What Is the Difference Between Applesauce and Apple Butter?

For some time, I have had trouble separating apple butter and applesauce in my mind. Both are made of apples and both provide boosts of exceptional fall flavor to my palate, yet I have never been quite sure where to draw the line.

I have only ever had apple butter in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where apple butter is regionally famous. Since then, apple butter has always been a thing that I find at farmers’ markets or artisanal shops. Applesauce, on the other hand, has always been readily available pretty much anywhere from gas stations to bodegas to supermarkets. Because of this, I assumed that apple butter was a regional food or perhaps a more rugged cousin to applesauce, like thick versus thinly cut bacon.

Ignorance, however, is not an excuse. Plus, while I know many different uses for applesauce, my Thanksgiving and Christmas tables are only going to be more interesting with more knowledge. So, what is the real difference here?

Working Definitions

Applesauce is a semi-solid food typically made from apples, a liquid (apple juice, cider, water, and/or vinegar), spices, as well as added sugar (optional). The combination is cooked down until the apples soften so it can be mashed or pureed and the cooking time ranges from less than an hour to a couple hours.

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Apple butter  contains no butter but it is a dense “spread” typically made from apples, a liquid (apple juice and/or cider), sugar, and spices.  The combination is cooked down so that natural and/or added sugar caramelizes into a thick jam-like spread. In order to successfully caramelize, recipes usually require cooking slowly over low heat for several hours or a couple days.

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Color

Applesauce ranges from a yellow chartreuse to box brown. Due to the caramelization and ingredients, apple butter comes in shades of brown or deep red.

Origins

Applesauce is generally accepted as a European food that originated in the 1700s. It was a convenient way to preserve the life of apples and it paired well with sweet and savory foods.

Apple butter dates back to medieval times and is more regionally specific to Belgium, Germany, and Holland. This may explain why the Pennsylvania Dutch love it so much. The age of the dish also explains why the preparation process takes so much longer.

Texture

Applesauce is lighter due to the higher water content. Even if it is chunky, it does not have the same buttery or jam-like consistency as apple butter. Instead, it will be lighter and fluffier.  

Since apple butter is a spread, it is closer to a jam than a sauce. Yet, the consistency can range. Some come as more of a jam and others—especially when served warm—have a dense sauce-like consistency that seems to melt as it gets hotter.

Why? Apples naturally have pectin in their skin and fruit. As you cook them, the pectin releases and acts as a gelling agent. Applesauce has a shorter release time, so it is mostly mashed cooked apple with a little bit of jelly. Apple butter allows the process to mature, so it turns over into a jelly-like spread or “butter”.

Taste

There is quite a range of flavors that you can experience in both applesauce and apple butter as they tend to use similar spices with varying intensity.

Applesauce is lighter and brighter, so it should be lightly spiced. Allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg are typical additions but this should not overpower the bright flavors in the applesauce unless you are making a strong choice that most children (frequent applesauce connoisseurs) will thoroughly detest. Choose wisely.

Apple butter is more concentrated, so it is darker and deeper in flavor. It contains more sugar, the same basic spices, as well as  stronger spices like clove, vanilla, and ginger.  Cooking the spices longer means that the flavors mix-in and become more intense. The stronger flavors make the apple butter a better pairing for potent cheeses and earthy breads.

Usage

Applesauce, in America, is mainly a dessert and condiment. As we are a cultural melting pot, we add applesauce to desserts like the French, eat it with pork like the British, eat it with potato pancakes like the Germans, or just eat it as a snack alone or with bread because it is simply yummy. Apple butter, on the other hand, is mainly used as a condiment for meat, bread, and cheese.

Because they are both condiments, the two frequently overlap as food pairings and can also marinate meat. Additionally, when baking, both can be used as substitutes for oil, eggs, and butter.

By now, we can see that the two are indeed variations on a theme. The theme being apple and the variations are depth of taste, color, and intensity. While they are more similar than they are different, their consistencies prevent them being used as interchangeable ingredients. Yet, with what I learned here, I am eager to break with tradition and try some apple buttered pork or apple butter pie this year. Who’s with me?

Related Video: 3 Tricks for the Best Homemade Applesauce Ever

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What Is the Difference Between Applejack and Calvados?

If you’re a fan of hard apple cider but don’t think it’s quite hard enough, consider going the brandy route. There’s no better place to start than with Calvados, the centuries-old French apple brandy, and applejack, its American-born cousin which holds the impressive distinction of being George Washington’s drink of choice.

