Applesauce Cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cookies

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 eggs room temperature
• ¾ cup Musselman's Cinnamon Applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice blend
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Icing (optional)

• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon half & half (or whole milk)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Garnish with a pinch of apple pie spice blend

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl stir together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and apple pie spice blend. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-low speed, cream together the butter and light brown sugar for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated.
4. Add the vanilla extract and the applesauce and mix for another minute. 
5. At a low speed, combine your flour mixture with your butter mixture for another 1-2 minutes or just until all the flour is incorporated. Do not over mix your batter.
6. Using a 1½ tablespoon (1.5-inch) cookie scoop, scoop out your batter onto the prepared baking tray 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until lightly golden on the edges. Once your cookies have baked, allow them to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them. 
7. While your cookies are baking and cooling you can make your frosting.  In a medium-sized mixing bowl beat together, on medium speed with a handheld mixer, the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and half & half and combine until smooth. You can add a little more half & half if your mixture is not soft and spreadable but not too much because you want your frosting to hold its shape.
8. Once your cookies have cooled completely you can frost them with about a tablespoon of the frosting per cookie and sprinkle them with a pinch of the apple pie spice.

NOTES

• If your grocery store does not have an apple spice blend you can create your own by combining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Mix well.
• Don’t worry if it looks like your batter is separating because when you add the flour mixture it will come back together.
• The icing is totally optional.  Traditionally these cookies do not have icing.  It's just an added touch!
• Instead of strictly sticking to the "1 teaspoon" of apple pie spice.  You could just sprinkle it on top of each cookie directly from the container.  It's a siny container anyway and has holes for putting "a dash".