Applesauce and walnuts seem to go together naturally. It's not quite the fall season yet, but I wanted a cookie with apples in it. I was looking at the apples at the store, and they were not speaking to me, so I opted for applesauce. I like fresh fruit because I know what is in it THE FRUIT and that is all.
I like Mott's unsweetened applesauce for recipes because I want to control the sugar and spices that go into my cookies. Some of the brands add more cinnamon than I like. I am looking at this cookie as a gentle move towards all-out fall cookies and the smells that fill my house during the fall season. It is my favorite time of year.
The other great thing about this time of year is the arts and crafts show that is starting to come into my area. Last week was the Lititz Art Show, and I am always on the lookout for clay and pottery dishes for my cookie photos. This week I found a new vendor from Milton, PA. Sunset Clay Works is owned and shown by Peggy Neuhard and can be reached at sunsetclayworks@gmail.com if you would like to contact her. I love this small dish because of its natural shape and colors, making me think of fall.
Of course, if you have applesauce, you have to add at least a little cinnamon. I grew up adding cinnamon to my applesauce but just a little. If you like the taste of cinnamon in your cookies, here are a few recipes I have on my site that you can try.
Ingredients You Will Need
COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup Butter unsalted
- 1 cup Sugar white
- ½ cup Light brown sugar
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- 2 ¾ cups All purpose flour
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg
- ⅔ cup Chopped walnuts
- ½ cup Unsweetened applesauce
ICING
- 3 cups Powdered sugar
- 2 TBSP Unsweetened applesauce
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup Crisco shortening
- 4 TBSP Butter unsalted
- 1 to 2 TBSP Milk
- ½ cup Chopped walnuts for topping
How to Make Applesauce and Walnut Cookies
Start by creaming your butter and sugars together well. This gives you the perfect base for soft cookies.
Once all your ingredients are incorporated, chill the dough for a bit to make it easier to scoop. These feel like rustic cookies to me, so I don't roll the dough after scooping it. The scoop keeps them the same size, but not rolling it keeps their shape a little rustic.
The cookies have a lovely lightly browned color to them once baked, and you can certainly eat them as-is. I won't tell if you eat one off the pan!
I do, however, recommend using the mixer again to whip up a quick cinnamon applesauce icing.
Applesauce and Walnut Cookies
Barbara HallIngredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup Butter unsalted 2 sticks at room temperature
- 1 cup Sugar white 198 g
- ½ cup Light brown sugar 106 g
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder 2 g
- 2 ¾ cups All-purpose flour 330 g
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt 2 g
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg
- ⅔ cup Chopped walnuts
- ½ cup Unsweetened applesauce
ICING
- 3 cups Powdered sugar 340 g
- 2 tablespoon Unsweetened applesauce
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup Crisco shortening
- 4 tablespoon Butter unsalted ½ stick
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Milk
- ½ cup Chopped walnuts for topping
Instructions
COOKIE DOUGH
- Weigh or measure the light brown and white sugars into a bowl and set aside. Weight or measure the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon into a bowl and run a whisk through to blend and set aside.
- Using your hand-held or stand mixer blend the butter and sugars together for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and applesauce till mixed thoroughly. Turn the mixer speed down and gradually add the flour mixture. You may have to scrape down the bowl. Add the chopped walnuts and blend for another 30 seconds till incorporated. Cover and put into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line 2 pans with parchment paper. I like small cookies, so I use a small cookie scoop and add 12 scoops to a cookie pan — Bake for 10-12 minutes. After pulling out of the oven let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before moving to a cooling rack. Don't over bake or the cookies could be dry inside.
ICING
- Put powdered sugar, butter, shortening, cinnamon, and applesauce into a mixing bowl and starting out on a low setting till the powdered sugar is incorporated (if you don't it will fly everywhere. 🙂 I know I have done it). Add 1 tablespoon of milk or 2 if needed and blend till it is a smooth consistency. You want it firm enough to take a knife and add the icing to the cookies.
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