But before we get to the main event and compare these two storied spirits, let’s quickly cover the undercard and answer the question: What’s the difference between applejack and domestically produced plain ol’ apple brandy? Absolutely nothing. Told you it would be quick.

“Apple brandy and applejack are synonymous by their federal standard of identity,” says Lisa Laird Dunn, Vice President and World Ambassador to Laird & Company, America’s oldest government licensed distillery and the nation’s foremost producer of apple-based spirits.

Just like pop and soda or Ye and Kanye, applejack and apple brandy are interchangeable. Either name can legally be applied to any spirit that is distilled using 100 percent apples–whole fruit or simply the juice.

Which brings us to the 1960s, when Americans (foolishly) began to fall out of love with brown spirits including apple brandy. According to Dunn, in an effort to combat sagging sales, Laird & Company petitioned the U.S. government to create a federal standard of identity for a lighter variation of applejack that could be distilled with neutral grain spirits. Enter “blended applejack” which received official designation in 1972.

In the ensuing years, blended applejack became synonymous with applejack despite the fact that it is not actually applejack (or apple brandy).

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Another common misconception is that applejack is exclusively produced through freeze distillation. Back in the early colonial days, fermented cider was left out in the cold and subsequently concentrated through freezing or “jacking”–ergo, applejack. It wouldn’t be long before modern distilling became the norm (a handful of distillers continue to use the traditional method), but the name applejack stuck and continues to cause confusion to this very day.

The name Calvados, however, isn’t nearly as complicated. It refers to the region in Normandy where it is produced.  Like Champagne or Tequila, Calvados only comes from its namesake, which is home to over 800 varieties of apples.

More specifically, production of the spirit is spread across three separate appellations (A.O.C. Calvados where the majority of the spirit is produced; A.O.C. Pays d’Auge, home to several high-end producers; and A.O.C. Domfrontais, which we’ll get to shortly), each with its own set of regulations. Unlike applejack, which isn’t required to be aged a single day, Calvados needs to spend a minimum of two to three years in oak barrels. The spirit must contain 100 percent fruit, but pears can be substituted for a portion of apples. In fact, Calvados Domfrontais contains at least 30 percent locally-sourced pears.

When it comes to taste, comparing Calvados to applejack can be difficult considering all the varying factors in their respective productions. Calvados primarily takes advantage of bitter cider apples, which are prominent in the region, while applejack has a reputation for being sweeter, the result of using more common, edible varieties of the fruit.

Barrel type plays an important role in imparting specific flavor profiles. Applejack often spends time aging in used bourbon barrels, which lend notes of burnt caramel, vanilla, and spice. French oak largely takes center stage in Normandy. A single batch of Calvados can spend time in multiple barrels new and old to balance levels of oakiness and tannins that the wood provides.

Then there’s aging, which in the case of spirits, is often a good thing. The apple characteristics slowly fade, the rough edges begin to smooth, as a deeper, more complex spirit evolves.  Older vintages should be designated as straight sippers. Applejack, which tends to outweigh Calvados in the ABV department, is ideal for mixing in classic cocktails such as an old fashioned, Manhattan, and, of course, the Jack Rose.

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While both Calvados and applejack have withstood the test of time, they continue to fight for mainstream acceptance. A substantial gap separates Calvados from the grape-based ‘gnacs on the French brandy hierarchy. And despite applejack’s illustrious place in U.S. history, its name is currently more closely associated with one of the characters from “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.”

But like the fall leaves, that all seems to be changing. Thanks to New York City hotspot Frenchette, Calvados and tonic vied for cocktail of the summer honors while production of applejack continues to spike across the U.S. with new distilleries such as Arkansas Black and Harvest Spirits Farm producing highly regarded versions of the American classic. Even the old-timers are getting back in the game. Last October, Laird & Company released their long-awaited Straight Applejack 86, a faithful recreation of the fruits of the distillery’s labor from pre- and post-Prohibition days.

“Consumers’ tastes are cyclical,” says Dunn. And right now, apple brandy is having a moment–again.

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What Are the Best Apples for Baking?

If you’ve ever made a dessert with apples, you’ll know that not all varieties bake equally. Some hold up beautifully under heat, retaining their texture and taste. Others melt into applesauce, leaving behind a pile of watery mush in their wake.

To avoid soggy baked apples, it helps to pay attention to a couple of factors in the fruit you’re working with. Tart and acidic apples tend to hold up the best in cooking, retaining their shape and a firmness in their flesh. That acid helps draw out the natural pectin in the fruit, encouraging it to become thick, and gel-like, giving you that sort of wobbly but solid texture you’re going after.

