In the mid 90’s when everyone was looking for low fat recipes, it became a common recommendation to substitute applesauce for oil or butter in recipes. This cuts lots of calories and fat from the finish product. But let’s be honest, the recipes didn’t always turn out so great. If you substituted applesauce 1:1 in a cookie recipe, well you might have butchered a perfectly good treat.
However, I still think that an applesauce substitution has its place in baking. It just has to be applied in the right amount and in the right recipe. In fact I love making a batch of Morning Muffins and watching my little girl gobble them up. I feel good about feeding her a muffin I made with no sugar or artificial ingredients. So as long as you are ok with a slight texture change, typically more cake-y and sweet, then applesauce is a suitable substitution for oil in quick breads, muffins and some cakes. If you have never tried the applesauce sub, start slowly. If a recipe calls for 1 cup oil, add 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 cup oil. If you enjoy the finished product keep adjusting your ratios. Have fun finding out what works best for you.