Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

I don’t know about you, but when life is hard and there are no easy answers, I like to bake.  Baking and blessing others with baked goods somehow shares the love I’ve been given with others. 

This week has been a hard one – a massive tornado killing too many, hurting others and displacing hundreds.  An amazing cancer fighter gone. Then, yesterday, an accident on a school field trip that hits a little too close to home.

My heart breaks for lives that were changed in an instant. A painful reminder that our entire world is groaning awaiting the return of our Savior (Romans 8:22). 

These events don’t make sense to my finite mind.  For some, just like Job’s friends, they may call us to question the goodness of God.  For me, I know God is good.  So I trust Him despite hardship. 

The only response I know to these situations is to pray and bake.   

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies – Adapted from Sunnyside Up

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter (1 stick)
• 1/4 C plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 C sugar
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 C quick cooking oats
• splash of vanilla
• 2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

Cream together 1 stick of butter with 1 C sugar and 1/2 C brown sugar.  Add in 1/4 C plain Greek yogurt and 2 eggs, mixing well. 

Combine 2 C unsweetened applesauce with 2 tsp. baking soda. Stir well and watch that applesauce fizz! 

Mix in the applesauce mixture to the sugar, butter mixture.  Blend well. 

Combine 2 C white whole wheat flour with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. cloves, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 3/4 tsp. salt.  When blended, add these dry ingredients to the wet ones. 

Slowly add the remaining 2 C of white whole wheat flour. 

Stir in a splash of vanilla and 1 C oats. 

Mix in 2 C dark chocolate chips. 

The dough will be soft.  You can refrigerate it for 30-45 minutes, but I just went ahead and made the cookies. 

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out cookies about 2 T large and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  These cookies will spread out, so don’t place them too close together.

Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned around the edges and set in the center. 

Cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy! 

*Makes about 96 cookies.  After baking these are best stored in the freezer until ready to consume.  They will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature, but are best “fresh” or cooled from the freezer.