Applesauce brownies are fudgy brownies that replace the flour and butter with applesauce! One bowl and just 4 ingredients, they are a healthier chocolate dessert!
When it comes to healthy desserts, we can never say no to no bake brownie bites, cookie dough bites, and these brownies made with applesauce.
I’ve been meaning to do a brownie recipe with applesauce after making these pumpkin brownies. While pumpkin has a firmer texture, I thought the applesauce would make it even more gooey and fudgy…and I was correct.
While applesauce is often used to replace fat and oil in baking recipes, it can also work to keep desserts moist, too. I often use applesauce in other recipes, like quick bread and oatmeal cookies, but this was a first when it came to a chocolate dessert.
I was pleasantly surprised with both the taste and texture of them, especially when I’m in need of a healthy chocolate fix. Not only are they vegan and gluten free, but are also paleo, too!
Now, these aren’t your real deal box mix kind of brownies, but when you are looking for a guilt free fix, this ticks the boxes!
How do you make applesauce brownies
The Ingredients
- Unsweetened applesauce– Be sure your applesauce is completely unsweetened, with no added sugar. You are welcome to use a homemade one, but ensure it is a smooth texture.
- Almond butter OR peanut butter– Drippy and smooth almond butter (or peanut butter) with no added sugar or salt.
- Cocoa Powder– Unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use dark cocoa powder if you’d like a richer flavor.
- Liquid stevia– Optional, but recommended to give the brownies some sweetness. I used 5-6 drops, but use more if you’d prefer sweeter brownies.
The Instructions
Start by mixing together all your ingredients, until a batter remains. Carefully transfer the brownie batter into a lined 9 x 4-inch pan. Bake the brownies for 18-20 minutes, until firm on top. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan completely, before slicing up.
Frosting Ideas
These brownies taste delicious on their own, but take it up a notch by adding a simple frosting on top!
- Coconut Cream ganache– Mix 1 cup of chocolate chips with 1 cup of warm coconut milk (from a can) and spread over the cooled brownies.
- Chocolate Glaze– Mix powdered sugar with cocoa powder and thin out with milk or water.
- Applesauce frosting– My go-to frosting! This homemade frosting needs just 4 ingredients and uses even more applesauce!
Tips for perfect applesauce brownies
- Applesauce brownies are not sweet, so add extra sweetener to compensate.
- Do not overbake the brownies, as they continue to firm up once they cool down.
- The applesauce yields a very fragile texture (once cooked). I recommend once the brownies have cooled down, to refrigerate them for a further 30 minutes, to firm up more.
- For an extra chocolate hit, fold through some dairy free chocolate chips or even some crushed walnuts.
- If you’d like to make these brownies nut free, use smooth sunflower seed butter or tahini.
Storing and Freezing Brownies
- To store: These brownies must always be stored in the refrigerator, to remain fudgy and firm. They will keep well for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze: Place leftover brownies in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to eating.
More healthy desserts you’ll enjoy
- 3 Ingredient Brownies
- Flourless Monster Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Healthy Cookie Bars
- Banana Bread
Watch how to make it
Applesauce Brownies (3 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup almond butter or any nut/seed butter of choice
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 serving liquid stevia optional * See notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 9 x 4-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients until a smooth batter remains.
- Transfer the brownie batter to the loaf pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a cooked on top.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan completely, before frosting, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
What frosting did you use in the photo? Looks nice and fudgy!
Hi Cheryl! I used my protein frosting 🙂
What is protein frosting and can i please have recipe?!!!!
Hi Darcy, it’s been updated to include it above the recipe card.
Hi ! I can’t see the frosting recipe…
Hi it is linked within the post 🙂
Found it ! ?
Glad you mentioned Sept 11 – such a tough day to process each year! Also, I have more applesauce than know what to do with so I think I’m trying these today – the kids thank you in advance 🙂
Absolutely. It feels like yesterday!
Oh geebuz, please don’t haha! Your kids deserve your delicious goodness 🙂
These sound delicious, Arman! I love that Niki made good use of that leftover applesauce. Tell her if she ever runs short, we have plenty of mashed apples around here. And mashed peas. And mashed macaroni and cheese. (I swear it’s a real thing!)
Hahahahaha omg mashed macaroni and cheese.
You can tell how gooey/decadent these turn out just from the photos!! Brownies are all about that gooey factor, in my opinion. As a banana lover I’d never have the issue of too banana-y, but I’d imagine these would do the trick for those people. They look incredible!
Thanks! Appreciate it!
These brownies are good if you don’t mind the apple sauce taste. Otherwise, if you are a chocolate lover like me and do not mind adding dairy to the recipe, I suggest adding melted dark chocolate or add melted chocolate with some Greek yogurt until the chocolate taste is richer.Otherwise, it’s a good recipe
I love recipes that use applesauce! I always end up with too much on my hands. Bonus point is if it involves chocolate!
🙂 Thanks, Kate! Hope you’ve been well!
I can see how gooey these brownies turned out. I like recipes that use applesauce, and have subbed it for half the amount of oil when baking cupcakes.
YES!!! Such a good substitution idea! 🙂
Hi there. I’m French (although to be exact, I hailed from South Korea but I was adopted when I was almost 6 years old) and here in France, we love applesauce! And I’ve been following a healthy lifestyle with a low-carb diet for 2 months and a half now. So hail to your lovely recipe that looks amazing! 🙂 This is the first recipe I’m gonna make from your wonderful website. Gonna tell you how it went, I promise! I love applesauce (in French, it’s called “compote de pommes”). Long live the “baby food”! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
It was a hit! Very yummy and so super easy to make! Thanks for sharing!
😀 you are so welcome!
Bonjour, mon ami! 🙂
Merci for your kind words! I look forward to you trying more recipes!
These look almost too good to be true! And definitely too good not to pin. I HAVE to try this recipe ASAP!
Please do, Karly! Enjoy!
Hehe your adventures with your mom and Niki are pretty hilarious! And these look so good; apples are right up there with pumpkin for me! And 3 ingredients? YES! Do you make your own nut butter or buy it? What’s your favorite brand?
I make my own often, but sometimes buy store bought!
So fudgy oh em geeeee. In undergrad I’d eat those squeeze packs of applesauce all the time and Ray made fun of me for essentially eating baby food.
Hahahaha oh geebuz. They totally are baby food!
There’s no such thing as something being too banana-y. That’s just blasphemy. And applesauce is my jam. Back in the day when I used to make my own, I probably at around 6 apples worth of applesauce a day 😆
urgh. Unrelated but the mini brownies effed up. They stuck to the patty pans.
That was a funny story. I think once in college i made banana brownies and they were such a disaster, no one ate them. But yeah, I’ll try applesauce. I think with using healthier ingredients, you really have to cut out the flour to avoid dryness.. you’re right. WIll try this
Please do, I think you’ll really enjoy these!
There is nothing worse than baking a cake that requires setting overnight! I definitely need a pint of ice cream in the meantime.
Haha, it’s so worth it in the end for a healthy chocolate fix!
I scanned the recipe pics/titles looking for the protein chocolate frosting recipe… Link please? We’re on Whole30, but it’s my 2yo’s birthday today. Making these for his “cake”… We’ll do it without frosting today, but I’d love to have it for later. 🙂
Hi Elizabeth- All the frosting options are here- https://thebigmansworld.com/2016/03/23/healthy-flourless-fudge-brownies/
Do you think this could work with coconut manna?
Hi Alexandre! I’ve never tried it with that, sorry!