Low Sugar Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

 Crazy story behind these. I made my own applesauce awhile back. It had no sugar and made it in the IP. Came out great.  Had some left and saw a recipe for no sugar applesauce cookies.

They came out SO SO good. Mei ( who is NOT a big sweet eater) loved them. My neighbor Henry wanted more. There was a issue. I had no idea where I found the recipe and for the life of me I could not find it again.

Henry was going to Texas to help his boys move back and I saw another recipe which was kind of similar to the one I made. I wanted to whip up a batch for him to take for the trip.

The recipe below isn't the one I made that everyone loved but I like it. I did add more oatmeal because I thought the consistency was to thin. I also had another problem which was not the recipe.

Mei has a Pecan Tree in her back yard. She shelled a bunch for me which is a TON of work. The recipe calls for pecans and I use Mei's. Problem- there were shells mixed in with the pecans. The first bite- HORROR! No way were they going out to anyone.

If you try the recipe make sure the pecans have no shells!!

Ingredients:

1 cup oats (rolled or quick-cooking)

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (for a natural sweetener)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional, for extra flavor)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, for crunch)

Directions:

Preheat the Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the unsweetened applesauce, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla extract. Stir until well-mixed.

Add Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.

Optional Ingredients: If you like, fold in the raisins or chocolate chips and nuts for an extra burst of flavor and texture.

Shape the Cookies: Use a spoon or cookie scoop to drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave some space between the cookies, as they may spread a little.

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.