Applesauce Brownies Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Brownies with applesauce swapping some fat for moisture and subtle softness; spices and a hint of espresso powder deepen the chocolate flavor. Uses cake flour instead of all-purpose for lighter crumb. Nuts and chocolate chips sprinkled on top for crunch. Switched nut type, raised oven temp slightly, and trimmed bake time to avoid drying out. Focus on sensory cues; look for crackled top, edges pulling away, and toothpick with a few moist crumbs. Butter creamed nicely until pale, eggs beaten in well. Sifted dry spices and cocoa to avoid clumps. Key is applesauce texture and chocolate chips melting just right. Attention to aroma and texture beats timer.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
22 min
Total:
34 min
Servings:
9 servings
#American desserts
#brownies
#baking tips
#applesauce baking
#chocolate desserts
Soft but dense brownies with applesauce bouncing in instead of some fat. Moistness without greasy slick, subtle sweetness. Boosted by warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg. Tried with all-purpose flour once, crumb tighter but less tender; cake flour elevates crumb lightness. Tossed in espresso powder last minute; doesn’t scream coffee but deepens chocolate vibe. Nuts definitely the pecans this time, to toast the flavor richer than walnuts. Sprinkle on sugar with chips and nuts gives crunch contrast, balancing gooey richness. Baking time depends on observing edges crisping, cracks forming on top, smell inviting chocolate and spice wafting from hot oven. Not overbaked or dense but that chewy hit low moisture keeps. Those sensory checks make the difference between good and just ‘meh,’ hands down. Learned that moisture content of your applesauce makes or breaks bite texture. Too runny messes with setting. From previous botched tries, pre-sifted cocoa and flour prevents baking lumps, no surprise but still worth a mention. Treat going past bake time cautiously — dries out quick. Wait till center tests moist but no raw batter. Cool to avoid falling apart when cutting. Kitchen experiments showed applesauce substitution works best with slight ingredient shuffle to balance batter consistency. Trust intuition here more than oven dial.
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup cake flour sifted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans toasted
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
About the ingredients
Butter softened but not melted helps cream with sugar properly creating air pockets crucial for texture and rise. Brown sugar offers more moisture and softness compared to granulated. Egg binds, vanilla adds aroma depth. Cake flour lower in gluten yields tender crumb; sub all-purpose but expect differences in chew. Cocoa powder sifted to avoid bitter chunks or dry spots. Baking soda triggers leavening, critical to balance with acidic applesauce moisture. Salt and spice - salt cuts richness, cinnamon and nutmeg add cozy undertones. Espresso powder optional but highly recommended for flavor depth without coffee taste dominating. Applesauce is not just fat substitute here – moisture control key; use unsweetened and make sure not overly watery. Nuts toasted to coax oil release and deepen nuttiness, chopped bigger than crumbs for textured bites. Chocolate chips spread on top melt during baking creating pockets of gooey chocolate with caramelized sugar crunch thanks to added granulated sugar. Sugar sprinkling not in batter — adds interesting subtle crust and sweetness burst atop. Overall ingredients speak to balance of dry and wet, flavor and texture multilayered but straightforward. Measuring cues you and notes on swaps reflect real kitchen adaptability. Don’t be shy nudging elements based on pantry rounds or taste preferences.
Method
- Set oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit for slightly quicker bake and crispier edges; spray 8 x 8 square pan thoroughly. Don't skip grease, brownies stick hard otherwise.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed. Watch for mixture turning lighter color and fluffy texture—takes about 3 minutes. Scrape sides thoroughly to avoid uneven lumps.
- Add egg and vanilla. Mix just until combined; overmixing toughens batter.
- Whisk together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and optional espresso powder in separate dish to evenly distribute rising agent and spices. Espresso powder sharpens chocolate flavor but is subtle, can omit if unavailable.
- Add dry ingredients gradually to wet, folding gently but fully incorporated. Lumpy batter before applesauce is okay; don't overbeat here.
- Stir in applesauce until uniform but still slightly thick. Wet ingredient replaces part of fat, so batter feels softer and more moist than typical brownie mix.
- Dump batter into prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula but don’t overwork; you want some air bubbles to stay for texture.
- Mix nuts, chocolate chips and sugar separately. Sprinkle evenly across batter. Sugar adds a faint crisp sparkle on top during baking.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Ignore exact minutes. Pull from oven when top has shiny crackles, edges brown and shrinking slightly from pan. Toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Don't wait for fully dry stick, dries out brownies.
