Thank you so much for the sweet comments about my pantry! You are all incredibly kind. That was a fun project and I was so excited to share it with all of you!
These last few days have been crazy. Life is so busy right now (I’m sure you can all relate!) and December is flying by way too quickly. Kids are out of school after this week and I’m hoping everything slows down so that we can just enjoy the holiday together. I finally got my Christmas cards mailed out and finished up my friend/neighbor/teacher gifts today.
I didn’t make my cards and I just kept things really simple for gifts and made cookies. Nothing too creative this year. I have to save my creativity for entertaining Kole. That boy is sucking the life right out of me these days! But I did manage to bake! Which is a feat for me with or without my 20 month old sidekick.
Because I’ve made our Christmas Pretzel Hugs for the past few years, I decided to mix it up andmake Applesauce cookies. And I have to share my applesauce cookie recipe with all of you because they are SO good. Really. They are. My mom always made these cookies when I was growing up (the recipe is from my grandma) and the smell of them brings back happy childhood memories. Maybe making them will bring back happy childhood memories for you too. Probably not, but it’s worth a try, right?
{Applesauce Cookies}
Ingredients:
I cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 cups applesauce
4 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pkg chocolate chips
Directions:
First mix together the sugar and shortening. Add eggs, then add the applesauce and soda combined. (I just put the 2 tsp of soda right into the applesauce can and stir away. The applesauce kind of rises and sizzles. That’s my favorite part. :)
Add the rest of the dry ingredients (I love that most of them are 1 tsp. – makes it harder to mess things up. Although one time I messed up big time. I made these and forgot the flour. How do you forget the flour? I don’t know but I did and wouldn’t recommend it.)
Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes
Five reasons you should make these: 1 – They’re delicious. 2 – They’re easy – if I can make them correctly (most of the time), anyone can. 3 – The cinnamon and spices will make your house smell so Christmassy! It’s the best! 4 – They have applesauce in them so you can pretend they are good for you. They’re not. But it’s always fun to pretend. 5 – You’ll want to see the applesauce sizzle part. It’s just cool.
I doubled this recipe and made 95 cookies so it probably makes around 46-48 per batch.
Then I just used some cute Rudolph plates, clear wrap, and red ribbon to make them look pretty.
All wrapped up and ready to deliver!
The only problem is that I need at least 10 more plates of cookies. Plus Kenny came home tonight and was so bummed there weren’t any left for him. Looks like another batch of cookies is in my future! I tend to eat my fair share of things that I bake so it’s a good thing they have applesauce in them and are so good for me.
I painted that little cake stand to use for decor…
but so far is has been perfect to hold some of the little candles I bought to deliver with the cookies. Remember the Fresh Balsam candle from Bath and Body Works that I mentioned in my favorite things post?
I’m kind of obsessed with it. In fact I bought four of the large candles for teacher gifts…
but this one seemed to be calling “light me!”. So I did.
Smells so good. Almost as good as my healthy applesauce cookies.
Ellie made some beautiful artwork that just so happens to match the aqua/silver decor we are going with around here. I was impressed. It’s not every second grader who takes her house color palette into consideration before creating. ;)
And while we’re on the subject of art, I have to share a close up of another picture Ellie recently drew. That has to be the cutest reindeer and Santa “Claws” I’ve ever seen. :)
And here’s Addison’s awesome hundreds chart which has nothing to do with Christmas, our decor, cookies or anything else for that matter. But I can’t brag about one daughter and not the other. What kind of mom would I be?
(Dec. 2010)
So proud of both of my girls. So proud of my applesauce cookies.
Enjoy! And if you bake these cookies let me know how they turn out! Don’t forget the flour and they’ll become a family favorite for sure.
:)
xoxo, Erin
