Need an Applesauce Substitute in Baking? Here Are 10 Options!

When I was caught in a situation where I needed an applesauce substitute in baking, I thought there were only a limited number of options. That's because I focused on the taste instead of thinking about some of the other things applesauce does for baked goods.

To save you from all the troubles and headaches I went through, let me share some of the best applesauce baking substitutes I have already used.

Jump to:

• What Is Applesauce?
• What To Substitute for Applesauce?
• Start Using the Best Applesauce Substitute in Baking!
• Recipe

What Is Applesauce?

Like with some ingredient substitutes I share, let's have an overview of what applesauce is before answering, "What can I substitute for applesauce?" This knowledge will help you better understand why the replacements I will discuss work.

Who knows? You might even discover more great applesauce substitutes!

The Ingredients and Flavor

The thick, syrupy-like applesauce is made from, of course, apples. Some products contain a single variety, while others combine different varieties like Red Delicious, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith.

Some manufacturers add sweeteners to it, such as white or brown sugar, stevia, and honey. Others simply rely on the apple's natural sweetness, and these are the applesauce products labeled as unsweetened.

With or without added sugar or sweeteners, you'll also find commercially produced applesauce containing cinnamon. This spice helps enhance the sweetness and flavor of the applesauce and gives it a more enticing aroma.

Other flavor and aroma enhancers some manufacturers add to their applesauce products are vanilla, nutmeg, and ginger.

Uses in Baking

Most of you will agree that when you think about applesauce, you imagine that delicious topping on your pancakes, waffles, toasts, oatmeal, chicken, and pork chops. Or that filling dripping from the crunchy crust of an apple pie with every bite you make.

However, there are many reasons why many baking recipes call for an applesauce. One is to add flavor and aroma to your baked goodies. Another is to give your pastries and desserts natural sweetness, especially when baking for individuals with dietary restrictions.

Apple sauce is also a popular replacement for binding agents like eggs. After all, it has a thick, syrupy consistency.

Lastly, some bakers use apple sauce to substitute oil in their recipes to keep the baked goody moist. But how to substitute oil for applesauce?

Well, it's easy to substitute vegetable oil for applesauce. Simply replace one teaspoon of oil with one teaspoon of applesauce.

What To Substitute for Applesauce?

Now that you're familiar with applesauce's taste and aroma profile and its use in most baking recipes, let's start replacing it with my tried and tested ingredients.

You'll find my list valuable whether you need applesauce as a sugar substitute, an oil substitute, an egg substitute, or a combination of two or all of these purposes.

1. Pureed Pears

What is a better way to replace applesauce than with a fruit puree? Of course, not just with any other fruit but with one that's almost similar to apple: pears!

Apples and pears have the same texture and water content and almost the same flavor and sweetness. Thus, pureeing the pears will produce an ingredient with the same smooth (and chunky) texture.

Plus, making this fruit puree isn't rocket science. Here's what I do to make the best pear puree that I can use as a substitute for applesauce in baking:

1. Wash one or two pears, depending on how much applesauce your recipe requires.
2. Remove the fruit's stem and peel the skin.
3. Slice lengthwise into four pieces, then remove the seeds.
4. Chop your peeled pear into small pieces.
5. Place the chopped fruits in your pot.
6. Add water, just enough to cover the fruit slices.
7. Set your stove to low heat, and allow the pear to boil and simmer until they're soft but not mushy. This can take around four to 16 minutes, depending on how ripe your pears are.
8. Once soft, drain the water and place your cooked pears in a plate or bowl to allow them to cool.
9. Transfer the cooled pears to your blender and pulse slowly until you have a smooth fruit puree.
10. You can add a few dashes of a sweetener, cinnamon, and/or other spices if you want to.

Now that you have a pear puree, how can you use it as a sweetened or unsweetened applesauce substitute? With a similar consistency and water content, the amount of pear puree you'll use in your recipe is the same as the one's required for applesauce.

Best for just about anything.

2. Pureed Pumpkin

Another fruit puree that you can use as an applesauce baking substitute is made out of pumpkin. It's my favorite substitute for applesauce in carrot cake, not just because of the similar color. It also has an almost identical flavor profile to carrots.

