Apple Butter vs Applesauce: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Apple butter has 0.4 g of protein and 173 calories, while applesauce has 0.2 g of protein and 42 calories. Therefore, applesauce is lower in calories.

Apple butter and applesauce are both popular fruit-based spreads, but they differ in their nutritional profiles. This comparison examines their calories, protein, carbohydrates, and sugar content.

What Is the Difference Between Apple Butter and Applesauce?

Apple butter is a concentrated apple spread made by slow-cooking apples with sugar and spices until it reaches a thick consistency. It is often used as a topping or ingredient in various dishes. Applesauce is a puree made from cooked apples, often sweetened and flavored, and is commonly used as a side dish or ingredient in baking. It is available in various forms, including unsweetened and flavored varieties.

Apple Butter vs Applesauce: Nutrition Side by Side

The following table provides a side-by-side comparison of apple butter and applesauce based on their nutritional content.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Apple butter	Applesauce (unsweetened)
Calories	173 kcal	42 kcal
Protein	0.4 g	0.2 g
Carbs	42.5 g	11.3 g
Sugar	35.3 g	9.4 g
Fat	0.3 g	0.1 g
Fiber	1.5 g	1.1 g
Sodium	15 mg	2 mg

Which Is Better, Apple Butter or Applesauce?

For weight loss: Applesauce is lower in calories, containing 42 calories compared to apple butter's 173 calories.

For muscle and protein: Apple butter has more protein at 0.4 g, while applesauce contains 0.2 g of protein.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Apple butter has higher carbohydrates at 42.5 g and sugar at 35.3 g, compared to applesauce's 11.3 g of carbs and 9.4 g of sugar.

How to Track Apple butter and Applesauce Accurately

It's easy to misjudge portion sizes and macros when consuming fruit spreads. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. This comparison is based on verified nutritional data. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Apple butter has 0.4 g of protein, while applesauce has 0.2 g of protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Applesauce has fewer calories at 42, compared to apple butter's 173 calories.

What is the sugar content in apple butter?

Apple butter contains 35.3 g of sugar per 100 g.

What is the fiber content in applesauce?

Applesauce contains 1.1 g of fiber per 100 g.

How much fat is in apple butter?

Apple butter has 0.3 g of fat per 100 g.

What are the carbohydrate values for both?

Apple butter has 42.5 g of carbs, while applesauce has 11.3 g of carbs per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Apple butter has 173 calories per 100 g.
• Applesauce has 42 calories per 100 g.
• Apple butter contains 0.4 g of protein.
• Applesauce contains 0.2 g of protein.
• Apple butter has 35.3 g of sugar.
• Applesauce has 9.4 g of sugar.