Rosin esters are provided. The rosin esters can exhibit improved color (e.g., the rosin ester can have a neat Gardner color of 8.5 or less), improved oxidative stability (e.g., when 1000 ppm or less of an antioxidant is present in combination with the rosin ester, the rosin ester can exhibit an oxidative-induction time at 130 DEG C of at least 75 minutes), improved color stability (e.g., the rosin ester can exhibit less than a 10% change in neat Gardner color when heated to a temperature of 160 DEG C for a period of three hours), or combinations thereof. Also provided polymeric compositions comprising the rosin esters, as well as methods of making the rosin esters.