In addition to acidity, you should check out the raw texture of the apple. Cottony, grainy, or soft apples like Red Delicious and McIntosh have a lot of air hidden within their structure; put them in the oven and they just kind of collapse into themselves. But a dense, firmer apple will keep its shape and texture and stay in recognizable slices or chunks.

So which apples score high on both acidity and firmness? Granny Smith and Golden Delicious, the two most commonly recommended baking apples, naturally do. They will stay intact even through intensive baking and heat, although their tartness can feel a little one-note. Pink Lady and Honeycrisp apples also retain their shape nicely, with more sweet and fruit-forward flavors. Mild Galas are another balanced option, equal parts tart and sweet, although they can turn out a bit on the mealy side.

Regardless of which apple you go with, there’s no shortage of dessert recipes that will help you put them to use. Here are eleven to try out during the height of apple season.

1. Apple Dapple Cake

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Apple cakes don’t have to be complicated and fanciful. Here, chunks of apple and pecan are mixed into a basic batter that comes together easily. The whole thing is then baked in a tube pan and given a dripping brown sugar glaze. Get our Apple Dapple Cake recipe.

2. Apple, Cranberry, and Cherry Galette

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Keep it free form: this loose, hand-shaped tart packs in a gloriously messy heap of apples, cranberries, and cognac-soaked cherries. Get our Apple, Cranberry, and Cherry Galette recipe.

3. Spiced Apple Cupcakes

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Apple cupcakes with a sugary maple frosting: the only thing that could make these treats more autumnal is a cup of cider and a horse-drawn hayride. Get our Spiced Apple Cupcakes recipe.

4. Fresh Apple Pie

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Apple pie should let the fruit take the starring role, calling for little more than a good, flaky crust and dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to make it complete. Get our Fresh Apple Pie recipe.

5. Caramel, Apple, and Cinnamon Breakfast Casserole

Prefer to start your mornings with something sweet? This casserole has a breakfast-appropriate bread pudding that’s topped with gooey, sticky dulce de leche. Get our Caramel, Apple, and Cinnamon Breakfast Casserole recipe.

6. Apple Turnovers

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Pretty much anything wrapped in puff pastry is guaranteed to be a amazing, but let’s just say that these apple-stuffed pockets do an especially good job of filling out the dough with something satisfyingly sticky and sweet. Get our Apple Turnovers recipe.

7. Apple Fritters

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Crisp, puffy, and coated in a maple glaze, these fritters are way more rich and fruit-filled than just about any version you’d get at a donut shop. Get our Apple Fritters recipe.

8. Easy Apple Crisp

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Intimidated by the thought of trying to put together the perfect apple pie? An apple crisp is an easy, practically no-fail alternative that hits all the same brown sugar and cinnamon-spiced notes. Get our Easy Apple Crisp recipe.

9. Apple Muffins with Pecan Streusel

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Moist on the bottom and crunchy on top: muffins like these are hard to resist during breakfast, dessert, and snack time (or pretty much any time, really). Get our Apple Muffins with Pecan Streusel recipe.

10. Cornbread and Apple Stuffing

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For a little sweet meets savory action, this cornbread and apple stuffing is balanced out by the wholesomeness of carrots, celery, and herbs. Get our Cornbread and Apple Stuffing recipe.

11. Apple-Honey Upside-Down Cakes

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Up the sticky and sweet factor with a generous smothering of caramel. These upside-down apple and honey caramel cakes are about as delectably gooey and sugary as can be. Get our Apple-Honey Upside-Down Cakes recipe.

Related Video: How to Make an Easy Apple Crisp

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How (and Why) to Incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar Into Your Diet

If you’re looking for an affordable miracle product that can reportedly detoxify your digestive system, reduce acid reflux and high blood pressure, support weight loss, whiten your teeth, and even brighten your skin, it’s time to hop on the apple cider vinegar bandwagon.

The benefits of drinking raw, organic apple cider vinegar (known as ACV) come from its natural doses of potassium, magnesium, probiotics, complex enzymes, and acetic acid, which acts as an antibiotic for “bad” bacteria while fostering the growth of “good” bacteria for skin and digestion. People across the country swear by the benefits of drinking ACV, particularly from the brand Bragg, on a daily basis. The only downside? Drinking straight up vinegar isn’t exactly enjoyable. But if you follow these simple tricks to incorporate it into your diet, you can reap the benefits of ACV without gagging at the taste.

Mix it with juice

The easiest and most popular way to get your daily dose of ACV is to mix one or two tablespoons of it with fresh juice in the morning. Orange, grapefruit, and cranberry juice work well, but definitely avoid any juice cocktail or brands with added sugar. You can also add a splash of sparkling water.

