Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies, a healthier cookie, the perfect snack or dessert. A delicious homemade applesauce makes these cookies even yummier! Everyone will love these including kids.
I haven’t posted a recipe for cookies in a while, but when I found Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies in my mother’s recipe cards, I knew I had to try them.
Sweetened with less sugar and more applesauce I guess you could call them a healthier cookie.
Since I can’t get applesauce in Italy I made my own. So simple and easy, very similar to my Apple Pie Filling.
More Apple Recipes you may enjoy!
Maple Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting
Homemade Cinnamon Apple Strudel
I added very little water because I needed a thick applesauce for these Cinnamon Apple Sauce Cookies. Canned works just fine, but what the heck it really doesn’t take long to make it homemade.
And it is so good and probably a lot healthier than canned.
I have made these Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies a few times, and a couple of times I made the dough with my food processor. Mix it all together, no need to refrigerate the dough, make it and bake it.
They come out soft, moist and almost cake like and you can dust them with a little powdered sugar if you like or eat plain.
I noticed my Mom had written that they were better if you to let them rest for a day before eating, so that the cinnamon and apple would mingle really well together. Can’t say they lasted that long in my house.
Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies
I have never seen cookies go so fast. (actually the Thick Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies came really close).
A friend of ours came over for coffee in the morning, ate a couple of cookies and then came back in the afternoon for another coffee and another couple of cookies. He said they were that good. Enjoy!
Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups cake flour **
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt*
- 1 cup thick applesauce (unsweetened or very lightly sweetened)
- HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
- 4 medium apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
*if using unsalted butter add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400° (200° celsius), line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE (makes approximately 2 cups) (500 grams)
- In a medium pot add chopped apples, water and lemon juice, cover and cook on low for approximately 15-20 minutes or until apples are soft, add 1 tablespoon sugar mash with a potato masher and continue cooking on low for approximately 5 minutes or until thickened. Let cool. Refrigerate unused applesauce, use within a week.
- Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl cream together butter and brown sugar add egg blend about 2 minutes, add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the applesauce, combine until just combined.
- Drop batter by spoonfuls (about the size of a golf ball) on prepared cookie sheets, bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Keep in cool dry place, best if let to sit for 1 day before eating. (If you can wait) Enjoy! Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Nutrition
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Republished from Feb 5, 2016.
Amy Simeon says
How do I substitute the butter for dairy free? I probably could mix coconut oil and Smart Balance, but I don’t know the measurements.
Rosemary says
Hi Amy, apparently you can do a 1 for 1 with coconut oil. I have never made them with coconut oil so I can’t say 100%, but it should work. Let me know if you try it.
Anita says
These are a lovely way to use applesauce. Mine came out fluffy, domed and aromatic (I used high grade bread flour). Next time I’ll add less salt though – it’s a little too much. I used salted butter. Perhaps you did not.
Patricia Mapley says
Just took these out of the oven. I made no changes just additions~more cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg plus raisin and chopped walnuts. YUMMY. I make my own home applesauce so I used that. My husband likes them a whole bunch.
Rosemary says
Hi Patricia, thanks so much glad you both enjoyed them. Have a great weekend.
Bonnie says
Left a comment and forgot to do the rating!
Bonnie says
I made these today, as written, including the home made applesauce. I used cake flour, which I forgot to sift. However, no problem. I used a 3 cm cookie scoop, my smallest, and the recipe yielded about three dozen. I say about because the house Cookie Monster, who is six feet tall, inhaled a few. So much for keeping them overnight before eating! I will have to hide some. The batter had an interesting, very light texture which is why I scooped them. It was almost like an airy muffin batter. I baked them at 400 Fahrenheit, on convection, because I live at altitude. My scoops were done in about 9 minutes My baked cookies are about 7 cm across, and gently domed, about 1.5 cm in the centres. Definitely not flat. They are more cake like in texture than most cookies I make, but I am happy with them They smell lovely and the Cookie Monster gives them two thumbs up. Thank you for this one, Rosemary. Will definitely make it again.
