Dairy-Free Applesauce Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup dairy-free buttery spread or non-hydrogenated margarine (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup diced dried apples
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Put the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice or nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

3. 3

   Put the buttery spread or margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until creamed, about 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the applesauce and egg to the butter-sugar mixture, and beat with the hand mixer until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until combined.

5. 5

   Fold in the dried fruit and/or walnuts, if using. The dough will be somewhat loose and moist. If it is too wet to work with, you can refrigerate it for 1 hour before baking.

6. 6

   Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto your prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

7. 7

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on how golden you like your cookies.

8. 8

   Immediately remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely while you bake the next batch!