We will be leaving Umbria in less than two weeks now, so here I am once again trying to use up all the food in our refrigerator and freezer before we go. Our apple trees were quite prolific this year, but because of the extra hot weather and no rain, the apples were quite small. Instead of eating them raw, I made applesauce for the freezer. I had one container of applesauce left this week, so I decided to use it to make cookies.
These cookies are soft and subtly sweet and freeze well themselves though I am not putting them into the freezer as I am trying to empty it not fill it! You can substitute any other dried fruit for the raisins if you like, or even use chocolate chips instead of dried fruit.
I used walnuts because apples and walnuts always work well together, but another nut would be fine as well. To plump my raisins when using them in baked goods, I mix them with boiling water and let sit for fifteen minutes or so. Drain well before using.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Applesauce Oat Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Applesauce
- 1/4 Cup Melted Butter Or Coconut Oil
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 3/4 Cups Regular Oats
- 1 1/2 Cups Light Spelt Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 Cup Raisins, Plumped (See Notes Above)
- 3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, applesauce, butter, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In another bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until mixed.
- Stir in the raisins.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on your baking sheets.
- Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 12 to 13 minutes.