Rosemary says
Hi Bonnie, thanks so much glad you and the cookie monster enjoyed them. And thank you for sharing all the info, very helpful. Have a great weekend.
Anita says
Cookies are in the oven right now. Very disappointed as they have spread & are going to be flat. My baking soda & baking powder are new so that’s not the problem. The cookies appear higher & cake-like in the picture. Bummed ☹️ I have rest of cookie dough chilling. They taste good but are flat. 🤔
Rosemary says
Hi Anita, could depend on the flour. You need a high protein flour (12% or higher), whenever I use Italian flour my cookies go flat too. Let me know.
Anita says
You know what? I used Italian flour! I have some issues with wheat so I ordered Italian flour that isn’t hybridized like flour in the U.S. So you are saying that might be why the cookies flattened out & had smooth tops? Maybe I could just add more flour? I am going to try making with regular flour & see how they bake up. They are delicious though! I did make my own applesauce too so that can’t be the problem.
Rosemary says
Hi Anita, yes then it’s the flour, I can guarantee it. When I first came to Italy (and had no idea about the difference in flour and protein amounts) I wanted to make my Mom’s crescent cookies and whipped shortbread, so I used regular Italian flour and yes, completely flat, they tasted the same but flat. I was so disappointed. Then after I started the blog and I did some research on flour I discovered why that was. I had my daughter make the cookies in Canada and they were fine, all due to the flour, I purchased high protein flour here (Manitoba flour) and they turn out perfect. And adding more flour won’t help and neither will refrigerating the dough. I tried it all. 🙂 Let me know.
Linda Gordon says
It seems to be very good.
Rosemary says
Thanks Linda, have a great weekend.
Sue says
I have one simple question (I hope). I have canned/bottled apple sauce and am confused by the recipe. Do I use one cup of it or two cups? It is not home made. Thank you.
Rosemary says
Hi Sue, well the homemade applesauce makes two cups, but you only need one cup for the recipe. The applesauce should be quite thick though. Hope this helps. 🙂
Din says
Hi can I use almond flower or whole wheat flour
Rosemary says
Hi Din, I would recommend it because it will change the texture and taste of the cookies. Sorry about that.
tracie says
i used 1 cup almond flour and 1 cup flour and they turned out great. i also added cranberries to half the batter and cooked 4 minutes longer…smeared a bit of cream cheese frosting on those while still hot and Oh My!
Rosemary says
Hi Tracie, thanks so much, sounds delicious.
Bonnie Oleszkowicz says
Regarding the applesauce cookie recipe. Can you use regular flour instead of cake Flour?
Rosemary says
Hi Bonnie, yes regular flour will be fine. I hope you enjoy them.
Mil says
Hi Rosemary what a great tasting cookie. I make my own applesauce so when I saw this recipe I just had to make them. They are easy to make and delicious.
Thanks for sharing.
Mil
Rosemary says
Hi Mil, thanks so glad you like them and with homemade applesauce even better. Have a wonderful weekend.
Mara says
These cookies appeal to me very much. Your instructions call for a thick applesauce, and my applesauce is quite thin. How can I adjust the recipe to compensate for this?
Rosemary says
Hi Mara, you will have to add more cake flour, but add a tablespoon at a time until you reach the proper dough consistency (check the video for that). Depending on the amount of flour (any more than 1/2 cup) you may add a little more cinnamon and a tblsp of brown sugar. But I think the rest should be ok. Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes.
Veronika says
Can’t wait to try these! I was just wondering what is the serving size (that has 157kcal), is it one cookie? Thanks in advance 🙂
Rosemary says
Hi Veronika, thanks and yeah that’s for one cookie, although they are pretty big. 🙂
Julie says
Have you ever doubled the recipe?
