Need an applesauce substitute for baking cakes, breads, cookies, or muffins? Here are 12 simple ingredients that work just as well, and they're healthy, too!
Unsweetened applesauce is a popular ingredient in baking, and it's a good vegan alternative to products such as eggs, milk, and butter.
The high water content in apples provides moisture to everything from apple quick bread and cookies to cake, muffins, and much more!
But what do you do when a recipe calls for apple sauce and you don't have any on hand? Here are some simple and healthy substitutes that you can use in a pinch!
Applesauce Substitute Ideas Using Fresh Fruit
A fruit puree is one of the best substitutes for applesauce! Typically, fresh fruit puree doesn't have any additional sugar.
If you want the sweet and tart flavor of the fruit, the best applesauce substitute is to puree fresh apples.
Making an apple puree is easy! All you need is a food processor or high speed blender.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples. Cover the apples with water in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
- Simmer the fruit until it's soft, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the water, then transfer the apples to a food processor or blender. Process them on medium-high speed until you have a smooth puree.
Other Fruit Purees to Substitute for Applesauce
All of these purees are fantastic apple sauce replacements!
Follow the instructions above to make a puree, then use it 1:1 for a cup of applesauce.
- Pear puree
- Peach puree
- Nectarine puree
- Plum puree
- Apricot puree
Note from Liz
Keep the flavor of the puree you are using in mind, as it will affect the way your baked goods taste.
Mashed Bananas
Mashed banana is another simple applesauce substitute that many people use and love. The creamy consistency and sweet flavor of bananas works well in almost any baking recipe.
Slightly over ripe bananas work best, but any kind will work well. Simply peel the fruit, place it in a bowl, and mash with a fork until the consistency is smooth.
Note from Liz
Depending on what you are baking, you may want to add a tiny bit of water, as mashed bananas have a lower moisture content than applesauce.
Silken Tofu
Silken tofu is another great applesauce substitute that’s perfect for vegans. It is also high in protein and low in fat.
The only downside is, tofu has virtually no flavor. Typically, it takes on the flavors of the other ingredients.
To use silken tofu as an applesauce substitute, simply drain the tofu well, place it in a bowl, and mash it with a fork until it's creamy and soft.
Vegetable Substitutes for Applesauce
There are some vegetables that work well as an applesauce substitute in baking. These have a similar texture and consistency to apple sauce, while having a somewhat neutral, semi-sweet flavor.
You can easily achieve moist bread, muffins, and other baked goods using these alternatives:
- Pumpkin puree
- Sweet potatoes
- Winter squash: You can use acorn, butternut, or any other variety of winter squash.
Nut Butter
Nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter are also great substitutes for apple sauce. They have a thick, creamy consistency, and are also rich in protein and fiber.
Use any nut butter 1:1 for applesauce.
Note from Liz
Be sure to make note of any nut allergies before using nut butter as a replacement.
Yogurt or Greek Yogurt
You can use full-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt as an alternative for applesauce. Its thick and creamy consistency works well in most baked goods, especially cakes, cupcakes, and muffins.
It adds a good amount of moisture and helps to make most baked goods light and fluffy.
Coconut Milk or Coconut Oil
Coconut products like coconut milk and oil are versatile ingredients that can also be used to replace applesauce in baking.
However, coconut milk is known to be sweeter and denser than applesauce, so adding an acid such as apple cider vinegar can help mimic the consistency of applesauce.
Vegetable Oil
One of the simplest and most effective solutions is to use any vegetable-based cooking oil. Good options include vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, and grapeseed oil.
Applesauce Substitute FAQs
Applesauce affects baking by adding moisture and flavor. It also works well as a fat replacement in baked goods.
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