- Cool in pan minimum 15 minutes on wire rack to finish setting. Cut into nine squares. Let cool more if you want cleaner slices.
- If nuts or chips burn, try covering loosely with foil halfway through next bake. Too moist inside? Lower oven temp next go. Too cakey? Use less applesauce or more flour.
- Note: cake flour makes crumb tender but fragile. Substitute with all-purpose but expect firmer bite. Butter can be swapped butter-flavored shortening with flavor loss and more dense results.
Cooking tips
Oven set slightly higher shortens bake, edges crisp and pull away signal doneness better than timer. Greasing pan well prevents painful brownie sticking; invest time here. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy - air incorporation sets lightness baseline; scraping bowl vital for consistency. Adding egg right after sugars blend keeps batter emulsified; overbeat risks developing gluten or toughening. Dry ingredients twisted with gentle folding keeps tender crumb; whisk first to distribute raising agents and spices ensures no bitter lumps or uneven rise. Applesauce stirred at end adjusts batter moisture and density. Batter texture should move from thick and sticky to slightly smoother but not runny. Spreading batter evenly avoids thin spots baking too fast or thick underbaked zones. Nut, chip, and sugar topping scattered last adds multiple textures mid-bite — sugar caramelizes for unexpected crackle. Bake watched through sensory signals; crackled shiny crust and edges pulling from pan better than timed guessing. Toothpick moist crumb not sticky or wet final checkpoint. Cooling tricks firm structure and prevents crumbling when slicing. Cover halfway if top browns aggressively or nuts scorch. Adjust oven temp in small increments rather than big shifts for repeatable success. Practice patience watching sensory signs over obsessing on minutes. Real kitchens vary; visual, tactile, and aroma checks are your best friends.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter softened, not melted, creamed long with brown sugar — air pockets form, base for light crumb despite dense look. Scrape down bowl often, uneven lumps ruin texture. Don’t rush here, fluffy pale mix key to batter rise. Egg adds binding, fold gently after adding dry ingredients. Overmixing toughens crumbs, yes even in brownies.
- 💡 Cake flour choice makes crumb tender yet fragile. All-purpose can swap but expect denser feel and tighter chew. Cocoa and spices sifted separately to dodge bitter clumps, whisked till mix light brown dust. Critical to dry mix distribution more than recipe states. Espresso powder optional but sharpens chocolate without coffee taste. Omit if you want neutral chocolate note.
- 💡 Applesauce replaces some fat; needs to be unsweetened and not too watery. Watery applesauce ruins structure, droopy batter, flat brownies that stick. Stir in last, fold gentle but thorough. Batter thick, sticky yet not runny is right. If runny, add bit flour or cut applesauce next batch. Batter texture cues moisture level more than measurements.
- 💡 Spray pan thoroughly or grease with butter; brownies stick hard otherwise. Bake ~20-25 mins at 360F but watch edge pull away and shiny crackling top, not strict timer. Toothpick test critical — moist crumbs only, no wet batter. Too dry pulls chew out, tough edges. Cool 15+ minutes on wire rack before slicing or falls apart.
- 💡 Toppings: nuts toasted to release oils, chopped chunkier than crumbs, mix in sugar and chips and sprinkle on top. Sugar caramelizes during bake adding crisp sparkle contrast to gooey chocolate pockets. If nuts or chips burn, cover loosely with foil half bake. Oven temp tweaks small steps, too high scorches outside, too low makes cakey brownie. Sensory checks win over minutes.
Common questions
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes, but expect tighter, denser crumb. Cake flour lowers gluten for tender bites. All-purpose works if you want more chew, but don’t expect crumb lightness. Adjust moisture slightly if needed, applesauce amount same.
What if my applesauce is too watery?
Bad mojo for structure. Adds runny batter, leads to flat, sticky brownies. Use thicker unsweetened or drain some liquid. Or reduce applesauce a little, add slight more flour. Texture signals moisture — too thin batter means troubleshoot here.
How do I know when brownies are done?
Ignore timer mostly. Watch edges crisp and pull away from pan; shiny crackles form top surface. Insert toothpick — moist crumbs cling but no wet batter. Fully dry toothpick means overbaked, chewier texture lost. Aroma shifts to rich chocolate spice mix also clues baking stage.
Best storage method?
Wrap cooled squares airtight, fridge or room temp for 2-3 days. Fridge firmer texture, but bring close to room temp for chew. Freeze separated pieces with wax paper, thaw in fridge then warm with brief bake or microwave to regain softness. Avoid stale air exposure, seal is key for moistness.
