Upgrade From Your Standard Applesauce By Swapping The Main Ingredient

To give traditional applesauce recipes a sweet, fresh twist, consider using pear as an apple replacement when compiling your ingredients. Not only does the tender fruit rival the natural sweetness of apples, but pears also play well with the kinds of spices commonly associated with all things apple and autumn. Whether baked into pies or nestled into scones, pears offer a stellar flavor combination. There's no reason the fruit can't shine when pureed and served as a side dish for the breakfast table or scooped into bowls as an afternoon snack.

If the inclusion of pear doesn't result in a fruity sauce that is sweet enough for your liking, sprinkle a touch of brown sugar or drizzle molasses or honey into the mix to bring out some of the earthier and natural tasting notes of the fruit. After sampling this recipe, you'll have no problem reaching any goals to eat a set number of daily servings of fruit.

Even if you haven't made applesauce — or pear sauce — from scratch, consider blending fresh fruit into store-bought mixtures and sprucing up the concoctions with a dusting of powdered cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, or cloves. Upgraded applesauce needn't be confined to the homemade variety, and pre-made jars will taste as good as any recipe you made yourself. Simply add vanilla, your choice of sweetener, and spices to your heart's content. This is a recipe that will not fail you.

When combining ingredients, taste-test the mixture to determine whether extra salt, sugar, or cinnamon is needed to round out flavors. Should you find yourself with leftover servings, get creative using the pear-enhanced applesauce in your kitchen. Heat up the mixture to top stacks of pancakes and comforting bowls of oatmeal, fold it into the batter to make fruity morning muffins, or use the flavorful dish to blend into homemade ice cream and quick smoothies. Not one spoonful of your pear-applesauce will go to waste.