[Cookie 041] Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

Yo, I know. I'm slackin' big time. But it's all going to change starting right now. A blog post! Yes, it's really here. Because I'm sure you just can't live with out it, right--right?! Yeah!

Well, on the topic of living without things, I come to today's cookie adventure. I definitely had to do some serious baking wizardry to produce these cookies because it just so turns out that all of the cooking gadgets I had last year didn't actually belong to me. I own nothing. But I was just so excited to devirginize (sorry, is that crass?) the new oven in my dorm that I jumped into the recipe for Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies so fast I didn't even realize that I was missing: measuring cups, measuring spoons, and a cookie sheet. Whoa--mentally lapse, anyone? Honestly where was my mind?? But, I really really wanted to make the recipe (and my roommates really really wanted to eat the results) so I pushed onward into the unknown.

In fact, it wasn't all bad that I didn't have some key tools. I met some other students living on my floor by asking them if I could borrow their measuring cups! So wouldn't ya know, a problem solved with an added bonus! As for the cookie sheet, well the pictures should give you an idea.

First, I used my two Pyrex baking dishes, but that didn't work so easily because they could only fit 5 and 2-3 cookies on each, respectively. And because I didn't feel like baking for 9 hours straight, I decided to take a little risk and put the cookies on my Silpats sans cookie sheet. Technically it worked, but getting the Silpat out of the oven without dropping the cookies was quite a little feat. But I prevailed, and with the help of my friends/roommates/sous-chefs, we had a bunch of deliciously soft, sweet, and ever-so-autumny cookies.

Onto the specifics of the cookie. These guys are simple to make and are a real comfort-cookie; one that you want to eat straight out of the oven on an overcast October late-afternoon, while the wind just begins to pick up like it does right before a huge storm (sorry I'm getting carried away--I know I'm a total romantic, nostalgic grandmother). We ate a couple without icing, and at first thought that we didn't even need to make the icing because they were sweet enough, but the icing is actually a really nice touch. It's really maple-y and nice, and definitely not overpowering. It works great with the apple flavor of the cookie.

So, what I'm trying to tell you is, it worked! Yes, my oven is off by a good 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but it bakes cookies. And these ones were good. And you should make them in celebration of the changing of the seasons. Soft, sweet, chewy, aromatic--and pretty cute too. Having said that, you should now turn off your computer and make them, and I'll go make that apple cake I've been meaning to make....and eat some more candy corn. Ta!

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup chunky-style applesauce
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions

1. Make cookies: Preheat oven to 350. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. Add egg and applesauce, mix until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix in raisins.
2. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until golden and just set, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over parchment paper; let cool completely.
3. Make icing: Whisk confectioners' sugar, syrup, and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Drizzle over cookies, let set.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 2/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 4/5
Tastiness: 4.5/5
Attractiveness: 4/5
Is it worth it?: Yes, indeed.

{Pairings}
Drink: Hot apple cider! Aw yeah!

Song: Apple Orchard -- Beach House
Activity: Huddling over a hot cup of apple cider and one of these cookies right after coming inside on a chipper autumn day...siiiigh