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All out of applesauce? Here’s the best applesauce substitute to use in recipes like pancakes, cookies, quick breads, and more.
Applesauce is often used as a replacement for oil in baked goods like quick breads, pancakes, and cookies. Why? It can replace the moisture without the fat, yielding lower calorie and super moist baked goods. Are you making a recipe that calls for applesauce and don’t have any? Here are a few tricks you can use to save your recipe.
Best applesauce substitute
1. Mashed banana
The best applesauce substitute? Mashed ripe banana! Banana has a similar moisture content and fiber content to applesauce. You can use it as a 1 for 1 substitute. Remember that it will add a subtle banana flavor, but this may or may not be perceptible depending on the other flavors in the recipe.
2. Pumpkin puree
Another good applesauce substitute? Pumpkin puree. Just like mashed banana, pumpkin is a fruit puree (yes, pumpkin is a fruit!). Grab a can from the back of your pantry for this substitution. Use pumpkin as a 1 for 1 substitute for applesauce. You may want to add a tablespoon or so sugar to mimic the sweetness of applesauce.
3. Make homemade applesauce
If you don’t have applesauce but have apples and time on your hands…you can make your own applesauce! It’s easy to make and you can make a half or quarter batch depending on the amount of apples you have on hand. Try Stovetop Applesauce (45 minutes) or Instant Pot Applesauce (25 minutes).
Related applesauce recipes
Here are some delicious recipes with applesauce:
