17 Easy Recipes with Applesauce to Sink Your Teeth Into

I believe we can all agree that cooking with applesauce is both delicious and nutritious.

Not to mention, recipes using applesauce are quite versatile.

From savory dinners to sweet snacks to healthy breakfasts, the possibilities are endless when you decide to crack open that jar of applesauce waiting in the fridge.

This is why it can be confusing to figure out what dish to make with applesauce.

The good news is, recipes with applesauce can be whatever you feel like, whether it’s comfort food, a quick dessert, or a hearty meal.

Today, I’ve put together a list of 17 yummy food ideas to help you browse different options for recipes with applesauce that the whole family will love.

1. Applesauce Cake

Baking with applesauce is a quick and simple way to make applesauce desserts that you can serve pretty much any time of day.

This applesauce cake is so moist and fluffy that you won’t be able to stop yourself from reaching for a second slice!

What I love most about this dish is that it’s a one-bowl recipe.

This applesauce cake is super simple to make and comes out very delicious every time!

I also appreciate that it uses everyday ingredients that are probably sitting in your pantry right now.

All you need to do is mix everything in one bowl, pour the blend into a pan, and bake! 

This applesauce cake recipe is fool-proof, mess-free, and ideal for beginner bakers.

2. Applesauce Waffles

 

Waffles are a great way to start your day, and applesauce just makes it better!

This is one of the tastiest applesauce waffle recipes you can try, and as a bonus, it’s also vegan!

These applesauce waffles are so easy to whip up using staple pantry ingredients.

The waffles come out soft and rich for a healthy and yummy breakfast.

Top them off with warm cinnamon-coated apples and maple syrup for a boost of flavor!

3. Applesauce Bars

 

These applesauce bars are the perfect fall dessert. They’re delicious and can save the day when you need to put out a quick sweet dish for guests.

These applesauce bars are cakey, moist, and burst with applesauce and cinnamon flavors.

These easy treats are great for busy mornings and as a fun snack for kids.

They go amazingly with sweet butter icing, but as I always remind myself, you got to let them cool before frosting!

4. Applesauce Muffins

When it comes to baking with applesauce, a must-try breakfast treat is applesauce muffins.

These super moist muffins soon become a household favorite for my family, anyone who gets a taste just loves them! 

These ultra-soft applesauce-filled muffins make a terrific start to the day.

Top them off with buttery cinnamon sugar icing and you’ll have an irresistible treaty to go with your morning coffee or tea!

If you want to make them healthier, simply substitute sugar for honey.

5. Pork Chops with Applesauce

Pork chops with applesauce are one of the most popular dinner recipes you can cook with applesauce.

It offers a savory-sweet flavor combo that’ll blow away your taste buds with every tender bite.

If you love pork chops, making them with applesauce can give the dish more variety to surprise the family.

The sweetness of the applesauce highlights the natural flavor of pork so beautifully; I promise you won’t be able to go back to the old way.

6. Potato Latkes with Applesauce

 

Another savory-sweet dinner recipe with applesauce is these rich potato pancakes.

Just a dab of tangy applesauce can transform both the latkes and the sauce into a whole new flavor territory!

These hearty potato latkes are quite popular in German cuisine and throughout Eastern Europe.

If you want your latkes to come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, make sure you squeeze out all excess liquid from the floury potatoes after grating.

Serve the potato latkes with some warm applesauce to satisfy your sweet tooth.

7. Applesauce Donuts

 

Next up, we’re looking at a popular recipe for baking with applesauce; homemade applesauce donuts.

These donuts plain can get your mouth watering, but top them off with a sweet and crunchy layer of cinnamon sugar and you got yourself an irresistible applesauce dessert!

These applesauce donuts are easy and quick to whip up at home with simple ingredients.

They’re a delicious treat for a family breakfast or a fall party and they’re vegan friendly!

8. Applesauce Oatmeal

 

If you’re like me, you like your oatmeal sweet. A healthy and tasty way to do that is by adding a generous scoop of applesauce instead of sugar.

Throw in a sprinkle of cinnamon and it’s pretty much the flavor of the instant packs!

Applesauce oatmeal can also help you get the kids on board for this nutritious dish.

They love it when it tastes like apple candy!

This recipe can also transform this boring diet breakfast into a flavor fest that’ll have you licking the bowl clean!