That said, pumpkin puree has a similar consistency to applesauce and a good amount of starch, making it an excellent binding agent for almost all baked goods.

However, it's less sweet than applesauce. It's why I sometimes add a few dashes of sugar or any sweetener to my pumpkin puree.

Also, pumpkin puree has a higher amount of water content. Hence, like with the mashed banana, consider adjusting the amount of liquid ingredients in your recipe.

Another reminder when using pumpkin puree as a substitute for applesauce in recipes is to increase the baking time. Remember that pumpkin is also denser than apple. You don't want to have an underbaked goodie, right?

If pumpkin puree seems to be the best applesauce alternative, you can make your own pureed pumpkin at home by following the same steps as making pear puree. Or you can go ahead and use that canned pumpkin puree that's been in your pantry since Halloween.

I want to emphasize that pumpkin pie filling is different from pumpkin puree. It has added sugar and spices that can completely change your baked goodie's overall flavor, so make sure you don't mistakenly use it.

To use pureed pumpkin as an applesauce replacement, follow a 1:1 ratio.

Best used as a binding agent.

3. Mashed Banana

Yes, the ripe bananas you use to make your favorite banana bread are also one of the best substitutes for applesauce in baking. Not only are they naturally sweet. Bananas also have a creamy consistency when mashed.

Ratio-wise, it will depend on why you're using mashed bananas to substitute applesauce. When you substitute sugar for applesauce or use it as a binding agent or egg substitute applesauce in your recipe, but with bananas because you ran out of apple sauce, simply follow a 1:1 ratio.

On the other hand, when you use it as a vegetable oil substitute applesauce, you will need to use a lesser amount of mashed bananas. The ratio I follow that has worked well for my baking recipes is replacing one cup of applesauce with ¾ cup of mashed bananas.

In terms of how many bananas to mash, one large banana is usually equivalent to one cup of applesauce.

I would like to note that there are a few adjustments to your recipes and baking time when using mashed bananas.

First, you must reduce the amount of any liquid ingredient. That's because your mashed banana has more water content than applesauce. Decreasing the baking is also advisable because bananas cook faster than apples.

Best for just about anything.

4. Mashed Avocado

While it's great to substitute sugar with applesauce, what if I'm serving someone who needs to limit their sugar intake? What can I substitute for applesauce? I use mashed avocados because they have no sugar at all.

Avocados might have a distinct flavor, but they tend to absorb the flavors of the ingredients they're mixed with. As such, no one would notice that you used mashed avocados in your brownies or muffins unless they're the main ingredient.

They can even enhance the flavor of your baked goods!

One thing to note is that mashed avocados can produce goodies with a different texture than when using applesauce. Avocados are rich in healthy fat, so they can add more moisture to your finished product, especially when using overripe avocados.

When you mash your avocados, make sure you mash them well or until they have a creamy consistency. Using a potato masher is better than a fork or spoon. Then, replace applesauce in your recipe with the same amount of mashed avocados.

Best for just about anything.

5. Mashed Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are one of the root crops with a slight sweetness, making them a perfect applesauce substitute in baking. They're highly recommended for making brownies, cookies, and pound cakes. They also have a good amount of starch that will help bind ingredients well.

Once mashed, the sweet potatoes will have a creamy texture that closely resembles applesauce's.

However, mashed sweet potatoes aren't the perfect choice if you don't have enough time. It will take longer to prepare it than the other substitutes for applesauce because you need to cook it longer.

You can choose to boil the sweet potato, but I suggest cooking it in the oven if you have enough time to spare to give it a sweeter and richer flavor. Once cooked, peel the sweet potatoes, chop them into small pieces, and mash them using your potato masher or fork.

When replacing applesauce with mashed sweet potatoes, you need to reduce the amount required in your recipe. That is ¾ cup of mashed sweet potatoes to one cup of applesauce.

Best for dense baked goodies.

6. Pureed Carrots

While you will find many home cooks suggesting several vegetable purees as an applesauce substitute in baking, I find carrots as one of the best. It's also my favorite substitute for applesauce in carrot cake, like pumpkin puree.

Carrots are naturally sweet and have a color that won't completely change the color of your baked goods.

