Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

I hope you enjoyed my Parisian themed dinner! It was so delicious! I can hardly wait to make it again!

Of course here I am, sharing ANOTHER dessert with you! I guess I just have sweets on the brain lately! :o) Back on my birthday, my good friend Kristen (the one who takes all those great photos on my blog!) surprised me with Martha Stewart's Cookie Cookbook for my birthday! What a great friend!!! :o) I knew I had to thank her by making her cookies of course! So I looked through the cookbook to find something that I knew she would like...that is when I came across the Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies! Although I am sure she would have loved any of the other cookies I bookmarked, there was just something about these cookies that had her name written all over them!

Kristen grew up on a farm in upstate New York. It was actually an apple farm. She has great stories about being on the farm growing up. She always talks about the homemade applesauce her mom would make and how tasty it was. (She recently even tried her hand at making homemade applesauce and did a great job!!!) So I thought these cookies would put a smile on her face, and maybe even bring back some good ol' apple memories!

These cookies turned out AMAZING! Not that I really expected anything less than amazing out of Miss Martha Stewart, the girl seriously has some great recipes. I actually have yet to come across one I did not like!! These cookies were so moist and not too sweet. I loved how the maple icing added just the right amount of sweetness to every bite.

I also made these cookies to take to a birthday get together of a friend of mine to just turned 40! (which by the way...you must see the dessert I made him for his actual birthday, it involves Martha again! I think that will be my next post!) The cookies were a huge hit there. I will definitely be making these again soon!

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

(from Martha Stewart Cookies, page 77)

For the cookies:

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins ** (see below for tip)

For the icing:

1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 Tablespoons water (I didn't add the whole 3 Tablespoons, just add slowly to get the right consistency)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cookies:

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.

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, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over parchment paper; let cool completely.

Make icing:

Whisk confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and water until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; let set. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

** I want to share a great little tip with you on how to plump up old raisins you may have in your cabinets. It is a great tip to have handy. Don't think those dried up little raisins aren't any good, they just need a little TLC!! :o) All you need to do is place the measured amount of raisins in a deep bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain off the water and pat dry with paper towels...and there you have it just like new! Fresh, plump, moist raisins ready to go into your recipe! **

~Photography by Kristen Wiltse Photography