9. Applesauce Puffs

 

I love any dessert that can fit right into the palm of my hands. If you share the same passion, then you’ll just adore these applesauce puffs!

This is one of the top applesauce recipes you can make at home with simple ingredients that are probably lying around your kitchen as you read.

Applesauce puffs work as a sweet treat, a party dish, a breakfast side, and even a midday snack.

These flavor-packed puffs are coated with cinnamon sugar for an extra kick!

They offer about 11 grams of protein per serving.

10. Applesauce Bread

If you love sweetbreads, you’re going to love munching on applesauce bread.

Thanks to the applesauce, this beard stays delightfully moist for a long time.

It’s mildly sweet and tastes like absolute heaven when served warm with a little bit of butter.

Applesauce bread is also pretty versatile. You can make it with cinnamon, honey, bananas, and even cranberries.

You can also bake a few loaves and keep them in the freezer for later use.

11. Chocolate Banana Applesauce Cake

 

At some point during the week, we all want a little chocolate in our lives.

What if I told you there’s chocolate banana applesauce cake that you can easily make at home without any butter or oil?

I know — that’s the dream. Well, not anymore!

This healthy recipe is ideal for snacking and perfect for indulging your chocolate cravings without the usual guilt.

What’s even better, it’s a one-bowl recipe to save you the mess and confusion.

12. German-inspired Short Ribs with Applesauce

 

I’m a firm believer that slow cooker meals are a blessing.

They’re just terrific for when you’re busy all day and don’t have the time to even think about dinner.

One of my all-time favorite slow cooker meals is short ribs, and this German-inspired recipe with applesauce just makes it 10 times more delicious!

Prepared along with a vegetable-heavy gravy, this heart dish contains zingy sauerkraut, tomatoes, and applesauce.

The latter adds a hint of tangy sweetness that beautifully balances out the rich meat.

13. Cinnamon Applesauce Pancakes

I love a stack of pancakes on a lazy Sunday -or any other day of the week for that matter-, and I discovered that making them with applesauce is a breakfast-changing experience.

This particular recipe is also great for lactose-intolerant folks out there because it substitutes dairy with applesauce.

The result is fall-flavored pancake goodness that makes you wonder how you went all your life without it!

14. Raspberry Applesauce Smoothies

 

Who doesn’t love a fruity smoothie, especially when it’s good for you?

That’s right, this smoothie recipe uses applesauce, raspberries, bananas, yogurt, and spinach for a healthy yet delicious on-the-go breakfast drink or a mid-day power snack.

If you don’t have homemade applesauce to add, you can simply blend in some store-bought applesauce instead.

Make sure it’s unsweetened though, there are plenty of ingredients that’ll make this concoction sweet enough.

Don’t forget to spice up your applesauce smoothie with a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, or ground cloves.

15. Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

 

There’s just something about an oatmeal cookie that instantly lifts my mood.

It may be the rich smell or the chewy inside, but what I’m sure of is that adding applesauce to any oatmeal cookie recipe will simply take it to the next level.

These applesauce oatmeal cookies are very easy to make or even get the kids to help.

It takes less than 30 minutes to perfect and comes out deliciously soft and gooey.

I love adding raisins to my batches, but you can also try them with blueberries, almonds, or chocolate chips.

These cookies are a satisfying treat for anyone with a sweet tooth.

They’re also great for packable lunches and neighborhood parties.

16. Applesauce Custard Pie

 

A warm slice of pie can go a long way when you’re trying to cozy up during those long winter nights.

This applesauce custard pie offers you the signature flavor of a traditional apple pie, with a smooth sweet filling that features applesauce as the star ingredient.

This recipe is particularly useful when you’re out of fresh apples or looking to make a dessert that’s a bit more affordable.

I recommend you use unsweetened applesauce in this recipe since it calls for maple syrup that’s already very sweet.

Also, I like using some chunky applesauce for some texture.

You can also add spiced applesauce to shake things up!

17. Applesauce Ice Cream

 

Last but not least, what better way to cool down the summer heat than a bowl of applesauce ice cream?

If you haven’t tried this before, you’re missing out big time!

But don’t worry, you can easily catch up with this recipe using cream yogurt, lemon zest, honey, cinnamon, and whipped cream.

Top your scoops with a couple of almonds and you’re good to go!