by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Did you know that you can substitute some (or even ALL) of the oil in your baked goods with applesauce? The result can be fewer calories, more fiber & vitamins and at nearly zero difference to taste.

Whaaaaa….??? No, really!

Most folks love applesauce. It’s delicious to eat on its own, but can also reduce the fat in your baked goods.

What To Do With Lots Of Apples?

WHEW! I finally finished with all the fresh apples my aunt let us harvest from her tree & bring home. Ten bushels worth! TEN bushels. T-E-N. Wow.  

From all those apples I’ve made:

• • • Apple Pie Filling for quick homemade pies this winter.

    • Cinnamon/Sugar Apple Chips for snacks. 

    • Made & canned Slow-Cooker Applesauce

    • Sweetened Cinnamon-Vanilla Flavored Applesauce. 

    • Apple cider for cold winter nights.

All are delicious, but today I was thinking about that applesauce. How versatile it is in my kitchen.

Not only do I enjoy eating it straight from the jar, but it replaces a cooking item I typically have to buy.

Self Sufficiency Has Limits

I’ve been strolling this path toward self sufficiency for several years (um, decades). Now granted I don’t have it all figured out. And I’m certainly not 100% self sufficient. 

Like most folks, I have cans of purchased veggies in my pantry and even convenience foods too. I like my purchased coffee and pre-made clothing (although I prefer to buy clothing second hand for environmental reasons).

I own purchased garden tools and tractors, furniture & bedding.

I step lightly as possible, but I’m surely not able to live off of just my own labor, y’all…

However I’m fond of looking at an item in my cart at the grocery store and wondering if there’s a better way than buying. 

I’m constantly asking myself “Can I make that myself?”

Lowering My Footprint

These ponderings are rooted in my deep desire to lower my environmental footprint.

Sure that jar of applesauce only costs a couple of bucks. But If I can make some of these things myself I’m reducing packaging waste brought into our home.

And by doing so I’m also reducing things sent to the recycling facility or the landfill.

My wondering if I can make things myself applies whether we’re talking about applesauce, baked goods or homemade yogurt.

The cost savings (and a healthier product) are awesome, but that’s not my drive. I want to lower my wasteful footprint as much as possible.

Recycling is an important part of being environmentally friendly. But it’s certainly not the answer we all thought it would be. 

For me the answer is PRE-cycling!  (ie: don’t bring it home in the first place.)

But what about cooking oil? Oh sure I suppose I could try to grow and press my own grains into oil but there are only so many hours in a day, ya know? There’s no way I – nor anyone else – can do it all!

So I buy my oil from the grocery store. But I hate that it’s yet another purchased product sold in a plastic bottle. Ugh. So I strive to use purchased bottled oil judiciously and only as needed.

But what does that have to do with my homemade applesauce you ask?

Substituting Oil With Applesauce

Well as you may or may not know, applesauce can replace some (or in some cases ALL) of the oil called for in your baked goods recipe.

Replacing oil with applesauce lowers the fat content of many baked products and adds fiber & vitamins too. 

Plus my applesauce is comprised of one ingredient and one ingredient only: Apples.

So it’s an economic, health and environmental win too! Who wouldn’t love a trifecta win like that??

I’ve been known to replace the oil with applesauce when baking my homemade brownies.

And I always substitute 100% of the oil with applesauce when making my Chunky Apple Bread.

I haven’t’ tried the substitution yet on my Chocolate Crazy Cake or my cake-mix cookies. I’ll be sure to report back when I do!

What Are Benefits Of Substituting Oil With Applesauce?

No matter how much I substitute one thing is for sure, by using my homemade applesauce:

• • • I’m saving money.

    • And my baked goods have less fat & more fiber & vitamins so they’re healthier to enjoy.

    • Less landfill trash (less purchased bottled oil)

SCORE! 

How Do Baked Goods Difffer When Substituting Applesauce?

Depending on what you’re baking, substituting part or all of the oil could slightly alter the texture of the final product. 

 

Typical changes I’ve experienced with baked goods with less oil is a more cakey texture. But I’ve never really noticed a taste difference.

So sometimes I replace all of the oil with applesauce for my baked goods. Other times I replace only half.

But pretty much any sweet baked goods I’ve made has had at least a portion of the oil replaced with a healthier option: applesauce instead of oil.

Try Substituting Part Of The Oil With Applesauce

Why not give it a try next time you’re baking up something sweet?

Start by substituting half of the oil with applesauce and see if there’s much difference at all. Your brownies may be less oily & more cakey but I’ve never noticed much taste difference at all. 

If that works for you, maybe next time substitute applesauce for all of the oil. Your family may be none the wiser that you’re feeding them healthier snacks. 

Don’t worry, I won’t tell! Shhhhhhh….

~TxH~

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Links In This Post

• Homemade Yogurt Recipe
• PRE-cycling Reduces Landfill Contributions
• Rich, Chocolaty Homemade Brownies

5 Delicious Ways To Preserve Fresh Apples:

• Apple Pie Filling
• Cinnamon/Vanilla Applesauce
• Apple Cider
• Dehydrated Cinnamon/Sugar Apple Chips
• Fruit Leather Rollups

Other Delicious Apple Recipes

• Homemade Apple Pie
• Apple Pies Baked In Canning Jars
• Single-Serve Apple Hand Pies
• Apple Crumble from Apples in Syrup
• Baked Apple Pie Tortilla Roll
• Quick, Hot Apple Dessert

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