This applesauce chocolate chip quick bread is a timeless recipe made with applesauce, chocolate chips and spiced with cinnamon and cloves. It’s incredibly moist, easy to make and can be mixed all in one bowl.
Applesauce and Quick Breads
Historically, applesauce has been an ingredient for many baked goods like quick breads, cakes and cookies for many different reasons. Not only does it lend moisture to the baked item, it has also been used for flavor. In the first part of the 20th century, it was used as a substitution for ingredients like eggs or butter that were rationed during both World Wars or when ingredients were difficult to find or were expensive during the Great Depression. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, applesauce was promoted as a way to make baked goods healthier since it was a fruit, even though some recipes still called for high amounts of fat or sugar. Applesauce then made a comeback in the 1990’s, as the nation wanted to get healthier and it continues to be a common ingredient in a lot of baked goods in today’s health conscious and special diet world.
Quick breads have been around in the U.S. for quite some time and for good reason – they are not only quick to mix, but are a relatively easy type of bread to make. Since quick breads rely on either baking soda or baking powder as a leavening agent, or what is used to help it rise, they are less time-consuming than yeast and a lot more simple to assemble. There are so many different varieties and ingredients that can be used in quick breads that make them so versatile.
About this Recipe
The recipe for this applesauce chocolate chip quick bread was adapted from a recipe dating to the 1970’s – a time that using an ingredient like applesauce considered a baked good healthy since it contained fruit. However, even though applesauce is used in this recipe it still contains both sugar and fat, so it would not be considered a healthy recipe. In this specific recipe, the applesauce results in a really moist bread and adds great flavor instead. Everything in moderation is key, so you can still enjoy this flavorful quick bread!
The original recipe states to not use oleo or margarine. Like with almost all of my baked goods, I use unsalted butter. The batter for this recipe mixes up easily in one bowl: unsalted butter is combined with sugar, eggs and unsweetened applesauce. The dry ingredients of flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves are mixed in, followed by the chocolate chips. Additional chocolate chips are sprinkled on top of the batter prior to baking in a standard-sized loaf pan (8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″). Once the bread has cooled after baking, it can be sliced. This bread even slices better the day after baking.
See additional tips below for making this applesauce chocolate chip quick bread!
Tips for Applesauce Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
- Do not overmix the batter
- Use unsweetened applesauce, so there is no additional sugar added to the bread
- Nuts or raisins can be added as desired or use them in place of the chocolate chips
- Store in airtight container for up to 72 hours
- This bread freezes well sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 months
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Applesauce Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
Equipment
- 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls of various sizes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
Instructions
- Grease and line the loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and 1 cup granulated sugar until light. Add 2 large eggs, one at a time.
- Add in the 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour alternately with the 1 cup unsweetened applesauce stirring only until combined after each addition.
- Stir in ¾ cup chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips on top of batter (total 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips).
- Bake at 325°F for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool in loaf pan about 20 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Use unsweetened applesauce, so there is not additional sugar added to the bread
- Nuts or raisins can be added as desired or use them in place of the chocolate chips
- Store in airtight container for up to 72 hours
- Bread freezes well sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 months