Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies
Soft and cake-like, these cinnamon applesauce cookies are an old-fashioned treat with just the right touch of warm spice. An easy, no-chill dough makes them perfect for fall and winter baking!
These cinnamon applesauce cookies come straight from my mom’s recipe box, and they’re as cozy as it gets. Soft, cake-like, and full of apple flavor with just the right hint of spice, they’re a nostalgic favorite I’ll be baking all season long.
If you’re like me and can’t get enough of apple desserts, you might also enjoy the sweet little bites of apple pie cookies, the tender crumb of cinnamon applesauce muffins, or even a comforting applesauce cake to share with friends over a cup of coffee.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Soft and fluffy. Applesauce cookies bake up more cakey than crisp cookies. They are moist, tender, and lightly chewy in the center.
- Quick and easy. No chilling required! Just mix the dough, scoop onto a baking sheet, and you’ll have warm, flavorful cookies ready in minutes. Perfect for fall baking or after school treats!
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: Use room temperature butter so it creams easily with the sugar. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch more salt to the recipe.
- Brown sugar: Lightly packed brown sugar adds sweetness and gives the cookies a softer, more moist texture than granulated sugar would.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together and gives the cookies structure.
- Flour: Cake flour makes them extra tender and fluffy, but all-purpose flour works too.
- Baking powder & baking soda: A combination of both ensures the cookies rise well and keep their light texture.
- Cinnamon: The warm spice that makes these applesauce cookies smell and taste like fall.
- Applesauce: The star ingredient! It keeps the cookies moist and adds natural apple flavor. You can use store-bought (unsweetened or lightly sweetened) or try my homemade applesauce for an even fresher taste.
personal Note
In Italy, applesauce isn’t sold in grocery stores, so I always make my own for baking. It’s quick, easy, and has the thick texture these cookies need. A friend of mine once loved these applesauce cookies so much he came back twice in the same day for more, proof this old recipe is a keeper!
How to Make Applesauce Cookies
To start, in a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Sifting helps remove any lumps and keeps the cookies nice and light.
In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, then beat in the egg.
Next, add the dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating with the applesauce.
Stir just until everything comes together. Don’t overmix or the cookies can turn out dense.
Drop spoonfuls of dough (about the size of a golf ball) onto parchment-lined baking sheets, then bake until lightly golden, about 10–12 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the pan before moving them to a wire rack.
recipe Tips
- Best flavor. These cookies are delicious fresh from the oven, but the flavor actually gets even better the next day once the spices have had time to settle. They never last that long in my house though!
- Garnish. A light dusting of powdered sugar is always pretty, or try drizzling them with the maple glaze from my cinnamon apple strudel or the maple frosting from apple butter cinnamon rolls.
- Mix-ins. For extra flavor and texture, stir in raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a handful of quick or rolled oats.
- Food processor shortcut. The dough can be made in a food processor instead of mixing by hand. Just pulse until combined, quick and easy.
- Cake flour substitute. If you don’t have cake flour, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift well.
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
- ½ cup butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 2 cups cake flour (or you can substitute with all purpose flour which make them spread less and more firm)
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter add ½ teaspoon salt)
- 1 cup thick applesauce (unsweetened or very lightly sweetened-store bought or homemade)
HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
- 4 medium apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400° (200° celsius), line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE (makes approximately 2 cups) 400 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.
Notes
How to store the applesauce cookies
The cookies should be stored in an airtight container, they will keep for 1-2 days at room temperature (depending on the warmth of your house) or 4-5 days in the fridge. They can also be stored in the freezer in a freezer safe container for up to two months.Nutrition
Republished from Feb 5, 2016.
Recipe FAQs
How should I store applesauce cookies?
Once cooled, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Their flavor actually deepens after the first day.
Can I freeze them?
Yes! Place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper. Freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature before serving.
Can I add more spice?
Of course. A little nutmeg and allspice (about ¼ teaspoon each) will give the cookies even more warm fall flavor.
Can I replace the butter?
You can swap in coconut oil if you prefer. The cookies may bake up even more cake-like, but still soft and delicious.
Can I add texture on top of the cookies before baking?
