Apple Sauce Sweet Egg Bread

Applesauce is the secret weapon in low-fat bread baking. A full cup replaces the butter or oil that most enriched yeast breads call for, and the natural fruit pectin and sugars step in to keep the crumb soft and moist for days.

A single egg white instead of a whole egg keeps the loaf light and adds protein without adding cholesterol or fat from the yolk. The result is a sweet egg bread that eats like brioche’s leaner cousin.

Nonfat dry milk powder is the small touch that punches above its weight. It enriches the dough without adding moisture, and the milk proteins encourage deep browning on the crust.

The sugar dose is modest, just three tablespoons. Pair that with naturally sweet applesauce and you get a loaf that’s pleasant for breakfast or sandwiches, never cloying.

Load the machine wet ingredients first, then dry, with the yeast last on top of the flour. Basic or sweet bread cycle, light crust setting. The fruit sugars caramelize fast.

Pro Tips

• Use unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened varieties tip the loaf into dessert territory and can mess with the yeast.
• Let the applesauce come to room temperature before adding so it doesn’t shock the yeast.
• Toast slices and spread with almond butter and sliced apple for breakfast.
• Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for 3 days, or slice and freeze for longer.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg with the flour for an apple-pie spice loaf.
• Stir in ½ cup of dried apple bits or raisins at the mix-in beep.
• Swap egg white for one whole egg if you want a richer, more golden crumb.