Light Baking Done Right

14 Clever Ideas for Healthier Baked Goods

-- By Stepfanie Romine, Staff Writer

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If you're trying to lighten your caloric load or lose weight, are you destined to days of tasteless cookies, or—worse—a life without sweets and treats?

Of course not! There are plenty of ways you can substitute lower-calorie ingredients and still create delicious and healthy treats.

Cooking is an art, but baking is a science. It requires careful formulas, precise measurement and a keen eye. Omitting high-fat ingredients or arbitrarily swapping them can yield flat, dull and downright inedible results. In baked goods, most of the calories come from three ingredients: butter or oil, eggs and sugar. This tasty trio is also where much of the flavor derives, and more importantly, these ingredients keep your muffins moist and your cookies from crumbling. So how do you reduce (or get rid) of these essential ingredients and without chewing on baked goods that look and taste like cardboard? We'll save you the guesswork and the trouble by sharing the 14 secrets to light baking done right.

Baking Without Butter
In all recipes, fat adds moisture and richness. But per cup, butter adds 1,627 calories and 184g of fat, shortening packs 1,845 calories and 205g of fat, and even heart-healthy oil boasts 1,927 calories and 218g of fat. Divided among a batch of four dozen cookies, that's at least 34 calories and 4g fat per cookie attributed to the oil (or butter) alone. But who eats just one? Thankfully, you can cut some of the fat when you bake, but you should only swap half the fat a recipe calls for. (Cookies made with fruit purée will not get crispy and will have a cakelike texture; low-fat muffins tend to be dense.) Try one of these 4 substitutes:

Unsweetened applesauce has a neutral flavor that works well in almost every baked good. It adds moisture and fiber to recipes while cutting fat.
How much: Replace half the butter, oil or shortening called for with an equal amount of applesauce
Best used in: Any baked goods, especially cakes
Calorie swap: Save at least 1,550 calories and 184g fat per cup

Pumpkin purée is not just for pies. Keep unsweetened pumpkin purée on hand year round to cut fat and add flavor to most baked goods. As with all low-fat baked goods made with fruit, expect moist, spongy treats.
How much: Replace half the butter, oil or shortening called for with an equal amount of purée
Best used in: Spiced breads, cakes or muffins; quick breads, pancakes and brownies
Calorie swap: Save at least 1,500 calories and 184g fat per cup

Prune purée has a rich flavor that blends well with chocolate and spices.
How much: Replace half the butter, oil or shortening called for with an equal amount of purée (buy jarred prunes in the baby food aisle or make your own purée by mixing 6 Tbsp of hot water with 8 oz of prunes in a blender)
Best used in: Chocolate baked goods, brownies, gingerbread and spice cakes
Calorie swap: Save at least 1,365 calories and 184g fat per cup

Bananas add flavor, fiber and moisture, much like oil does. Use bananas in any recipe where their strong flavor won't overpower more delicate ingredients such as citrus or berries.
How much: 1/2 mashed or puréed banana for every cup of oil (if your banana isn't very ripe, try peeling it and microwaving it for a few seconds to soften it for easier mixing)
Best used in: Quick breads, coffee cakes and pancakes (bananas are dense, so they are not ideal in recipes for light and fluffy baked goods)
Calorie swap: Save at least 1,575 calories and 184g fat per cup

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About The Author

Stepfanie Romine
A former newspaper reporter, Stepfanie now writes about nutrition, health, fitness and cooking. She is a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher who enjoys running, international travel and all kinds of vegetables. See all of Stepfanie's articles.

