It’s here! Fall! Which means the inevitable eating habits will include sweets and desserts (most likely of the pumpkin variety). Why fight it when you can make it healthier? Here are some healthy baking substitutes to make your desserts a little more guilt-free:
Flour Substitutes
Coconut flour – Coconut flour is more absorbent than wheat and white flour. So keep this in mind when using it as a substitute. For every 1 cup of flour use 1/3-1/4 cup coconut flour and double or triple the number of eggs or egg substitute you use in the recipe.
Beans – At first glance this may seem like an odd substitution. But beans are high in protein and flavor is mild. (Of course drain and puree them before you use them in your recipe). Replace 1 cup white flour with 1 cup bean puree. Chickpeas and black beans are the most popular. Just remember (for aesthetics) use the black beans only when chocolate is involved.
Nut Flour – When using Nut Flour, keep in mind it does not rise like white and wheat flour. To help with this, for one cup or white flour use 1/4 cup of nut flour and add 1/2 tsp of a leavening agent.
Sugar Substitutes
Unsweetened Applesauce – you can replace sugar with applesauce as a 1:1 ration. Keep in mind, this will add more liquid to your recipe. If the recipe calls for milk, water, or other liquids, reduce the liquid amount by ¼ cup.
Agave – This syrup is similar in flavor to honey but is less thick and more soluble. Agave is high in calories but offers vitamins, minerals, and metabolites. When substituting, replace 1 cup sugar with 2/3 cups agave and reduce liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup.
Overripe bananas – Don’t toss out those overripe bananas – turn them into a puree and use that as a sugar substitute instead.
Butter Substitutes
Avocado – The texture of smashed avocado makes this a fantastic substitute for butter. It works especially well in chocolate and buttercream recipes.
Greek Yogurt – This is a great option if you want to add a little extra protein to your baked goods. Plus it helps give a velvety texture. Use half the amount of Greek Yogurt as you would butter when substituting.
Squash Puree – Pumpkin, butternut, and hubbard squash all work as butter substitutes! Use 3/4 cup of the squash puree for every 1 cup of butter.
Do you have a favorite healthy substitution? Leave a comment below and let us know!