Alaska Molasses Cookies

Vino Girl's Note:

From Cooking Light (September 2002). Allow an extra 30 minutes for the dough to chill.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 32

• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• cooking spray

Directions:

1. Place applesauce onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a bowl using a rubber spatula.
2. Combine applesauce, 1 cup sugar, and butter; beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
3. Add molasses and egg; beat well.
4. Combine flours and next 5 ingredients (flours through cloves), stirring well with a whisk.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until blended.
6. Cover and freeze dough 30 minutes or until firm.
7. While dough chills, preheat oven to 375°F.
8. With moist hands, shape dough into 32 (1-inch) balls.
9. Roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar.
10. Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
11. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
12. Cool on pans 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely on wire racks.

Reviews

[ShaGun]

For being as healthy as they are, these were delicious! I served them to a group of women, and they couldn't believe they were "healthy." Everyone wanted the recipe. I didn't freeze the dough before baking the first batch. Yes, the dough was sticky, but they baked just fine. I refridgerated the dough and made the rest of the cookies the next day. They weren't as moist and I ended up throwing them away. I did use freshly ground cloves and I think that really helped with the flavor.

[LUv 2 BaKE]

What an interesting recipe. I followed the recipe exactly, except I decreased the sugar to 3/4 cup, which still made them plenty sweet. I froze the batter for 30 minutes. The first few cookies were somewhat difficult to shape into balls as the dough was pretty sticky, but it worked. With time however, the dough quickly thawed and it was impossible to roll into balls, so I just made them into drop cookies. They spread a LOT in the oven, leaving me with domed cookies. They really do need the 5 min. on the pan becasue they are very soft - like angel food cake, and remained very soft. I would call these cookies very cake-like, or even like muffin tops. They taste delicious (they were gone QUICKLY) but I am not sure if they are supposed to be this incredibly soft and muffin/cake like. I used homemade applesauce, maybe that is why? Never the less, these are increadibly tasty soft cookies, I will make again using the drop cookie method.