Is it just me or are you ready for fall? I went for a photo shoot this morning in the mountains and could smell it in the air. I am getting excited for it! After the shoot, I took my little family back to the mountains for a walk and picnic to soak in little bit of summer until fall gets here. I forget how gorgeous it is around here.
Feeling fall was coming made me want these applesauce cookies. This recipe was one of my first blog posts, well third to be exact, but that was a long time ago and before I was doing pictures with my posts. These cookies deserve a second spot, they are that good. These are my favorite, seriously! I thought they were a secret family recipe but while talking to my grandma, she told me she found it 25 years ago in the newspaper. Not so secretive and not so in the family but that’s okay, I still love them all the same.
Enough about the story, let’s dig in!
Start with the dry stuff, but not the sugar! Mix flour, salt, soda, cloves, cinnamon and allspice. I noticed the spices looked a little like mountains, which only added to the feeling of the day, I know I am a dork!
In a separate bowl, cream the sugar and shortening together. I read a tip on some website that before you put anything sticky in a measuring cup, like shortening or peanut butter, run the measuring cup under hot water.
Back to the recipe, add egg and mix well, then applesauce and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture.
Drop about a 1″ ball of dough on the cookie sheet.
Your house is going to smell delicious and these bad boys are going to be hard to resist! Do you see my creepy dog, Molly, trying to get close to those delicious cookies? She cracks me up!
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- Raisins or chocolate chips to mix in *optional
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt, soda, cloves, cinnamon and allspice.
- In a separate bowl, cream the sugar and shortening together.
- Add egg and mix well, then applesauce and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture.
- Drop about a 1" ball of dough on the cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
- These cookies are great warm out of the oven, you can even spread a little butter on top but I like them plain. Store them in an air-tight container with a piece of bread to keep them moist and soft.
Delicious! These are the best cookies? I added some dried cranberries! Highly recommend!