To prepare your carrot puree, follow these steps:

1. Remove the stem and peel your carrots.
2. Slice them into small pieces.
3. Place the cut carrots in your pot.
4. Fill it with water until it covers your carrots.
5. Bring to a boil using medium heat.
6. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the carrots to simmer until tender. This usually takes about five to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of carrots.
7. Once soft, drain the water and transfer the carrots to a place or bowl to allow them to cool.
8. Transfer the carrots to your blender and pulse slowly until you produce a smooth puree.

Now, it's time to use your pureed carrots as an applesauce substitute in baking. Simply use the same amount of pureed carrots as what your recipe calls for applesauce.

Best used as a sugar substitute.

7. Plain Yogurt

When you need a substitute for unsweetened applesauce to use as an oil and binding agent replacement, yogurt is one of the best options you can find. Not only is it easily accessible, but also healthy.

Yogurt has a creamy texture that helps bind solid ingredients with ease. It also has a mild flavor you won't notice, especially when mixed with other ingredients.

It is also less sweet than applesauce, so you may add sweeteners or spices if you want or need to. Also, yogurt has a higher moisture level than applesauce. It's for this reason that I replace a cup of applesauce with ¾ cup of yogurt.

I also want to note that you need to slowly fold in the plain yogurt when mixing it with your dry ingredients. Not doing so can lead to the yogurt's dairy content separating, which can affect the overall quality of your baked goodie.

Best for just about anything.

8. Peanut Butter

This high-protein spread can be a great substitute for your applesauce if you want to add some nuttiness to your brownies, cakes, muffins, and cookies without using actual nuts. Its creaminess will add richness and decadence to your baked goods while helping bind all the solid ingredients.

Although it has the same consistency as applesauce, peanut butter is denser, so it can make your baked products denser and dry. To avoid this, I suggest using half the amount of the required applesauce in your recipe when substituting it with peanut butter.

You can also add a teaspoon or two of water or oil to one cup of peanut butter. Then, use it in your recipe by following a 1:1 ratio.

Best for nutty-flavored, dense baked goods.

9. Silken Tofu

Silken tofu is a great substitute for applesauce if you're baking for vegans, vegetarians, and individuals with gluten allergies. I would like to emphasize the word "silken", as it's a variety of tofu that's less dense and softer than common tofu you purchase and fry.

That said, it's still denser than applesauce, so it's only ideal for dense baked goodies. It's also perfect for a baking recipe with strongly flavored ingredients, such as chocolate cake.

When substituting applesauce with silken tofu, there are a few steps that you need to take. One is to press a towel against the tofu to remove excess moisture that can affect the overall quality of your baked product.

Another is to mash it with your potato masher or fork. You can also place it in your blender and pulse gently until you have a smooth consistency.

Ratio-wise, it will depend on why you're substituting applesauce with tofu. For instance, follow a ⅓ cup of mashed tofu to ½ cup of applesauce ratio if it's used in a recipe to replace oil. On the other hand, follow a 1:1 ratio if the applesauce in the recipe is used as a replacement for sugar and binding agents.

Best for quick bread, dense cakes, and muffins.

10. Coconut Oil

We learned earlier that applesauce is one of the most commonly used ingredients to replace vegetable oil and even butter in your baking recipe. So coconut oil is a top option if you're wondering, "What is a substitute for applesauce if you're cooking for those on a keto diet?"

Not only will coconut oil add moisture to your baked goods, but it will also add richness. However, the coconut flavor and aroma are still noticeable when you use it as an applesauce replacement.

It's why I add ⅛ teaspoon of apple cider for every teaspoon of coconut oil when I need to add some apple-ish flavor to my baked goods.

Before using the oil as an applesauce replacement, make sure that you melt it. Then, measure the same amount as what your recipe calls for applesauce.

Best used as an applesauce oil substitute.

Start Using the Best Applesauce Substitute in Baking!

While my list provides you with several of the best applesauce substitutes, you have to make sure you pick the right ingredient for your recipe. That's especially since there are still differences in density, texture, flavor, and water or moisture content.

Determine the main purpose of the applesauce in your recipe, and then narrow down the options I have provided you to help you find the suitable applesauce alternative. And, of course, don't forget to be mindful of the right amount of the specific ingredient to use and some of the tips I shared.

Recipe