Applesauce is really simple to make at home (here’s a basic Applesauce opens in a new tab recipe). It’s just cooked, pureed apples. You can make it smooth or leave it chunky, and you can use just about any apple, red or green. It’s great on its own or sweetened and spiced up with ambitious applesauce-enhancing goodies, like these:
Cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger like in this spicy Ginger Applesauce opens in a new tab.
Raw sugar, Sucanat, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave
Dried fruits, date sugar or raisin syrup
A dash of fresh lemon juice
If you’d rather purchase ready-to-eat applesauce, there are several varieties available. Just remember to avoid artificial sweeteners and chemical preservatives (you won’t find these in the brands we sell). I personally love simple, unsweetened organic applesauce. I add spices and enjoy it for breakfast on pancakes, waffles, muffins, scones, biscuits and more.
Applesauce is also wonderful for lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts. Check out these ideas and tips:
Use as a topping for hot breakfast cereals such as oatmeal, cream of wheat, rice, barley, quinoa or buckwheat. It adds natural sweetness so no sugar is necessary. Add chopped nuts, spices and dried fruits as desired. Try applesauce with Amaranth Hot Cereal with Cherries and Walnuts opens in a new tab, Kasha Breakfast Porridge opens in a new tab or Overnight Oatmeal opens in a new tab.
Enjoy a bowl with dried fruits, nuts and orange or grapefruit sections.
Add applesauce to a smoothie.
Stir into dairy or non-dairy yogurt, ricotta or cottage cheese. Add fresh or dried fruits. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds add great taste, a satisfying crunch and good nutrition.
Serve as a side dish to barbequed or roasted meats or veggie proteins such as tofu or tempeh. It’s great with crispy nitrate-free bacon or tempeh “bacon” strips.
Serve applesauce with Simple Potato Pancakes opens in a new tab, Zucchini Pancakes opens in a new tab, Potato Latkes opens in a new tab and Zucchini Potato Latkes opens in a new tab.
Make toast; spread with nut or seed butter, or cheese (like goat cheese or cream cheese) and applesauce.
Eat applesauce with tangy hard cheese like sharp cheddar or Swiss.
Try a bowl of granola topped with applesauce and yogurt.
These wonderful Mincemeat Cookies opens in a new tab are made with applesauce, dried fruits, coconut, and all-fruit preserves in place of sugar. Perfect for the holidays!
This Instant Banana Pudding opens in a new tab calls for applesauce and is a good kid-friendly, healthy treat.
Samosas are delicious vegetable-stuffed pastries from India. Here’s a recipe for Sweet Potato Samosas with Spiced Applesauce opens in a new tab.
Applesauce adds tenderness and gentle sweetness to baked goods like cakes and muffins. It’s also a wonderful fat-replacer! You can use it for some or all of the fat called for in a baked-goods recipe. Here are some favorites:
Spiced Applesauce Cake with Candied Pecans opens in a new tab
Triple Layer Vegan Carrot Cake with Soy Cream Cheese Frosting opens in a new tab
If you’ve got an appetite for applesauce and a favorite recipe, let me know.