Add it to tea with honey

Another easy way to down ACV is to add it to your morning tea. Try adding one tablespoon to a cup of hot green or oolong tea, and don’t forget to add honey to help it go down smooth.

Try Dr. Axe’s Detox Drink

One of the most popular recipes for ACV online is for this super-healthy drink from Dr. Axe. It contains ACV, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, which can help you lose body fat and boost energy. He recommends drinking it three times daily 20 minutes before meals, but in my expert opinion once a day is enough.

Make a salad dressing

Replacing the red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar in your salad dressing is an easy way to sneak ACV into your daily meals. Try a salad dressing with some honey and a little mustard to mask the harsher vinegar taste, like this one. Add it to salads (obviously), roasted veggies, grilled chicken, or your favorite grain bowl.

Make homemade ketchup

This recipe is an unexpected and easy way to replace something processed in your diet with something extremely healthy. All you need is ACV, tomato paste, onion powder/oregano, maple syrup, and salt. And beyond homemade ketchup, you can add a splash of ACV to any tomato sauce or salsa for a healthy, vinegary kick.

Make a marinade

Marinating your meat, or even veggies, with a slightly acidic marinade will help tenderize your dish and lock in moisture. Try this recipe, which uses ACV and herbs to create marinade magic.

Be brave and take a shot

Sometimes, there’s just no time for games. Mix one tablespoon of ACV with two tablespoons of water, plug your nose, shoot it back, and don’t forget a chaser. Honestly, this is my favorite way to drink ACV—it makes your stomach feel like it’s on fire for a few minutes, but it’s the easiest method. However, never shoot ACV completely straight without water. If you don’t dilute it, it could damage your tooth enamel and cause stomach aches.

Related Video: Experts Are Urging People Not to Drink Straight Apple Cider Vinegar

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Whole Wheat Bread

Making whole wheat bread at home isn't hard at all! This recipe uses whole wheat flour and bread flour makes for a really satisfying crumb that holds up well to sandwiches and toast.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls

We love roasted sweet potatoes, especially in grain bowls like this one! Combine with quinoa, and top with avocado for a quick, one-bowl vegetarian meal.

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Here’s Every Tool You’ll Ever Need to Carve a Perfect Pumpkin

It’s October, and you know what that means, right? Halloween is almost here! While you may not be able to trick-or-treat, and you may not feel totally comfortable dressing up anymore, there’s still one tradition you can enjoy, no matter how old you are: making jack-o-lanterns! If you’re wondering about the latest and greatest in jack-o-lantern gadgetry, I’m here to help you with a guide to all the gear you’ll need to turn your pumpkin into one ghoulish gourd!

When I was younger, carving a pumpkin required four things: 1) a pumpkin (duh); 2) a steak knife; 3) a spoon (for scooping!); and 4) a candle. Since then, a lot has changed. Why? Because people started taking their pumpkin carving really seriously. Gone are the days when three triangles and a mouth were all that was required. These days, jack-o-lanterns are works of art. And, as any good artist will tell you, your tools matter! Additionally, safety has become more of a concern, and a lot of the tools out there are designed to be safer on skin and fingers than a regular, old kitchen knife. Disclaimer: While safer, some products are not suitable for children without supervision, or at all. Please use your discretion.

Last week, I was at a pumpkin farm where I happened upon a wall full of pumpkin carving equipment. I was stunned. So. Many. Tools. Apparently, my carving has been amateur hour, over here, ‘cause nowadays there are instruments and methods I’d never heard of. In case you’re super interested in taking your carving game to the next level, I thought I’d run down some innovations I discovered in the last week or so. For my money, I like the Pumpkin Masters line of products, so you’ll see them heavily featured here. For all you cynics out there, no, I’m not sponsored by them! They just happen to have a varied product line, and are readily accessible at big box stores, online, at costume shops, and at pumpkin farms.

Pumpkin Carving Kits

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If you’re looking to elevate your pumpkin-carving game, the first thing you should check out is a pumpkin carving kit. Put the steak knife and spoon away. It’s time you had real implements for your craftsmanship. Hoping for something a bit more kid-friendly? Try this kids pumpkin carving kit.

Pumpkin Lid Cutter

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If you already have a kit, but need more than the starter package, you’re gonna need to upgrade your gear. Anyone who’s anyone knows that the first step in making your jack-o-lantern is cutting it open, and getting all the goop out. While carving a design can be a precision enterprise, hacking off the hood is more of a power move. As a result, you need a knife that’s both safe, and up to the challenge—like this one here.

