You can replace SOME of the oil with applesauce. But replacing all of it (which I did find on some really shitty websites) will not work correctly.
Fat soluble flavors will be diluted by the excess water as well as not giving flour anything to bond to. Less flavor, rock hard baked good.
If you want to try using applesauce, use unsweetened applesauce and only replace (at max) 50% of the oil required for the recipe. Results may vary, I don’t see the use in lowering the fat content of a delicious baked good. I’m eating that shit full flavor, full fat, full sugar. Just eat less of it.
Outside of that tangent, the gall of this person to say “I followed the recipe exactly” when their very first sentence contradicts that completely.
Full fat, yes, but not full sugar. We cut the sugar to like 1/3 in most recipes and it usually comes out great. Most recipes I've seen use way too much sugar.
Fat is way more filling than carbs for the same amount of calories, so don't shy away from the fat. If you load up on fat and fiber, you'll feel more satisfied on less calories, so you're much less likely to sneak a taste of that sugary treat and totally reverse all the good you've been trying to do with reducing calories.
I’ve been replacing eggs with applesauce when making muffins for the past 15 years, and I love it. My friend is allergic to eggs, so he is able to eat them too!
It isn’t crazy that the poster did the substitution, it’s is common way to replace some ingredients. She just didn’t execute properly and blamed the recipe maker/poster instead of being self-aware.
Good on you for going the extra mile for your friend!