Yes! A simple streusel topping, like the one from my apple pie streusel cake, works beautifully. Or just sprinkle a few nuts and a little cinnamon sugar on top for extra crunch.
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I make this with store bought applesauce. My daughter loves them and won’t let me try the applesauce that comes with this recipe. Even with store bought applesauce these are delicious cookies that do not last in my house. I like that they’re not too sweet. I add a tsp of cinnamon and that’s the only difference aside from the applesauce that I make.
Hi Tammy, thanks so much, glad you all enjoyed them. Take care and have a wonderful Sunday!
Great recipe! Now I know what do with leftover applesauce. 🙂
Hi Ariane, thanks so much so glad you liked the recipe. Take care and have a wonderful Sunday!
Good recipe for a cake-like cookie! I will use again. My applesauce seemed very wet so I needed to add more flour to the batter. I measured out 1/2 cup flour. Then I added a tablespoon at a time and ended up with 1/4 cup more. It’s a very tender cookie and I would continue to use cake flour to keep that tender crumb. Also, I love raisins so I added a handful to the batter for my last tray.
Hi Lynn, thanks so much, and yes too wet add more flour. Good idea adding raisins. Take care and have a great week!
This recipe turned out great, I would just add a tsp of cinnnaom to bring it tomy taste. Overall moist and chewy. Thanks for the tip how to make cake flour and brown sugar,I had neither and followed the recipe. The brown sugar turned out so well a made a larger batch for later use.
Hi Sandra, thanks glad you liked the cookies. You’re welcome, glad I could help. Take care and have a great week!
Had 4c of applesauce pulled from freezer, made mine zero refined sugars! Doubled recipe right out of the gate! Why not, if that good right? And they most definitely are! Yum!
Hi Casey, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Good to know, no refined sugars. Take care and have a great weekend!
I love this recipe and have shared with several friends! They’re a big hit since they’re so different. The texture is kinda spongey but very moist and delicious! I put Hershey’s cinnamon chips in mine to add a little extra to it. Great recipe!!
Hi Hannah, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed them. Great idea with the chips. Take care!
Hi I used store bought unsweetened moss applesauce added some vanilla and nutmeg and used cane sugar
And I didn’t have a cookie tray so I just baked it in a shallow glass dish so they’re now cookie bars lol
Baked for 20 minutes and they taste good but the texture is more of a cake than anything
But very nice recipe
Hi Shana, thanks and good idea. Yes they are more of a cakey cookie. Have a great weekend. Take care!
I doubled the recipe, needing to make more, I followed the recipe using unsweetened organic applesauce from ALDI’s, but the batter was really wet and the first batch ended up spreading over the whole pan (still tasted amazing though lol) I added probably about a cup more of flour which made them look more like the picture. Tasted great.
Hi Kim, glad you liked them and yes depending on the type of flour sometimes more is needed. Take care.
Good! We added bran flakes and nuts, YUMMY perfect for my client’s who need to there weight and the diabeics
Hi Barbie, thanks so much, good idea. Have a great weekend.
Great cookies! I used unsalted butter but instead of adding salt I added a 1/4 tspn of allspice. I also added a 1/4 cup of chopped English Walnuts and a cup of yellow raisins. Turned out great.
Hi Larry, thanks glad you liked them.
Simple recipe,had ingredients on hand,added dried cranberries. Drandkids love them
Hi Deb, thanks so much, and so glad the grandkids enjoyed them too. Have a wonderful Sunday.
Delicious! Not too sweet. I added chopped walnuts. Yum.
Hi Ellen, thanks so much, good idea with the walnuts. Take care.
Rosemary questi sono facile da farli grazie , bella mia buone cose sempre, in salvamento saluto per L’italia mia miriam da Trieste ma in USA
Grazie Miriam sono contenta che ti siano piaciuti! Un saluto da Roma.
can you use store bought applesauce instead of making yours.
Hi Ceceily, yes you can use store bought, try to get one that is lightly or unsweetened. Let me know how it goes.
The best cookies ever! They melt in your mouth! Delicious!
Hi Camelia, thanks so much so glad you liked them. Have a great weekend.