Applesauce Brownies

What makes brownies so famous?
Is it the richness? Or is it because they are so gooey?
Lot of butter, eggs and sugar and very less flour is the formula for a nice brownie. Right?
May be not. This recipe doesn't have too many eggs or fat. But equally good. Want to see how it is done? Read on..

One year back - Cumin Onion Bread sticks
Adapted from - Mott's Applesauce Recipe Collection
Ingredients:
Sugar - 1 cup
Vegetable or Canola Oil - 1/3 cup (Original recipe had 1/2 cup butter)
Eggs - 2 large
Applesauce - 1 cup (Unsweetened. Decrease sugar by 1/4 cup if using sweetened)
Vanilla - 1 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Unsweetened natural cocoa - 1/4 cup (Dutch process will work fine too)
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Chopped nuts - 1/2 cup (I used toffee bits) - optional

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9" square pan or an equivalent (11 X 7 is same as 9" square). Set aside. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs and applesauce till all are combined. Add vanilla and whisk one more time. Dump the dry ingredients into wet and whisk to combine. Stir in the nuts if using or chocolate chips or toffee bits. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the sides have started pulling away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with either no crumbs or very few. Cool in the pan on the rack and slice when completely cool. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Enjoy.