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Applesauce Cookies

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These Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting are soft, moist and sweet with the comforting flavors of cinnamon and clove.

What is your favorite color in fall?

As I sit here writing this, it is pouring rain outside.  The air is crisp with the threat of fall, yet all I can do is gaze in wonder at the beauty around me.  Fall, being my favorite time of year, is littered in leaves (in a good way!)  in all my favorite colors – all of which I associate with food, of course.  Orange, sage green, the rich auburns of chili powder, the glittering yellows of turmeric, the deep reds of saffron, the comforting browns of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

The colors so vibrant and inviting, it makes me want to taste the leaves!  Who knows?  They could taste like Caramel Apple Pie.  Have you ever tried one?  🙂

Applesauce Cookies | Inspiration Kitchen

Even the dead leaves are beautiful – dark, charcoal gray – reminds me of poppy seeds.

Food and color – it surrounds us.

The wonder of fall.  I feel like I’m in the perfect dreamland, and all the things I love, are speaking softly to me.

Applesauce Cookies | Inspiration Kitchen

But, instead of dreaming about fall, how about we talk about cookies.

Tell me dear readers, do you sometimes have cookie rejects?  You know, the cookies that are a bit homely that you don’t want to share with anyone?

You do know, you have to eat those fast, right?  Sure!  Before anyone sees them!

Applesauce Cookies Caramel Frosting | Inspiration Kitchen

Let’s talk about why that sometimes happens.

It was like that with these cookies.

The first 3 sheet pans turned out beautifully.  The cookies puffed up and cooked into perfect rounds, like good little cookies should.  By the 4th sheet pan, a few of the cookies ran a bit, spreading and separating a bit more than I liked.  Yes.  They were homely.

Poor ugly little buggers.  They didn’t last long.  😉  Ugly, but tasty.  Yum, yum!

Applesauce Cookies Caramel Frosting | Inspiration Kitchen

A quick stir of your batter will likely solve this problem, as you evenly distribute the fats/oils in your cookies, which has settled from sitting there waiting for their turn in the oven.

They can be impatient little cookie monsters. 🙂

Applesauce Cookies Caramel Frosting | Inspiration Kitchen

What I do know is, you will love the batter in this recipe.  It’s soft and moist.

Looking at the batter, you may worry that the cookies will spread.  But, they won’t.  They’ll bake beautifully into little cloud-soft applesauce puffs perfectly in 8-10 minutes.

Applesauce Cookies Caramel Frosting | Inspiration Kitchen

In this recipe, I did substitute regular white granular sugar for organic coconut sugar.  Coconut sugar is darker in color, has a creamy, caramel sweetness and is a great substitute for regular sugar.  It comes from the nectar of the coconut tree!

These cookies are super soft, full of fall flavors with cinnamon and cloves and apple-y goodness.  Not overly sweet, but the coconut sugar definitely imparts a lovely, rich caramel flavor!

Enjoy!

p.s.  This recipe made a whopping 57 cookies, so you’ll have plenty to eat!  🙂

Applesauce Cookies Caramel Frosting | Inspiration Kitchen
Print Recipe

Applesauce Cookies

These Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting are soft, moist and sweet with the comforting flavors of cinnamon and clove.
Course: Desserts
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

Applesauce Cookies

  • 2 cups coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups applesauce
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. cloves

Caramel Frosting

  • 6 Tbsp. butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a large bowl, cream sugar, shortening and butter together.
  • Add eggs and applesauce and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.
  • Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
  • Using a cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of batter on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and leave cookies on baking sheet for an additional 1-2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Frosting

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, heavy cream and brown sugar.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool, then stir in the powdered sugar.
  • Spread frosting over cookies.

Applesauce Cookies recipe modified from Chef-In-Training.

Applesauce Cookies

Comments

    • Kristi says

      It’s raining here too Manali – so I know exactly what you mean! Regardless, the leaves are beautiful, the grass is glistened with drops of rain, and I love the filtered light! Ah…the life of a food photographer – we live life differently, yes? xoxo

      Reply

  4. Renee@Two in the Kitchen says

    “Taste the leaves” Baha!!! That cracked me up!! You know what, I’ll ask my son for you: With everything he puts in his mouth, I am SURE he has tried leaves at some point in his young life!! Honestly, this post was so poetic that it gave me a real soothing feel! I love your take on the colors of fall! And these cookies look fantastic!! I am still loving everything apple!! 🙂

    Reply

    • Kristi says

      Haha! I’m LOLing right now Renee – please DO ask your son to try the leaves, if they do taste like apple pie, I have a *LOT* of eating to do! So glad you like my take on fall – it’s my favorite time of year, so I love to share it. xoxo

      Reply

  5. marcie says

    It rained here yesterday, and today was sunny but cool. I ran outside and couldn’t think about how beautiful it was with the gorgeous fall leaves blowing everywhere. I love fall! And these cookies look SO delicious — I can’t tell you how much I want some! I just bought coconut sugar at Costco and can’t wait to bust it out and try these. Pinning. 🙂

    Reply

    • Kristi says

      Thanks Marcie! Running in the sunny by cool weather sounds marvelous! I’m a runner myself, but not consistent. I wish I was, because I always love it when I do!

      Reply

  11. Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says

    Such a great post! From the (tasty! lol 😀 ) colors of fall, to yummy but homely little cookie rejects! You’re just the cutest! Although I’m such a summer girl at heart, I love the gorgeous, gorgeous colors of fall – and we’ve got loads of ‘em in Ohio! What else do I love? Cookies, no doubt! Great swap here to use coconut sugar, and I appreciated the hint that it imparts a hint of caramel-y sweetness! Well done, as always! 😀

    Reply

  14. Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says

    These look so good! I imagine they’d also make great whoopie pies. Only one way to find out… 😉 Yum!

    Reply

  15. Tash says

    I don’t really have a favourite colour…my favourite colour IS fall! It’s a rainbow if natures finest shades! 🙂 <3 P.S. These apple sauce cookies behold too much deliciousness for me to handle. Nom nom

    Reply

  16. Loranne says

    Yummmm these looks so delicious! I was wondering Im in New Zealand and we don’t have shortening would butter work and if so how much? Im actually a Canadian living in New Zealand so I really miss shortening! Especially for making pastry! We are just heading into spring here but in my mind it still should be Fall. Love Autumn!!

    Reply

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