How To Substitute Vegetable Oil With Applesauce In Recipes?

Have you ever wondered if you could cut down on the calories, sugar and fat in your baked goods? I enjoy a tasty blueberry muffin for breakfast or a rich, fudgy brownie now and then for dessert, but I don't like the calories, fat and sugar content of these treats.

I discovered that when I substituted vegetable oil with applesauce, it produced great results in almost all of my baked goods. Keep reading to learn more about health benefits from using applesauce.

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How Swapping Vegetable Oil With Applesauce Works

Prepared applesauce is a viscous liquid that is slightly thicker than vegetable oil, but it works in a similar way when baked in pastry types of treats like brownies, quick breads, cakes and muffins because the fruit's pectin behaves in a similar manner as oils do.

This healthy mom from the video below explains that using the same amount of applesauce as vegetable oil is a quick and healthy solution when you realize you are out of oil.

You can use commercially prepared applesauce from your grocery store, or you can make your own batch of applesauce puree using your preferred variety of apples and water. No sweeteners or thickeners are needed.

How Much Vegetable Oil To Swap Out

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Via kidneybuzz.com

When swapping out vegetable oil for applesauce, you will need to keep the liquid proportion of your ingredients about the same. The amount of liquids to solids is important to the finished texture of your baked goods.

A lack of liquid could cause the muffins or cakes to be thick and not rise enough, and too much liquid could cause them to be too bubbly.

  • If your recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil, you can swap out about 1/2 cup of the oil and use applesauce in its place.
  • If you have never done this type of ingredient swap before, you may wish to use a smaller proportion of applesauce in order to acclimate your taste buds to the change.
  • Consider starting with a swap of 1/4 cup of applesauce, and as you get used to the change, increase the swap to 1/3 and then 1/2 cup when you bake the same treat in the future.

Measuring Your Ingredients

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In order to get an accurate measurement for applesauce when swapping it in place of vegetable oil, you will need to use liquid measuring cups for precise measurements. 

Another good option is an angled measuring cup because you can look to the side to get an accurate reading of how much liquid is inside. Plus, you can learn how to measure ingredients precisely at How Many Tablespoon In 2/3 Cup.

Do not use measuring cups meant for dry ingredients or a kitchen scale as the volume of applesauce may have a different weight than the same volume of vegetable oil.

The Best Types Of Applesauce To Use For An Ingredient Swap

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You can use any variety of applesauce that you want when doing an ingredient swap. The best type is unsweetened applesauce due to its less intense flavor. Skip the cinnamon or fruit-flavored varieties of applesauce because they may change the flavor of your finished baked goods.

  • If you make your own applesauce to use as a substitute for vegetable oil, consider using a mix of fresh apples such as granny smith, Fuji, golden delicious and honey crisp.
  • If you have prepared your own applesauce, allow it to thoroughly cool before using it as an ingredient in your baked goods.

As the sauce cools, it may thicken. Due to the thickening, you may need to add more water to get it closer to the consistency of a commercially prepared applesauce.

Benefits Of Swapping Applesauce For Vegetable Oil

In the video above, the nutritionist explains that vegetable oil is a non-nutritious ingredient made up of mostly empty calories that do not benefit your nutritional status or your body's overall health.

On the other hand, applesauce includes many important vitamins as well as fiber and antioxidants that promote a healthier body.

Using applesauce in place of vegetable oil can reduce the amount of calories per serving in your baked goods, which may help you to maintain or lower your weight if weight loss is your goal.

Another great reason to swap applesauce for vegetable oil is that it can help lower your bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Vegetable oil is known to increase bad cholesterol and the amount of fats circulating in the bloodstream. By removing some of it from your food, you may benefit from a drop in your total cholesterol.

Conclusion

Applesauce substitution is a healthy, low-cost and convenient way to make a change to your diet. If you have any questions about using applesauce in your recipes, leave a comment below.

  • Determine how much vegetable oil your recipe requires.
  • Measure half of the oil and add it to your other ingredients.
  • Replace the other half of the oil with applesauce and add it to your mixing bowl.
  • Bake your food as indicated by the recipe.
  • If your recipe gives options for butter or oil, use the oil recipe when making an applesauce substitution.

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