These old-fashioned applesauce cookies bake up soft, lightly spiced, and full of raisin-and-nut flavor—just the kind of vintage drop cookie you make for fall and holiday trays.
The applesauce keeps them tender, and the low 300°F oven bakes them slowly so they stay cake-like instead of getting too brown.
🍪 Applesauce Cookies
Soft, old-fashioned drop cookies flavored with cozy autumn spices, sweet raisins, and crunchy chopped nuts.
⏱️ Bake Time: ~15 mins🫓 Style: Drop Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients Base:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons baking soda
Dry Ingredients & Mix-Ins:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans, broken up)
Baking Instructions
🌡️ Oven Temp: 300°F
Cream together the sugar and shortening until well combined.
Completely dissolve the baking soda in the unsweetened applesauce, then add this mixture to the creamed sugar and shortening.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; mix into the dough until fully incorporated.
Gently stir in the raisins and broken-up nuts.
Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes.
Optional: Frost the cooled cookies with a simple glaze or buttercream if desired.
Applesauce Cookies FAQ
Do these cookies come out soft or crisp?
They’re typically soft and cake-like because applesauce adds moisture.
Can I leave out the raisins or nuts?
Yes. You can omit either one, or replace raisins with chopped dates or dried cranberries.
Why is the oven temperature 300°F?
This recipe bakes slowly at a lower temperature to keep the cookies tender and prevent over-browning.
Do I need to frost them?
No—frosting is optional. They’re great plain, especially with the cinnamon-clove flavor.
