The clocks have gone back, the heating is on, and the sun is setting before I’ve even left the office. Holidays are coming! But before this blog gets completely overcome with festive cheer and cranberries, there’s just enough time for a few more weeks of autumn. And a bit more apple.
These cookies are super chewy little mounds of fall flavours, complete with chunks of sweet apple. Because who needs chocolate chips anyway?
They aren’t the prettiest little things around, but the way they taste sure as hell makes up for it. They are pretty easy to make, as long as you don’t mind dicing half an apple, plus the apple sauce in the mix helps make them the moistest cookies you’ll make this year. Don’t worry if they don’t look like they are ready after the 10-15 minutes in the oven, because they will set a little once you leave them on the tray to cool.
It is very important to let the dough chill in the fridge for at least half an hour (I chilled for over an hour though) as otherwise your hands are going to get covered in sticky oats when you try roll it into balls. Plus, much less cookie spread with chilled dough, as we all know by now.
In other news – this year’s Christmas cake has been baked! I used my Grandmother’s recipe, as usual, but this year I’ve given it a couple of tweaks to make it taste even better. I will be sharing it as part of my advent baking spree in December, so make sure to keep an eye out for it and save it for next year.
- 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 100g (½ cup) dark brown sugar
- 100g (½ cup) caster sugar (US granulated)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100g (½ cup) unsweetened applesauce
- 175g (1½ cups) plain or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 170g (2 cups) jumbo rolled oats
- ½ large apple, diced
- 75g (½ cup) sultanas
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F (170°C fan), and line two baking sheets with parchment or greaseproof paper.
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter until it is light and fluffy. Add both the sugars, and cream together until the sugar is completely incorporated, and there are no lumps.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and apple sauce, and beat well. The mixture will look a bit grim at this point, but stick with it. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, to the bowl, and fold in gently until combined. Gently mix in the oats, apple cubes, and sultanas, being careful not to over-mix the dough.
- Place the dough in the fridge for at least half an hour, or until it is firm enough to roll into balls without getting all over your hands. Place the balls onto the lined baking sheets, leaving space between them so they don't spread into each other when baking. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your balls) until golden brown and firm around the edges. The middles will feel soft and under-done, but that's fine.
- Leave to cool on the trays for 15 minutes, and then carefully move the cookies onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- These cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container. They can be frozen for 3-4 months - defrost at room temperature and then store in an airtight container.
