Iced oatmeal-applesauce cookies are a perfect treat to whip up on a hot summer day. Not only do they taste delicious, but they're also pretty healthy too! They're also gluten-free and vegan-friendly so you can share them with family and friends of all dietary preferences.
Tips and Variation
#1: Use melted butter instead of oil. Additional fat makes the cookies chewier while adding a hint of sweetness to the dough. It also helps give them their golden color.
#2: The applesauce gives these cookies a little extra moisture, but it can be substituted with a chunkier apple or pear puree if you prefer that texture to the wetter applesauce mixture.
#3: Substitute vanilla extract for lemon if you want an especially more citrusy flavor in your cookies! If you want your nutmeg subtle rather than big, use just 1/2 teaspoon.
#4: These are pretty great just plain, but if you want a more nuanced sweetness than just applesauce, consider adding something like ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon), vanilla extract (a few drops), or ground nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon).
#5: The amount of baking powder is already quite high for these cookies, so don't add more. In fact, the original recipe used less and got a slightly lighter texture for it. We found that the balance between shortbread crispness and chewy texture works best with the amount used in this recipe.
#6: The chocolate chips are totally optional, but I kind of like the contrasts in texture. They're also nice, big cookies. You can change the size of these cookies by changing the size of your scoop. A standard-sized one will get you about 11 bigger cookies.
#7: The icing is optional too, but I do recommend attempting to ice the cookies before they become too cold from storage. If you cannot ice them before they get cold, consider rewarming them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes prior to icing them to soften them up a bit for a better-spreading consistency.
#8: Typically, you spread the icing on top of the cookie and then sprinkle with additional sugar to add sweetness and texture.
#9: I read about this method somewhere, but I can't find the article again so please let me know if it was originally yours! The cookies baked in silicone trays are very easy to remove and the bottoms were not marked with a metal tray. It doesn't seem to affect the baked texture of the cookies at all. If you don't have silicone trays, parchment paper will work too.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar (granulated or brown)
- 3/4 cup butter, softened (can use coconut oil)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups plus
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 4 cups peeled and cubed applesauce
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 4 cups walnuts, chopped and toasted
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium coliseum, cream together the adulation and brown sugar until smooth and ethereal. Add the eggs and beat until combined.
Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in the flour, oats, applesauce, brown sugar, and walnuts. Scoop out onto a cookie sheet with a tablespoon (or use a scoop) and flatten slightly.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and centers are set. Cool completely before serving!