Gluten Free Applesauce Bread

GF flours, applesauce, almond milk, cinnamon, walnuts, raisins

Gluten free applesauce bread is not too sweet, and fairly substantial, so it's more breakfast or snacky than dessertish.

This quick bread recipe is vegan with ovo-lacto options.

There are two main challenges to gluten free baking - rising and texture. Our applesauce bread is helped along by lemon juice, rises just enough to be satisfying, and has a most edible texture.

Total prep & cook time: 60 minutes

1 medium loaf, 10 servings

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 75g: 209 cal, 11g fat, fat cal 93, 27g carb, 191mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 7g sugars, 3g protein, 0 Cholesterol. Estimated glycemic load: 14

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cup all purpose gf flour mix
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Wet Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed + 1/4 cup water OR 2 beaten eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup almond milk OR dairy milk
• 2 Tbsp oil OR melted butter
• Optional: 1/2 cup raisins or black currants

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Lightly oil a medium size loaf pan
3. Whisk together the ground flax seed + 1/4 cup cold water OR beat the eggs. Set aside
4. Chop nuts and stir into dry ingredients
5. Mix dry ingredients except using a whisk or electric mixer
6. Mix wet ingredients, except raisins or currants, thoroughly with a whisk, or in food processor
7. Stir raisins or currants into the wet ingredients
8. Add wet to dry ingredients, and stir just until mixed
9. Spread in loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes, until browned and firm to the touch
11. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack
12. Allow to cool completely before slicing

Recipe Tips:

Walnuts sometimes have a bitter outer skin. Soaking overnight, or 20 minutes in boiling water, then draining and rinsing, will get rid of any bitterness.

Usually with quick breads or muffins, the volume of wet to dry ingredients is the same. GF flours have less moisture, so the wet volume needs to be about 20% more, and the fat in the recipe about 10% more. Go with low fat, not no fat for this recipe.

Gluten free quick breads need a little longer baking time, because the batter is slower to rise and takes longer to brown.

1 Tbsp may seem like a lot of baking powder for that much flour, but GF baking needs about double the usual amount, especially with no eggs. Baking soda reacts with the lemon juice to create volume.

Xanthan gum helps both rising and binding, and is now available in most natural food stores, often in bulk, and large grocery stores. If you can't find it or don't want to use it, then double the ground flax seed.

Your comments & questions help improve our recipes, so don't be shy! Contact Us