A versatile, wholesome and delicious cookie made with sweet applesauce, spices and filling oats that remains soft, even when frozen.
Food Prep
Making healthy food choices can be challenging at times. Food that is convenient and quick is available everywhere we go but it isn’t typically the most nourishing choice.
Making snack foods at home allows you to control the ingredients and the nutrition level. It takes a bit of forethought but can encourage healthier food choices day in and day out. This banana bar is another great snack choice.
Options
These cookies are less a dessert cookie and more a snack cookie. The sugar content is not crazy high, but they still taste sweet enough to be considered a treat.
They are filling with the fiber and nutrients of the oats and the applesauce. Gluten free and/or dairy free if you need to be (see notes for adaptations).
These can even be made with whole grains. Chocolate chips are swappable for raisins or nuts.
Store in the Freezer
One of the best parts of these cookies is their freezability. I actually prefer them from the freezer, which makes them great to prepare ahead of time. They stay softer even when they are frozen solid.
I keep a bag of them in the freezer for kids or mom to grab when they get munchy. Lunch boxes are happy with one tossed inside.
If I need a quick dairy free treat for my daughter, these are dessert enough to help her not feel left out when everyone else has something sweet.
Healthy enough for Breakfast or Lunch
When we were trying to figure out some health problems with my one year old son, these cookies were a life saver. He had some food texture issues and I was trying to avoid dairy, gluten and processed sugars among other things.
These cookies were his favorite and if I couldn’t get him to eat anything else I knew he would eat these. During that time I halved the coconut sugar and didn’t add chocolate chips because it was more like a meal for him.
However you use this recipe, you will be glad. It is simple, yummy, freezable and versatile. A win all around!
Freezer Applesauce Cookies
Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies
¾ cup gluten free flour
¾ cup whole grain flour (I use einkorn) or more gluten free flour
¾ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup softened coconut oil
1 ¼ cup coconut sugar
3 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 ½ cups quick oats
¾ cup mini chocolate chips, raisins, chopped nuts or a combo
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the flours, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda. Add coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg and applesauce. Stir well. Add oats and whatever mix-in you want. Stir until just barely combined. Scoop with 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. I like them best when they are just barely starting to crisp on the edge.
Delicious eaten fresh or awesome to freeze. To Freeze: let cookies cool and then place in freezer bag or Tupperware container. Stays good in the freezer for about a month (ours have never lasted that long!)
Tweak It Notes
- This recipe is adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod. I love their website. They have a lot of great vegetarian options as well as kid friendly meals. I tweaked it to fit our needs.
- COCONUT OIL – can be replaced with butter or other butter substitutes or with a different oil, if you can’t use coconut.
- GLUTEN FREE – If you don’t need to be gluten free, the gluten free flour and the almond flour can be replaced with whole grain or all purpose flour.
- SWEETENERS – Coconut sugar gives the cookie the best texture, but if you want, honey or maple syrup can be used for all or part of the coconut sugar. I often do 3/4 cup coconut sugar and 1/2 cup honey. You can also use brown sugar.
- DAIRY FREE – If you need it to be 100% dairy free be sure to use dairy free chocolate chips.
- NO APPLESAUCE – I have blended up two bananas when I am out of applesauce and it works great.
