Apple sauce is made by cooking down apples with water or apple cider (fresh apple juice) to the desired level. More acidic apples will render a finer purée; the highly acidic Bramley apple is popular for creating a very fine purée. Apples may or may not be peeled; sugar, spices, or lemon juice may be added for flavoring. Apple butter is similar to apple sauce, but has a high cider to apple ratio, of 8 liters to 100 kilograms.[2]
Apple sauce was once a food prepared for winter, since it keeps well.[3] It is often an accompaniment to a main course. Swedes and the English, for instance, usually eat apple sauce as a condiment for roast pork. In Germany it accompanies potato pancakes. In the Netherlands, people often eat it with their fries;[4] It is also a popular accompaniment in the United States and is sometimes served as a dessert there as well, alone or used in making apple sauce cake.[5] In France where it is referred to as compote, it is mostly viewed as a dessert and served at room temperature, with the notable exception of boudin aux pommes (dark blood sausage with apple sauce). In Portugal as well, maçã cozida (cooked apple) is solely viewed as a dessert.
It has been suggested that it can substitute for fat (e.g. butter/oil) in baking.[6][7][8]
Commercial versions of apple sauce are readily available in supermarkets. It may be packaged in glass jars, tins, or plastic tubs. It is also sold in serving-size small plastic cups.