Spiced Applesauce Cookies

Name: Spiced Applesauce Cookies
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter softened; 1 cup brown sugar packed; 1 large egg; ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce; 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted; ½ teaspoon fine salt; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; Melted dark chocolate for drizzling

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 26 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A chewy cookie bursting with warm spices and applesauce moisture. Butter and sugar creamed just right, folded into a mix of flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Replacing white sugar with brown sugar adds depth; I’ve swapped ground cloves for nutmeg to sharpen the aroma. Melted dark chocolate drizzle on cooled cookies tweaks sweetness and adds richness. Cookies spread beautifully; a good flattening before baking prevents dense centers. Watch the edges, golden but not too dark—overbaking steals that tender crumb. 24 cookies per batch, quick and straightforward with subtle spice notes and soft texture.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 11 min

Total: 23 min

Servings: 24 servings

#cookies #baking #spices #applesauce #desserts #chocolate

Sometimes the simplest cookies mess you up if you miss a step. Applesauce cookies aren’t just mixing stuff and baking. It’s that moist factor, how to avoid soggy middles, and nailing the spice balance without overpowering the apple. I’ve tried swaps—brown sugar for white adds this caramel vibe, and ground cloves make the warmth pop more than nutmeg alone. The texture shifts if you overmix or don’t flatten the dough balls properly. Baking time? Use smell and feel over timer. When edges are golden, and center holds a slight jiggle, that’s magic. A drizzle of dark chocolate when cooled? Game changer. Adds bitterness and richness, not sickly sweet. These cookies came from trial mishaps and finally hitting that chewy, tender spot I chase.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup brown sugar packed
1 large egg
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
½ teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Melted dark chocolate for drizzling

About the ingredients

Butter must be soft but not melted; that’s the difference between spread and structured cookies. Brown sugar replaces white for deeper flavor and moisture, but light brown is fine if dark isn’t handy. Applesauce should be unsweetened to control sugar levels; too sweet and cookies turn cloying. Cloves over nutmeg, trust me. Basic flour works but avoid self-rising—leavening agents added there mess with texture. Salt balances all the sweetness and spices, don’t skip it. Freshly ground spices do more than old pantry dust. For the chocolate drizzle, quality dark chocolate melts cleaner and tastes more refined—skip white unless you want extra sugar hitting you.

Method

Heat oven to 345°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cooling rack ready.
Whip softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy and pale—about 2-3 minutes using stand mixer or hand beaters. Look for lighter color and airy texture; sugar grains mostly dissolved here.
Add egg, stir to combine fully. Then pour in applesauce; fold until batter coherent but don’t overmix. Applesauce keeps these tender, moisture-rich.
In a separate bowl, sift flour with salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and ground cloves. No lumps. Spices fresh ground, not old, or they fall flat.
Gradually fold dry mix into wet with spatula, stopping once just combined—overworking stiffens cookies and ruins chew.
Scoop dough (1 tablespoon amounts) onto lined sheet. Press down lightly to flatten. Leave 1.5 to 2 inches between—cookies spread as they bake. Flattening prevents thick middles that stay raw-ish.
Slide into oven. Smells change after 9 minutes—spices bloom, buttery notes rise. Look for edges firming up, centers still soft but not wet. Surface golden, never dark brown.
Let cool 4-6 minutes on sheet so cookies set before moving. Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling, or moisture traps underneath and crisps won’t happen.
Once cool, drizzle melted dark chocolate using spoon or piping bag—adds contrast in bitterness and texture. White chocolate can overpower with sweetness; dark chocolate more balanced.
Store in airtight containers between parchment if stacking. Reheat slightly to revive softness, or chill to firm up chocolate drizzle.

Cooking tips

Creaming butter and sugar aerates batter, crucial for soft texture and lift. Don’t rush this. Egg adds binder power; mix fully before adding applesauce, which hydrates batter and softens final cookie. Sifting dry ingredients avoids lumps and activates leavening when combined. Folding cautiously is key—overmix, and gluten develops, tough cookie. Scoop generously, then flatten partially to control spread. Watch edges closely; first golden hints signal done. Leave cookies on the baking sheet after oven to firm; that residual heat finishes them off evenly. Transfer too soon, and they might break. Chocolate drizzle—melt carefully over a double boiler or microwave bursts to avoid seizing. Drizzle after full cooling; warm cookies will melt it unevenly and create mess.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter soft not melted. Cream it well, look for pale and fluffy texture. Takes a couple minutes beating; air trapped here means soft inside. Rushing this step ruins crumb. Brown sugar packed tight, adds moisture and flavor depth unlike white. Applesauce should be unsweetened or cookies turn too sweet, weigh sugar effect before mixing.
💡 Fold ingredients carefully. Dry ingredients sifted, no lumps allowed. Combine gently or gluten forms, chewy tough bites instead of tender. Watch color shift in dough, subtle but important. Overmixing stiffens batter noticeably. Dough balls need flattening just enough. Too flat, cookies spread too thin. Not flat enough, dense middles. 1.5-2 inches spacing keeps them separate as they bake.
💡 Oven at 345°F works well here. Smell changes around 9 minutes; spices bloom, buttery notes rise. Look at edges; when firm but cookie centers still jiggle a bit, pull out immediately. Golden color, never dark brown. Residual heat finishes baking after removal from oven. Put on wire rack after brief cool on sheet to avoid soggy bottoms.
💡 Chocolate drizzle melts best on gentle heat like double boiler or microwave bursts. Avoid overheating that seizes chocolate. Wait until cookies fully cool. Melted chocolate on warm cookies slides and pools unevenly. Dark chocolate chosen for bitterness balancing sweet cookie; white overpowers with sugar load. Can skip drizzle but it adds richness and visual contrast.
💡 Store in airtight containers with parchment between layers to preserve softness and prevent sticking. Can reheat slightly to soften if firmed. Chilling firms chocolate but risks cookie hardness. Use kitchen intuition on storage timing - too long, moisture loss toughens. Day-old cookies best refreshed with minimal heat to keep texture intact.

Common questions

How to keep cookies moist?

Soft butter creamed well. Applesauce moisture controls dryness. Don’t overbake. Flatten dough balls before baking. Too much oven time dries edges, centers harden.

Can I swap spices?

Ground cloves swapped for nutmeg before, changes aroma focus. Cinnamon mandatory. Avoid old stale spices or flavor flattens. Fresh ground spices always better. Experiment with small batches to test.

Why do cookies spread unevenly?

Butter temperature critical. Too warm = excess spread. Not flattening dough balls causes uneven centering. Oven temp off or baking sheet thin affect spread. Use parchment lined heavy sheet.

How to store leftovers?

Airtight container best. Parchment between layers stops sticking. Reheat slightly for softness. Refrigerate firm chocolate drizzle but cookies get harder; balance preference. Consume within few days for texture.