when preparing the sauce in a slow cooker.

Home or commercially canned apple sauce is sterilized by heat to preserve freshness.^{[better source needed]}

Apple butter is a highly concentrated version of apple sauce. Its high concentration of sugar gives it a long shelf life.

Apple sauce is served as a side dish in northern Europe and North America. In the United States, packaged apple sauce is primarily branded as a children's snack, and is ubiquitous in school cafeterias. In American cuisine, it is commonly served as pork chops and apple sauce.