'On the Sauce' Apple Cookies

Today The Kid had an appointment at our area Shriners Hospital. While I can never thank them adequately for everything they have done for us, I do happen to know that the orthotics department is staffed by cookie fiends, so I try to bring some whenever we go. Maybe gratitude should be expressed with a tried and true recipe, rather than experimental cookies, but fortunately, they turned out wonderfully!

These apple cookies are very moist and cake-like without being too dense. The only change I might make would be to grate the apple instead of chopping it, and to mix it in with the dry ingredients, instead of adding it to the batter at the end.

Dry Ingredients:
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 C dairy free margarine
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1 C applesauce
1 tsp rum (optional)

Additional:
1 C firm baking apple, chopped

Preheat oven to 375F. Sift dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Cream margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in applesauce and rum until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until combined. Stir in apple pieces.

Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper, and drop teaspoonfuls of batter about two inches apart. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes in preheated oven. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.