Rosemary says
Hi Julie, I have never doubled the recipe but I am sure you could. 🙂
Jennifer says
What a delicious cookie! I used 1/4 cup pumpkin purée in place of the egg, due to my son’s egg allergy. They were a hit for the whole family. Thanks for sharing this delightful recipe.
Rosemary says
Hi Jennifer, thanks so much and a great idea thanks for sharing. 🙂
Sandy says
Awesome soft cookie!
Rosemary says
Thanks Sandy. 🙂
suhasini chilukuri says
HI, I stumbled upon this recipe through yummily. The recipe sounds simple and delicious and want to try making them. Would like to know if All purpose flour will work cause I dont have cake flour at hand nor corn starch. Thank you.
Rosemary says
Hi Suhasini, all purpose flour will work just fine. Hope you enjoy them. Have a great weekend.
Melissa | TheThriftyWiffy says
Just made these tonight and they are so good! I love how easy they are to make. Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to peruse through your other recipes. 🙂
Rosemary says
Thanks Melissa so glad you enjoyed them! Let me know what else you try. 🙂
Kat Hall says
Just made these and they turned out great. I have tons of frozen apple sauce from last year and need to make room in my deep freeze as I have a gazillion tomatoes to do again. Question: Have you ever added things like: raisins, cranberries, choc. chips, etc. to this recipe? What amounts would you add?
Have a great day.
Rosemary says
Hi Kat, thanks, glad you enjoyed them. I have never added anything to them but I would probably not add more than 1/4 cup of the ingredients. I bet raisins or cranberries would be delicious though. Let me know how they turn out. Have a great weekend.
Heather says
I’m definitely going to save this recipe for the fall!! we love anything apple and cinnamon
Rosemary says
Hi Heather thanks hope you enjoy it, I agree apple and cinnamon is a great combination.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
These cookies are so pretty!!! what a great idea! I sometimes add applesauce to my cakes! love your homemade version!
Rosemary says
Hi Alice, thank you applesauce in a cake sounds delicious. Have a great weekend. 🙂
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says
These are so unique and wonderful!
Rosemary says
Thanks Jocelyn! 🙂
Ashley - Baker by Nature says
Yum! These cookies sound amazing.
Rosemary says
Thanks Ashley.
nicole @ I am a Honey Bee says
I don’t think I’d let them stick around in my house for day either!
Rosemary says
Hi Nicole, they were gone in a day.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I would soo lose control around these cookies!
Rosemary says
Hi Ashley, my husband did. 🙂
Ann says
I will definitely be making these cookies for my grandchildren. You cannot go wrong with cinnamon. Thanks for another great recipe.
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
I love when you stumble upon on old family recipe. These cookies look fabulous!
Rosemary says
Hi Kristen, I know isn’t it the best. Thanks. Have a great day.
Angelina says
We always have applesauce… So I think I’m going to have to make these!
Rosemary says
Hi Angelina, let me know how you like them. Thanks
Maureen @RaisingTheCapableStudent says
I just found you on Pinterest and am glad I did! I just spent way too long reading through your recipes. These applesauce cookies will definitely be gone before the apples and cinnamon get a chance to mingle at my house.
Rosemary says
Hi Maureen, thanks a lot, you made my day, hope you enjoy them. Have a great weekend.!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
They look delicious Rosemary!! And you’re right, applesauce is so easy to make. I remember my days of canning and how many jars of green beans, applesauce, peaches, tomatoes, salsa etc. At the time I thought it was a lot of work but now I really miss it. I used to love making sweets but since it is just hubby and I at home I don’t indulge. If we are visiting our kids and grandkids that’s when I go wild. I’m pinning your recipe. Buon fine settimana.
Rosemary says
Hi Marisa, I know what you mean about canning I used to make bottles and bottles of conserva, but no more. So a little applesauce here or there is good. I love baking and try not to indulge, it’s a good thing my husband loves to indulge. Have a great weekend you too. 🙂