Sweet & Savory Ways to Use Applesauce

I canned 84 pints of applesauce this year. Both Jeff and I like to eat it as a part of our lunches but beyond just being a snack straight out of the jar, applesauce has a multitude of other uses – both sweet and savory. In case, you put up more than just a few jars yourself here are some Sweet & Savory Ways to Use Applesauce:

Use Applesauce as a Fat Replacement in Baked Goods

Applesauce can be used as 1-to-1 replacement for oil or melted butter in all those baked goods – cakes, quick breads, etc.  It keeps everything moist and tasty and makes it a bit a lighter. The applesauce won't even be noticeable, the people you feed will only remember how good it was – not that you used applesauce instead of oil. Some recipes to try include:

Chocolate Avocado Brownies that also happen to be flourless for the gluten-free folks.

Use up the ever abundant garden zucchini in a chocolate marbled bread with applesauce instead oil. 

This same fat replacement trick will work for your best friend too in these dog biscuits made with applesauce. 

Pile it on as a Topping

Potato Latkes are famously topped with applesauce but I often put it on top of pancakes instead of syrup, too.  My friend, Jess, from The 104 Homestead uses applesauce as an ice cream topping.  It's great mixed with some granola and yogurt too.

Applesauce Drinks

This is probably not the first way to use applesauce that comes to mind, but it is a versatile and tasty use:

Make cocktails like Apple Pie Bellini for your fall parties. 

Add applesauce with berries and bananas for a smoothie that sure to please and fill a hungry stomach.

Have a Savory Lunch & Dinner

Most of us probably know that applesauce makes a great accompaniment to pork chops. Applesauce however can be so much more than just a side dish.

Make applesauce a comfort food with homemade Mac and Cheese. 

Add it for hint of flavor and sweetness in a curried fall soup. 

Don't forget to include in tasty sweet and spicy appetizers for game day and beyond. 

Naturally Sweet Treats

Beyond being a fat replacement, applesauce can give sweet treats an amazing, unique flavor.  Let it be the star in things like:

No Churn Apple Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream is a great way to use up fall preserves in the hot days of summer.

Combine berries, herbs, and applesauce to dry into a delightful fruit leather perfect for lunch boxes and more.

Heck, you can even make an applesauce pie for a tasty and different twist to the traditional apple pie. 

Layer Applesauce with Other Ingredients to Create Sauces & Dressings

Applesauce can make the perfect base layer for many dressings and sauces:

Make a strawberry vinaigrette for your salad that uses applesauce instead of oil for added flavor and sweetness. 

Mix ketchup and spices with applesauce for a BBQ sauce perfect for ribs.

Combine herbs and sherry vinegar with applesauce for sweet and savory salad dressing. 

Eat a Hearty Breakfast

My husband will eat applesauce straight out of the jar with some peanut butter toast for breakfast.  But there are so many other creative ways to enjoy it: 

Mix applesauce and peanut butter with oats to bake for a lightly sweet and crunchy homemade granola.

Pair applesauce with oats and let it sit overnight for a quick grab and go meal. 

Make a homemade breakfast sausage that includes some applesauce. 

Applesauce muffins are full of spicy sweetness and freeze well for busy mornings. 

Maybe these tips will inspire you to see all those beautiful jars gracing your pantry as the start of something truly delicious rather than a monotony of applesauce on the side of brown bagged lunches.

What's your favorite way to use up applesauce?

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