Oatmeal Applesauce Bread

There is nothing more comforting to me than a loaf of homemade bread fresh from the oven.

Just the smell of hot bread baking takes me back to my childhood, to Grandma in her faded apron, to after school snacks and my brother’s “famous sandwiches.”

I hope someday my own kids will catch a whiff of hot bread and think of home and happiness, which is why I carry on the labor of love and make bread from scratch.

With Autumn at our doorstep and cooler days just around the corner, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen.  Somehow the seasonal business of canning applesauce coincided with a sudden shortage of sandwich bread and I decided to get creative.

Oatmeal Applesauce Bread was the fruit of my labor and a family favorite was born.  This delicious bread is now the most requested bread at our house.

The addition of applesauce keeps the bread soft and moist making it a perfect choice for sandwiches, though it is delightful on its own with a bit of honey or jam.

Using freshly ground spelt and old fashioned oatmeal keeps it healthy and provides a good dose of whole grains.

This Oatmeal Applesauce Bread is a perfect autumn comfort food and the delicious smell alone is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

5 Tips for Great Homemade Bread

1. Use freshly ground grains.  It not only enhances flavor, but also makes the bread healthier.  Spelt is a perfect grain for bread making because it is lighter than whole wheat, but offers the same health benefits. See this article for more information on grinding grains at home

2. Check the dough.  Rising times are only guidelines.  Make sure the dough has actually doubled in size before moving on to the next step.

3.  Don’t scoop your flour. Instead, spoon it into your measuring cups and then level with a knife.  Remember to gauge how much flour you actually need by how the dough feels.  The dough should stay moist and slightly sticky.

4.  Keep the dough moist. When setting the dough to rise, make sure dough is placed in a greased bowl and covered with a damp towel.  This keeps the dough from drying out and makes it easier to knead later on.

5. Store it right. Homemade bread doesn’t have preservatives so it is important to store it appropriately.  Keep it airtight and if you won’t be using the loaf within 2  days, store it in the fridge or freezer.  Slightly stale bread can be freshened by reheating it in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Oatmeal Applesauce Bread

This light and moist bread is both healthy and delicious. Perfect for sandwiches and for snacking.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Bakery
Prep Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 1792kcal
Author: Allison Ruth

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 Tablespoon active yeast
  • 3 Tablespoons honey or molasses
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 3 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup freshly ground spelt flour
  • 1 cup unbleached white flour plus more as needed
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water and stir to dissolve. Stir in sweetener.
  • Stir in applesauce and spelt flour and beat well to form a thick batter. Cover bowl and allow batter to rise for 45 minutes.
  • Sprinkle salt and oil over batter and gently fold in, being careful not to cut through the dough.
  • Fold in oatmeal and additional unbleached flour (about 1 cup, or more as needed) until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Keeping dough slightly sticky, knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth, about 10 minutes.
  • Place dough in a large greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in size, about 50 minutes.
  • Punch dough down and let rise until doubled again, about 40 minutes more.
  • Shape loaf and place in greased pan. Let rise 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Sprinkle loaf lightly with rolled oats, if desired, and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped lightly. Remove from pans right away and cool on wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 1792kcal | Carbohydrates: 291g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 3505mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 14.7mg

Is there anything better than fresh baked bread in Autumn?

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29 Comments

  1. This sounds wonderful! I have never thought to add applesauce to my bread, although I do it quite frequently to other baked goods. And I have to add that anything roasting or baking in the oven screams fall to me 🙂 Yum! I think today will be filled with baking!

    1. Yes, just replace the spelt with whole wheat. I like spelt better because it makes a lighter bread with the same health benefits as whole wheat but it is easily replaced by wheat flour.

  2. I’d also love ideas on flour substitutions. I don’t have spelt and in most of my baking I use a mixture of white flour and whole wheat flour.

  3. I’m looking forward to making this bread. I can used the spelt flour but not the whole wheat flour. What could i do to subsitue? Thank you for your help!

    1. I asked around and the consensus is that it should work well in a bread maker, assuming your bread machine makes a normal loaf size. When you try it, I’d love to hear how it works for you. Good luck and enjoy!

    1. I asked around and the consensus is that it would work well in a bread maker as long as the machine makes a normal loaf size – though I personally haven’t tried it. Let me know how it works – I’m curious too. Enjoy!

  4. I am thinking that I could substitute some fruit butter for the applesauce. Maybe just adding some water to get the right consistency. I have some of that to use up.

    Thanks for the idea!

  5. One of my favorite dishes as a kid was homemade applesauce accompanied by buttered toast. I expected this to be a quick bread so imagine my surprise (okay, pure unadulterated delight) when I saw it was a yeast bread that appears to be a perfect combination of those childhood treats! This must make some seriously awesome toast.

  6. Any thoughts on using the kitchen aid mixer and dough hook for this recipe? My husband has fond memories of eating applesauce on bread as a kid so this will be a great one to make for him! Love the oats in it too…

  7. 5 stars
    I have made this bread tasted good but is falling during baking. It say add additional flour so what is the total amount of flour. I would like make a good loaf. Please help. Jackie

  8. i would like to make this with all spelt in the bread machine. Any suggestions on the cooking time or change in amounts?