It's About Time You Started Adding Maple Syrup To Your Applesauce

Remember when you were in elementary school and you were regularly treated to cookies, graham crackers, and chocolate milk? But you can't forget the sweetest snack of them all: applesauce. With its sugary flavor and pleasant puréed texture, applesauce always delivered. It remains a go-to treat even for adults. There are lots of ingredients to consider if you're trying to make the absolute best applesauce, but have you tried drizzling some maple syrup in it?

By adding maple syrup into your applesauce, you'll bring this dish to another level with additional notes of vanilla, caramel, and prune flavor, as well as a silky texture that complements the pureed apples. There's no reason to stop there, either. Once you've drizzled some maple syrup into your applesauce, feel free to add in a few more ingredients to level up the sweetness and create even more delicious layers of flavor with extra sauces, spices, and toppings.

The classic spice upgrade for applesauce is to make cinnamon applesauce, but there are even more delicious options out there. Make your maple syrup applesauce extra tasty by adding brown butter. You'll be treated to an extra layer of rich, nutty flavor that will complement apple. If you're feeling more daring, sprinkle in cayenne for an explosion of blazing sugary goodness.

If you'd prefer a bitter spice to balance out all that sweetness, add some ground cloves. They'll give your dish a bit of heat, while their dominant flavor can work with those extra sweet notes. If you'd like clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors added to your maple syrup applesauce without the bother of bringing out all those spice bottles, then simply pepper it with allspice. Once you've chosen your spicy or saucy upgrades for your maple syrup applesauce, it's time to top it off.

Dropping dried fruit into your maple syrup applesauce will give you tasty, bite-sized texture. Opt for dried fruits with a bitter edge that can balance out the sweetness of apples and maple syrup, such as prunes and blueberries. For an even stronger contrast to the texture of your maple syrup applesauce, mix in walnuts, granola, and pecans to add crunch to every bite.

If you think you have all the sweetness that you can handle in your maple syrup applesauce, mix in some oatmeal. The neutral yet savory flavor of the oats will allow the sweetness of your maple syrup applesauce to remain prominent while still giving you some nutritional benefits and leveling out the sugary nature of the treat. While you're enjoying your applesauce and relishing just how much you leveled up its flavor with spices and toppings, remember that it all began by adding some maple syrup.