Pumpkin Scooper

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The most annoying part of the pumpkin carving process is scoopin’ the goop. That sounds like a Pauly Shore line, doesn’t it? Scoop the goop, bud, scoop the goop. Yeah, I referenced Pauly Shore. I’m not ashamed of it, either. Anyway, scooping pumpkin goop is a real drag. In my day (in the oldest old-man voice possible), we used the adult-sized kitchen spoon to help us. Now, you have options. Looking for a perfectly adequate option? Try this one. If you’re wanting to Tim-The-Tool-Man-Taylor things, this pumpkin gutting tool attaches to most drills (did you say power tools?) and lets you get down to business with some p-p-p-power. Speaking of power…

Power Saw

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You read that title correctly. They now make power saws for pumpkin carving. I guess that makes sense. Sometimes, depending on how intricate a pattern you’re hoping to carve, your fingers don’t have the endurance needed to get the job done. If that’s the case, this power saw might help.

Power Drill

If you have a penchant for pointillism, you might be wary of all the cutting and sawing needed to make your design. For you, building a masterpiece from the very granular to the grandiose is more your style. If that’s the case, this power drill would be right up your alley. Use it to punch holes in the face of your pumpkin, and get your Seurat on.

Pumpkin Stencils

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Have you ever seen a pumpkin that was a little too good, and wondered, “Just how in the heck did they carve that thing?” Well, sometimes the answer is that the carver is a really talented artist. But if you know the carver was your cousin, Fred, who’d just as soon stick crayons up his nose than draw something magnificent with them, chances are he used a stencil. Hold on. It sounds like Fred shouldn’t be allowed to carve pumpkins without supervision. Who’s watching Fred?! Anyway, check out these basic (not in the trendy, bad way) stencils here. For some spooky realistic ones, check these out. Yikes!

Pumpkin Surface Carving Kit

If you liked the look of those spooky, realistic stencils, then you’ll likely need some tools that will help you carve the surface of the pumpkin without cutting holes all the way through. This creates a translucent appearance. The pumpkin glows. Surface scraping tools give you the control you need to allow you to create a bit more contour and definition without making a full cut. Check here for a surface carving kit.

Lighting

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Everyone knows that a jack-o-lantern needs light to come to life. When I was younger, we just used tea candles. But they burn out, or blow out, or won’t light when it’s a little wet. And you know what they call a burned out jack-o-lantern? A disgrace. So, to keep yourself from a load of embarrassment on All Hallows Eve, spring for a fancy-pants electronic light. Feeling a little lazy and prefer something remote controlled? Try these lights here. Want to up the spookiness (and maybe the seizure risk) a notch? Opt for a light with a strobing feature like this one. Want something with a little versatility (Greg, you can’t have a “little versatility,” it’s either versatile or it isn’t)? Fine, full on, full bore, max-level versatility? Try this 3-in-1 light here.

Display Stand

I don’t know about you, but we used to put our jack-o-lanterns on the ground—like suckers! If that’s not good enough, or you have a pumpkin with carving that spans the entire circumference of your squash, then this rotating pumpkin display stand would be perfect for you. It keeps your pumpkin off the ground, and rotates so those trick-or-treaters can see all sides of your lantern.

Pumpkin Teeth

Are you tired of needing to carve teeth into your pumpkin, only to have them look bogus, or average, or non-intimidating? Pfff. Worry no more! Now, you can buy pop-in pumpkin teeth to take your jack-o-lantern from ho hum to horrifying! Check them out here!

Carving Alternatives

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Are you sick of the mess that carving pumpkins brings, but still want to be festive? Don’t fret. There are several options. Do you like stickers? If so, check these out here. Do you want something a bit more hands on? How about paint? There are pumpkin paint kits that might be right up your alley. Are you someone that craves variety, or finds it tough to make up your mind on one design. Then you might want a chalkboard design kit that will let you change the design as many times as you’d like.

Don’t Forget the Seeds!

Is your favorite part of carving pumpkins roasting the seeds? If so, there are pumpkin carving kits designed with you in mind. This kit gives you everything you need to design your jack-o-lantern and then roast your seeds. Not bad. Not bad at all.

If this is the year you decide to take carving to the next level, hopefully I’ve helped give you a head start on some of the gadgets and gear that can help. As always, whenever carving or working with tools that can carve, be careful, and make sure safety comes first. With that said, have fun this Halloween!

Related Video: How Long Do Carved Pumpkins Last? 

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