Fall is all about apple desserts! These Frosted Applesauce Cookies are a perfect treat to share at upcoming gatherings!
When I was in high school and a little into my college days, I used to work at a family-owned country store where we sold fresh produce, the best ice cream, homemade baked goods and cute home decor. I looked forward to every September, because that was when the apples came into season. They were straight off the trees from the orchard next door.
We were asked to encourage each customer to sample them. Because the owners knew that once you took that first bite, you were hooked and a sale was inevitable! đŸ™‚
While working there, I tried about every variety of apples out there, but my favorite are the Honeycrisp! Have you tried them?
A sweet, crisp apple is like dessert to me, especially if it is a Honeycrisp apple. Now, years later, autumn time still holds a special place in my heart. I really favor fall treats, especially cookies!
My daughter makes the best applesauce muffins, so, being the cookie lover that I am, I thought it would be fun to try making an applesauce cookie! I was inspired by these Dole Whip Cookies and these Pineapple Drop Cookies. Like the aforementioned, these Applesauce Cookies definitely have an old-fashioned nature. You drop them by the spoonful onto the cookie sheet and they spread out and get all fluffy and soft as they bake.
They’re cake-like with yummy spices infused in the batter for the ultimate fall flavor and finished with the most amazing cinnamon buttercream frosting!
At bite one, you can definitely taste the applesauce! They’re absolutely delightful! As with all cookies, I feel like I say this on repeat, but not over baking them is key for them staying soft and not drying out! Whenever I bake, I always set the oven timer for about five minutes under what the recipe calls for, and then I check them every minute to ensure the perfect result!
For these, you want to give them just enough time to set up, so you’ll see the centers stop looking goopy and then you want to pull them out right when you can touch your finger on the top and it doesn’t sink down. You don’t want the bottoms to get overly brown.
The frosting definitely sends these to heavenly status! It’s creamy, dreamy and so finger-licking good!
Frosted Applesauce Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. butter softened
- 1 c. light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup applesauce original (sweetened)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- Frosting:
- 3/4 c. butter softened
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6 c. powdered sugar
- 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp. milk more or less as needed for thinning
Instructions
- For the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the cookie sheets or line them with nonstick baking mats.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, eggs, and applesauce. In a separate bowl, stir together salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and flour. Add it to the wet mixture and mix just until incorporated, stopping at least once to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- Drop batter by the large spoonful (about 1/4 cup each) onto the cookie sheets, six per sheet, leaving plenty of space between them so they can spread out. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Set it for 8, then check and set it for more if needed. Allow them to cool for a minute on the cookie sheets, then carefully remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, place in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
- For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, cinnamon and milk. Add more milk, if necessary, for thinning. Turn the mixer to a high setting and allow the frosting to mix for about 5 minutes to get nice and fluffy and creamy. Frost cooled cookies generously and enjoy.
Do you bake more often during the fall when the weather cools down? What are your favorite fall treats to make? I’d love to hear!
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