For us, fall is baking season! There is something about the cozy weather and delicious seasonal flavors that have us in the kitchen making all the baked goodies! One of the easiest, fastest things to throw together is a quick bread.

If you think tasty quick breads can’t be a little healthier, this Banana Applesauce Bread wants to prove you wrong! It uses a little less sugar than usual, combining white and brown sugars, which results in a delicate sweetness with a developed depth of flavor. It also substitutes applesauce for butter/oil and incorporates the tartness of sour cream. Neither of these flavors dominate the final product, but they leave the bread deliciously moist!

This batter works well as a sliced loaf as well as muffins. It’s a fantastic way to use up too many overripe bananas or all those apples you pick at the orchard this fall!

TIME-SAVING TIP: Most pre-portioned cups of applesauce are sold in 4 ounce containers, which equals 1/2 cup, which is exactly what you need for this recipe. Be sure to get unsweetened if you’re watching your sugar!

Healthier Banana Applesauce Bread
(Original recipe: Dinner Then Dessert)

2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 C sour cream
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C applesauce
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/3 C super-fine baker’s white sugar

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or a put 12 muffin liners into a cupcake tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and bananas until smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and applesauce until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined.

To make a loaf: pour the batter into a loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make muffins: fill liners almost all the way to the top with batter. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.