The Ultimate Applesauce Taste Test: Finding the Best Store-Bought Brands
Different packaging formats can lead to big gaps in smoothness and true fruit notes.
The Ultimate Store-Bought Applesauce Taste Test
Applesauce holds a special place in home pantries and childhood memories—a snack that’s as comforting as it is versatile. Whether served solo, swirled into oatmeal, tucked alongside savory latkes, or baked into cakes, applesauce can be a humble delight or a surprising standout. Yet, not all store-bought applesauce is created equal. Serious Eats set out to settle the question: Which brand of applesauce is worth your spoon?
Why Applesauce Matters (and How We Use It)
Beyond snacking, applesauce wears many hats in the kitchen. Its gentle sweetness and soft, yielding texture make it popular among kids and adults alike. Chefs and home bakers alike reach for applesauce to :
- Add moisture to baked goods like cakes and muffins
- Provide a satisfying, easy-to-digest snack or breakfast booster
- Serve as a cooling condiment for fried or spicy foods like latkes and pierogies
- Deliver a gentle touch for those feeling under the weather
While homemade applesauce can be customized to taste, convenience often wins. Luckily, markets are full of jarred, pouched, and cupped options. But quality can vary wildly—a fact that inspired this comprehensive taste test.
How We Conducted the Applesauce Taste Test
Finding the best applesauce required fair, thorough tasting standards. The Serious Eats team sampled 14 nationally available unsweetened applesauce brands, focusing on products sold in mainstream supermarkets. To keep the focus on apple flavor, only unsweetened varieties with no added sugar were included.
- Blind Tasting: Each applesauce brand was poured into unmarked bowls.
- Random Sampling: Panelists tasted in a random order to eliminate palate fatigue and bias.
- Category Selection: Both jarred and pouched/cupped applesauces were considered, with an extra test to see if pouch and cup versions from the same brand tasted different.
- Judging Criteria: Tasters ranked each entry based on flavor, texture, aroma, sweetness, and overall impression.
- Data Tabulation: All results were tallied, scores averaged, and brands ranked without editorial sway.
What Makes a Great Applesauce?
A truly great applesauce, whether store-bought or homemade, shares several key characteristics:
- Fresh Apple Flavor: It should taste genuinely of ripe apples, not of fillers or strange additives.
- Pleasant Texture: Neither watery nor overly chunky—look for a smooth, spoonable consistency without graininess.
- Natural Sweetness: Sweet but never cloying, with a complexity that hints at the apple varieties used.
- Inviting Color: Expect shades from pale yellow to golden brown, reflecting natural apple hues; odd colors (green, blue, or purple) can signal spoilage or artificialization.
- Clean Ingredient List: Short and familiar—typically just apples, water, and perhaps a touch of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to preserve freshness.
Many tasters in the test echoed these ideals, praising samples that struck a balance between fresh apple aroma, flavor depth, and a texture that tread the fine line between robust and mushy.
Ingredients and Labels: Does Ascorbic Acid Matter?
Most commercial applesauce contains just apples and water, with a few brands adding ascorbic acid (vitamin C) as a preservative to prevent browning. Some brands rely solely on organic apples, skipping additives altogether. Contrary to expectation, the inclusion (or absence) of ascorbic acid didn’t consistently predict a brand’s ranking, with both high and low scorers on both sides.
What others are reading
- With Ascorbic Acid: Can lend a bright, tart note but not always detectable.
- Without Additives: Some find these taste fresher or more ‘homemade,’ with a softer, rounder apple flavor.
Ultimately, taste and texture were bigger factors than label claims.
Packaging Matters: Jars, Cups, and Pouches
Applesauce is widely available in three main packaging types, each with subtle pros and cons:
- Jars (Glass or Plastic): Great for families or frequent eaters; stay fresh for days once opened if refrigerated.
- Plastic Cups: Pre-portioned for lunchboxes or quick snacks; can sometimes taste more bland or starchy.
- Squeezable Pouches: Convenient for on-the-go; often more concentrated in flavor as water is typically omitted.
