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These soft Applesauce Cookies are thick, buttery, and have the perfect amount of apple cinnamon flavor. They taste even better the next day which makes them perfect for the holidays, gifting to friends and neighbors, or having yummy cookies on hand all week long.
P.S. I’ve included a bonus recipe for my homemade applesauce! It’s easy to make and adds to the love that’s baked in these cookies.
Pair them with my kid-friendly Apple Cider Slushies or an adult-only Apple Cider Aperol Spritz Mocktail.
Every fall we go to the apple orchard, and every fall we make homemade applesauce. One of my family’s favorite ways to eat it is in these Applesauce Cookies. They’re soft, flavorful, and capture everything we love about fall and winter baking.
But what makes them unique is they’re coated in cinnamon and sugar, just like the apple cider donuts you get from the orchard. They’re made with thick applesauce which means a more concentrated apple flavor. And best of all, they’re one of those cookies you can make ahead of time and they’ll taste even better the second or third day. A seriously delicious cookie I know you and your family will love!
If you like these cookies, try my Pumpkin Chai Cookies with a vanilla bean glaze. I used it as a starting point to create my Applesauce Cookies. And if you really like applesauce, I have a cinnamon Pear Applesauce that goes great in this recipe!
Applesauce Cookies Ingredients
Below is everything you need to make these cookies, plus a few important notes. I think you’ll be surprised at the simplicity. Keep reading!
- Flour: I use unbleached all-purpose flour in these cookies. Always remember to measure with the spoon and level method for the perfect amount of flour.
- Leavening Agents: We use both baking powder and baking soda for the perfect rise and texture. Just make sure they’re not expired, it will affect your cookies.
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter: We use butter in 2 ways, softened to room temperature for the cookie dough and melted so we can brush it on the baked cookies. I do not recommend salted butter, it tends to be a little too salty for this recipe.
- Sugar: There’s granulated sugar and light brown sugar in the cookies, and granulated sugar in the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Applesauce: It needs to be a THICK applesauce or the cookies will be wet and spread. I recommend making it homemade (with my recipe below), but you can also use store-bought. If it’s too liquidy, simmer it on the stove until thickened.
- Egg: Brought to room temperature.
- Ground Cinnamon
How to Make Applesauce Cookies
1. Mix up the Cookie Dough. Cream together the butter and sugars, add thick applesauce, egg, and continue mixing until smooth (it may look curdled, but that’s normal). Add the dry ingredients and mix until the flour has absorbed.
2. Bake the Applesauce Cookies. Scoop 1½ tablespoon portions onto a prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Once baked, the edges will be brown and the tops will spring back to the touch. Allow them to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a baking rack.
3. Dip in the Cinnamon Sugar. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. After cookies cool 10 minutes total, brush tops with butter and dip in the cinnamon sugar. Return to the baking rack and cool completely.
Find the complete recipe instructions with measurements below.
Storing and Freezing Information
These Applesauce Cookies store beautifully! And if you didn’t read it above, these cookies taste amazing the second or third day so making them before you plan on serving them is a must.
I like to keep them at room temperature and in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Anything beyond that I’ll store them in the refrigerator for no more than 7 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months! Just let them thaw at room temperature a few hours before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Apple Recipes You Might Enjoy
Applesauce Cookies
EQUIPMENT
- hand mixer - with paddle attachments
- 2 baking sheet - lined with parchment paper
- cookie scoop - 2 tablespoons
- 2 wire cooling rack
- pastry brush
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup applesauce - store-bought and thick*, or use recipe included
- 1 egg - room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
OPTIONAL: Homemade Applesauce
- 5 cups apples - washed, peeled, chopped into 1/2" chunks
- ¾ cup water
- ½ lemon - juiced
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick - 2 inches long
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachments, cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.
- Add the thick applesauce and egg. Continue mixing until smooth.NOTE: If it looks curdled, that's okay, it's supposed to look like that.
- Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients. Mix on low just until all the flour has absorbed and the dough is thick and sticky.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough. Drop them onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping 2 to 3 inches in space.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges have set and the centers are not wet and sticky to the touch. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a baking rack.
- In a small bowl whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- After 10 minutes of cooling, use a pastry brush to brush each cookie top with unsalted butter. Carefully dip the top into cinnamon sugar and place cookie back on the baking rack to cool completely.
OPTIONAL: Homemade Applesauce
- To a large pot, bring the apples, water, maple syrup, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Remove cooked apples from the heat and cool completely. Using an immersion blender, food processor, or regular blender, blend the apples until they are a smooth, thick applesauce consistency. Store any leftover applesauce in a jar and in the refrigerator.NOTE: This recipe is specifically used for baking with the applesauce. Cook 5 minutes less for a more traditional consistency applesauce.
RECIPE NOTES
- How to thicken store-bought applesauce. Add 1½ cups of applesauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by a third or thick. Cool completely before using it. Just a note, it’s the perfect consistency if you can flip the measuring cup upside down and nothing falls out.
STORING INFORMATION
- Room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Frozen, in an airtight bag for up to 3 months.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