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Member Comments

GLORIAMAJDI

I don't eat a lot of baked goods but during the holidays I like to bake shortbread cookies and sugar cookies. I am not sure how to make substitutions for those. Maybe some time when I am not crunched for time I can experiment. - 5/15/2013 9:15:57 AM
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NAPPIGURL

i love being a mad scientist and experimenting with making my baked goods healthier! I've used everything from carrot puree (it's actually very sweet) to avocados in substitution for oil. I also like to use whey powder and/or greek yogurt to boost the protein content. Coconut flour, whole wheat flour and almond meal are staples in my pantry!
I will be printing these tips and posting them on my refrigerator for reference to try some new ideas. Thanks SP!
- 5/6/2013 1:45:16 PM
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VSOKOLOVA

Some of these ideas look interesting, and I think I will use them the next time I bake. I just wish people understood that fat and calories themselves aren't the enemy--overeating is. - 4/29/2013 6:50:01 PM
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SILMSTEP

Good information! I've used applesauce as a substitute before but I've replaced all the oil with applesauce. I'll try this next time :) - 1/7/2013 7:43:58 PM
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AZTLAN777

Hi Everyone! Does anyone know how to save these receipes??? I don't see a "Save" button... - 12/14/2012 9:41:49 PM
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KATEM200

Though it did provide instructive information for common kitchen substititions, I'm a little disappointed in the number of "no"s in this article. I also wish there had been some lip service to healthy swaps (e.g. whole wheat flour) that don't necessarily save calories, but I understand that the article was about "light" baking, not healthy baking.

Also, I don't see the point in substituting for eggs. Eggs aren't evil. The quantity of eggs in most baked goods would mean that a typical serving contains maybe a fourth of an egg. If you're a vegan or an eggbeater house and have them around, then go for it. But overall, this seems like an unnecessary substitution.

Overall, I think the key is moderation. If you make your cookies healthier, but nobody else does, then how are you and your family learning to function in the "real" world. We need to learn to incorporate treats into our lives in a realistic way. - 12/13/2012 7:54:54 AM
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COOPQUILTLADY

Fat free Cool Whip and 1 egg with a cake mix works great. Skip the oil. Also 2 cups of pumpkin puree with a butter pecan cake mix makes YUMMY cookies! No added oil or fat. - 12/11/2012 5:46:16 PM
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LBYRER

I would like the receipe to the cookie shown on this article if i could. - 12/11/2012 1:09:55 AM
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MONADM1

I wish we would acknowledge that sugar and flour are making us fat, which unfortunately does not bode well for baked goods.

Trying to reduce the amount of fat to lower the calories of an already unhealthy food is like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound ! - 12/10/2012 9:54:53 PM
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JAZZERAZZ

Low fat or fat free sour cream can also work to replace butter/marg. even in cookies, but expect a change in texture. Taste is still good though. - 12/10/2012 2:17:45 PM
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PUGGYBUG

Awesome article. Making a copy to hang on the inside of my kitchen cupboard door where the spices and dry baking supplies are for quick reference when baking. - 12/10/2012 12:34:05 PM
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CHARTHESTAR

I want to save this to my favorites! How can I do this?? - 12/10/2012 12:30:53 PM
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CHEZCATS6

I belong to an organization called TOPS, Take Off Pounds Sensibly, and we're constantly looking for ways to help with weight loss. One of our tricks to replace fattening things in recipes is to add one (1) can of diet coke or if it's something like lemon poppy bread, etc., then something like diet Mountain Dew, etc. You do not add any other ingredient, no oil, no eggs, no sugar, no nothing. You get a very moist dessert with not many calories. "Try it, you'll like it"!!! - 12/10/2012 11:02:27 AM
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FITALLEY

Pureed beans (Great Northern work well) also makes a great fat substitute. It doesn't seem to dry out as fast as applesauce. My kids can't tell the difference when I substitute beans for butter in cookies. - 12/10/2012 9:15:53 AM
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SODGERS2

I have a recipe that uses NO added fat or sugar. Mash one banana with one raw egg. Season well with cinnamon and ground cloves. (Optional - though does contain sugar - add one tsp of blackcurrant jam.) Add 11 g each of wholemean s-r flour, oat bran and wheat bran and mix well. Top with 100 g or so of frozen berry mix. Cook in the microwave oven for 3-4 minutes. This bananabran is tasty and can be cut like a cake or eaten as a pudding with milk, custard or yoghurt. - 12/10/2012 3:12:05 AM
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