Healthy Applesauce Brownies (vegan + eggless)

Moist, slightly fudgy, and rich in flavor, these vegan applesauce brownies are a lighter and healthier twist on the classic. Made without eggs or butter, they are surprisingly decadent and come together in one bowl.

If you love wholesome brownies as much as we do, you will also want to try my vegan protein brownies or aquafaba brownies.

Whenever we have excess apples, we always turn them into applesauce. This versatile ingredient is perfect for healthier plant-based baking, as it naturally replaces eggs and oil, all while keeping baked goods moist and tender.

We used applesauce in a variety of treats, including eggless coffee cake, applesauce oatmeal cookies, and zucchini applesauce muffins. This recipe is our attempt at recreating all the goodness of classic brownies, but lightening them up and making them lower-calorie.

💚Why you will love this applesauce brownies

• Decadent, moist, and incredibly delicious 
• A lower calorie recipe that contains less sugar and fat than traditional brownies 
• A one-bowl recipe that only calls for a handful of easily accessible ingredients 
• Store well and are freezable! 

🍫What you will need 

• Applesauce - Both store-bought and homemade applesauce will work in this recipe. It is recommended to use unsweetened applesauce, or your brownies might turn out to be too sweet. 
• Oat flour - If you do not have it on hand, add some quick or rolled oats to a blender and process until they turn into flour. Use certified gluten-free oat flour or oats to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Chocolate chips - I recommend using dark chocolate chips, and I love Enjoy Life's dark chocolate morsels. 
• Cocoa powder - Use rich and dark cocoa powder. I am using Ghirardelli's majestic premium cocoa powder. 
• Sugar - Granulated sweeteners like white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar will work. To lower the sugar content, you can reduce sugar added by ¼ cup or replace ¼ cup of sugar with a sugar substitute (like erythritol or xylitol). 
• Instant coffee - Intensify the richness of cocoa. You can use the decaf version or omit it entirely to make this recipe caffeine-free. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🔪How to make vegan applesauce brownies

Step 1: Add water and sugar to a pot and heat it over medium-low heat. 

Step 2: Heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved completely.

✅Helpful tips 

• Do not overbake brownies - Applesauce brownies are lower in fat; hence, they tend to dry out easily if overbaked. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick down the middle. It should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging.
• Slicing brownie tips - Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing. Use a straight-edge knife, and clean the knife between each cut to produce clean slices.
• Adjust the amount of sugar to your liking -These brownies are less sweet than traditional brownies. If you prefer your brownies to be sweeter, add a few extra tablespoons of sugar.
• Get creative with the mix-ins - Feel free to add whatever mix-ins sound good, such as chopped walnuts, your favorite candy, or a chopped-up candy bar.
• Using leftover applesauce - Check out my applesauce baked oatmeal, applesauce banana muffins, or applesauce overnight oats.

🍦Serving brownies  

Here are some fun ways to serve your healthy applesauce brownies: 

Frosting - Spread a layer of vegan chocolate frosting or protein frosting to add extra creaminess and sweetness to your brownies.

Ice cream - Although vanilla ice cream is commonly served alongside brownies, feel free to use any flavors you like! 

Nut butter - Give some creaminess and nuttiness to these applesauce brownies. Peanut butter and coconut almond butter are my go-to. 

Vegan whipped cream - Adding whipped cream to this recipe elevates its taste to a whole new level!

Drinks - Wash down your brownies with plant-based milk or coffee, like my soy milk latte. If you're aiming to hit your protein goal, check out my protein iced coffee or protein hot chocolate.

❄️Storing suggestions 

I recommend cooling and slicing brownies before storing them. It is much more convenient, and you can grab one or two pieces without the need to defrost or heat the whole tray of brownies. 

Fridge - Store sliced brownies in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. They can be refrigerated for up to a week. Enjoy brownies cold, or heat them in the microwave before digging in! 

Freezer - Wrap brownie slices individually in plastic wraps and store them in a ziplock bag. They can be frozen for 3 months. Allow to thaw for 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature. If you prefer warm brownies, heat them in the microwave before enjoying them.