Tasting Note: In a direct test, pouches tended to offer a rounder, sweeter, more robust apple flavor versus their cup-based counterparts from the same brand.
Applesauce Taste Test Winners
After much spooning, scoring, and note-jotting, Serious Eats revealed their favorite picks. While every taster had slightly different preferences, these brands emerged as the top choices:
| Rank | Brand | Key Attributes | Why We Loved It |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wegmans Organic Applesauce | Apples, water, ascorbic acid | Balanced sweetness, true apple flavor, smooth texture, gentle tartness |
| 2 | Runner-Up: Brand with Only Organic Apples | Just organic apples | Rich, deep apple notes, subtly thick, a taste reminiscent of homemade |
Notable Mentions & Common Critiques
- “Lacks a little depth, but pretty good!”
- “Tastes like applesauce!” (sometimes that’s all you want)
- Texture could be a bit mushy or grainy, but the apple flavor still shone
- Some found certain brands a bit too sweet or watery
- Oxidized or slightly bitter flavors were noted in lower-ranked batches
Common Applesauce Pitfalls
- Watery or Bland: Some brands diluted the apple intensity, resulting in limp, forgettable sauces.
- Overly Sweet or Artificial: Brands with unnatural sweetness, even without added sugar, tended to taste less apple-forward.
- Strange Colors: Any applesauce sporting green, purple, or unappetizing hues may signal spoilage—skip these.
- Off-Flavors: Bitter, metallic, or oxidized notes ranked consistently lower.
Expert Tips: How to Pick the Best Applesauce
- Read the Ingredients: Shorter is better—preferably apples, water, and ascorbic acid (if present).
- Try Different Formats: Jars are great for bulk, but pouches may bring a more concentrated punch of flavor.
- Texture Test: Spoon out a sample; it should hold some shape and not pool like apple juice.
- Look at the Color: Golden to coppery-brown is ideal. Anything odd—move on!
- Check for Organic if Desired: This is more about apple sourcing; taste preference varies.
Creative Ways to Eat Applesauce
- Stirred into hot oatmeal or overnight oats for natural sweetness
- Served warm or cold, plain, or with cinnamon, as a snack
- Layered with yogurt and granola for a quick breakfast parfait
- Paired with savory dishes like pork chops, latkes, or pierogi
- Used as a substitute for oil or eggs in vegan baking
- Swirled into smoothies or sorbet for a sweet, fruity boost
Is Applesauce Healthy?
Plain unsweetened applesauce is naturally low in fat and contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber from apples—although less fiber than whole fruit. Brands without added sugar score higher from a health standpoint. However, applesauce can be high in simple carbohydrates and should be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Which apples are used for the best-tasting applesauce?
A: Brands usually blend varieties for balanced sweetness and tartness. The exact types are rarely listed, but many use Golden Delicious, Fuji, McIntosh, or Granny Smith for complexity.
Q: Is there a big difference between organic and conventional applesauce?
A: The biggest difference is in apple sourcing, not necessarily taste. Some prefer organic for reduced pesticide exposure and perceived freshness, but top-rated options exist in both categories.
Q: Do pouch and jar/cup applesauces taste different?
A: Frequently, yes. Pouch versions (without added water) often taste richer and more concentrated, with a smoother texture than their jar or cup siblings.
Q: How long does opened applesauce last in the fridge?
A: Opened jars typically keep for 7–10 days in the refrigerator. Always check for spoilage signs before consuming.
Q: Can applesauce be used in baking and cooking?
A: Absolutely. Substitute applesauce for oil or butter in many recipes for nicer crumb, moisture, and a subtle apple hint. Also use it in marinades, glazes, or to sweeten sauces naturally.
Final Thoughts: Our Takeaway
The best applesauce brings you the essence of fruit—no more, no less. Blind tasting is a powerful reminder that labels and price tags don’t always predict quality. Seek out options with pure ingredients, taste-test a few brands yourself, and let your own palate decide what ‘applesauce’ means to you.
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