Cakes vs. Cookies

• Whether or not you can tell the difference when substituting applesauce for oil in baked goods depends almost entirely on the type of baked good. You probably won't notice any difference in naturally dense, moist baked goods, such as brownies, muffins and fruit cakes. The same goes for quick breads and some bar cookies. The difference becomes more obvious in cookies, which are usually made with butter, rather than oil. Most cookies should spread out during cooking. The ideal cookie texture is crisp on the outside and tender and chewy inside. Using applesauce, rather than oil or butter, results in a soft, cakey, puffy cookie.

Too Much of a Good Thing

• Another factor in swapping applesauce for oil is in getting the amounts right. Applesauce can be substituted at a 1-to-1 ratio for applesauce, but it's best to start using only a small amount. Try replacing one-fourth or one-half of the oil first. If you're happy with the results, slowly work up to completely replacing the oil.

Keeping It Real

• When using applesauce instead of oil in a baked good, opt for a natural applesauce that contains no added sugar. Here's why: sugar in a baked good serves several purposes beyond sweetening. It acts as a tenderizer, moisturizer and leavener. If you use an applesauce with added sugar, you're using more sugar than you need to, and you might end up with a baked good that's too moist and tender.

Know When to Say No

• There are certain instances when you absolutely shouldn't replace oil with applesauce. The extra sugar in applesauce can cause yeast breads to rise too quickly. Pie crusts, biscuits, delicate cakes and cookies are also best when made with oil -- or better yet, butter. In these cases, you can reduce the fat and sugar slightly to cut calories and serve smaller portions.