Applesauce ranks as one of the most used ingredients in a recipe/dish. It gives an unbeatable tart and crisp flavor to the recipe/dish. If you are just starting cooking, you are likely dependent on the whole recipe ingredients. What if you don’t have all the ingredients in your kitchen? At that moment, you wouldn’t want to spoil all your preparations. That’s why we are here to help you.
If you are cooking something that calls for Applesauce and you haven’t on kitchen shelves, you don’t need to run through the grocery store to purchase the new one. Here, we a list of the best Applesauce substitute, you can choose whatever you have in the kitchen accordingly. First, you have to know about Applesauce so that you can differentiate among these substitutes which are best for your recipe.
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What is Applesauce?
Applesauce is basically a stewed apple pulp. This sauce can be consumed directly as a filling snack or a satisfying dessert. Apple is the most healthy fruit. As you know that it is rich in nutrients. Apples are low in sugar, cholesterol, and fat. Apple contains a high level of fiber. If you are picking up the Applesauce from a store, there must be chances of having a lot more sugar in it.
Nutrient Profile of Applesauce:
- Calories: 51
- Protein: 0.2 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Carbs: 13.7 grams
- Fiber: 1.3 grams
- Sugar: 11.5 grams
- Sodium: less than 1% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Copper: 4% of the DV
- Iron: 2% of the DV
- Folate: 1% of the DV
- Potassium: 2% of the DV
- Magnesium: 1% of the DV
- Thiamine: 3% of the DV
- Riboflavin: 2% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 1% of the DV
- Vitamin E: 1% of the DV
Health Benefits of Applesauce:
- Applesauce reduces the risk of chronic disease.
- It restores your appetite.
- Applesauce helps to improve digestion.
- It may reduce the risk of cancer.
- This sauce also helps to maintain heart health as well as maintain weight.
What can I Substitute for Applesauce?
If you are cooking/baking something that calls for Applesauce and you run out of it, you may get frustrated or anxious. Don’t worry! As we always say that every ingredient has its substitute. So you don’t need to go anywhere to find the best substitute for you because we have already done your half work by listing all the best substitutes for Applesauce right here. You just need to choose what you have right now in the kitchen accordingly.
1. Mashed Bananas:
Banana is known as happy fruit. A single banana is enough for a quick breakfast. It is extremely healthy and nutrient-rich. Use ripe Bananas before mashing them using a fork. It will take a few minutes to mash the whole Banana. You are lucky if you have a Banana in the kitchen right now.
2. Yogurt:
As you know Applesauce is low in fat. If you are cooking a recipe/dish that calls for Applesauce as an alternative to fats, you really want to consider yogurt as a replacement for Applesauce. Yogurt is rich in calcium but low in fats. It gives your baked goods a thicker and creamy texture. Some chefs use Yogurt in pizza dough, but it is the best option for making strawberry cakes.
3. Buttermilk:
Buttermilk is another choice from dairy products. It is highly acidic than yogurt but less in sugar. Buttermilk is used in baking banana bread, biscuits, pancakes, and cakes, but is not used for savory dishes/recipes. Buttermilk is low in fat and calorie than regular milk or cream. Not everyone likes to use Buttermilk because it has a very particular flavor.
4. Mashed Sweet Potatoes:
It seems weird to use Mashed Sweet Potatoes as an Applesauce alternative. This is a great option for binding and gives texture to dough with the help of Sweet Potato starch. You just need to peel off the Sweet Potatoes and cook them until it is soft. Mashed it with a fork and make a soft puree. Now, add this puree to the dough of cupcakes, bread, or carrot cake. Sweet Potatoes are a great option to use as a substitute because it contains more sugar and carbs than the other alternatives.
5. Coconut Milk:
Coconut Milk is not a dairy product so it works really well in baking and cooking. Coconut Milk is not only used in baking cookies, cupcakes, carrot cake, bread, and more, but also in making sauces, chutney, curry, and soups. Coconut milk is a little bit sweeter and denser when compared to Applesauce. It is a versatile substitute and it does not only replace Applesauce but also milk and cream.
6. Peanut Butter:
Peanut Butter is a good option when substituting oils in a dish/recipe. It is a healthier alternative to Applesauce. It contains protein, fiber, iron, and calcium as well. You should use 1:1 of Peanut Butter in place of Applesauce. Some people are allergic to peanuts, you have to be careful to serve any dish that contains peanuts.
7. Coconut Oil:
Coconut Oil is higher in fat, but can also add great moisture to your recipes/dishes. You can use Coconut Oil in baking cookies, muffins, cupcakes, bread, or carrot cake, and in some chutney, curry and soups. It is not worth it for people who are suffering from high cholesterol.
8. Silken Tofu:
Tofu is the most consumed vegan product. No one takes it seriously to use Tofu as a substitute in baking. To use Tofu as a substitute, you have to drain it first and then mesh it with a fork until it becomes a soft puree. Now, add this puree to your baking bread, carrot cake, and muffins. Another advantage is that you can use Tofu in savory dishes/recipes. It is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals but has less fat and calories.
9. Avocados:
Avocado is a healthy pairing for a cup of morning coffee. Avocados can also substitute Applesauce. You only need one tablespoon of mashed Avocados to replace a tablespoon of Applesauce. Don’t forget to maintain the ratio of 1:1. Our body needs good fats to balance our system that is contained in Avocado. Avocado is lighter than apple and some characteristics are different between Avocado and Applesauce.
10. Pumpkin Puree:
Pumpkin Puree has an almost similar texture to Applesauce. It is different from Pumpkin Pie Filling in flavor but not in texture. Seasoned Pumpkin Pie Filling tastes much sweeter not spiced enough. Using Pumpkin Puree as an Applesauce alternative provides a similar consistency.
11. Fruit Puree:
Apple and Pumpkin are not the only fruit that can be used as a substitute for AppleSauce. Applesauce is popular because it is tasty, sweet, and can replace fats used in a recipe/dish. It is originally a sweetened puree of peeled apples. You can do the same thing with other fruits and try them as a different substitute. Pear, pineapple, raspberry, and apricots can be used to make a fruit puree that would be good for a recipe that calls for Applesauce.
12. Vegetable Puree:
There are lots of vegetables that can be used as a replacement for Applesauce. Beetroot is a good substitute for making vegetable sauce and is used as an alternative to Applesauce. It is easy to make a puree as same as Mashed Sweet Potatoes. One thing always keeps in mind when you are using beetroot. Beetroot can change the color of the final product. If you don’t mind, you can use it as a substitute for Applesauce. Otherwise, it works really well with dark color bakery products.
FAQ:-
Can I use honey instead of Applesauce?
Substitute the honey with one cup of Applesauce. Since Applesauce has more water content than honey. You need to deduct 3/4 cup of any of the liquid ingredients such as milk, egg, butter, etc. from the original recipe.
Do you drain the water to make Applesauce?
You can let the applesauce sit in a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth for few minutes so that all the excess water drains out and resulting in the apple cider.
Now, you know the best Applesauce Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
