Applesauce Fudgies

These are brownies in spirit, though the recipe calls them Fudgies, which is actually more accurate. Two squares of unsweetened chocolate melted with butter form the base, giving a deep, slightly bitter chocolate flavor that semi-sweet chips can’t match. Brown sugar rather than white adds a faint caramel note underneath.

The applesauce is the texture secret. Half a cup of sweetened applesauce goes into the batter and keeps these squares genuinely fudgy, not cakey. The moisture from the apple prevents the squares from drying out even a day or two after baking.

Chopped walnuts get scattered over the top of the batter before the pan goes into the oven, where they toast lightly and press slightly into the top crust as the squares set.

Cut them in the pan once cool and lift out with a spatula. These hold together well and cut cleanly once fully cooled.

Kitchen Tips

• Melt the chocolate and butter together gently, either in a double boiler or in short microwave bursts, stirring between each. Chocolate scorches easily.
• Add the melted chocolate mixture to the applesauce-egg-sugar mixture, not the other way around. Pouring eggs into hot chocolate risks scrambling them.
• Don’t overbake. At 30 minutes they should be just set in the center. A toothpick may come out with a few moist crumbs, which is correct for fudgy bars.
• Cool completely in the pan before cutting. Warm fudgies will crumble and lose their edges.

Variations

• Espresso boost: Add ½ teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate for a richer, more complex chocolate flavor.
• Pecan swap: Use chopped pecans instead of walnuts on top for a sweeter, butterier crunch.