Apple Oatmeal Cookies

It's another friend's birthday at work & she loves cookies. I mean she eats them almost every day. But, she does not eat chocolate, dark, milk, or white, nor does she eat raisins. That pretty much left me with plain, bo-ring oatmeal cookies. But I wanted something a little more special. These are more cake texture than cookie & have fresh fruit in them. I always recommend these around apple picking season (early Fall) because these are another alternative to the pies, tarts & cakes. And they are also very kid-friendly, mom approved. Well, at least, by this mom!

I really hope Kimberly enjoys these! Happy birthday, Kim!!!

Mrs Fields Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Slightly adapted from Mrs. Field's Cookie Book (I omitted the raisins).

• 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
• 1 cup Quick oats (not instant)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Soda
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 2 tsp Grated lemon zest
• 1 cup Dark brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup Butter
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 cup Fresh Apple, peeled and Finely chopped (1 med apple) *I used a Royal Gala
• *Extra Quick oats (For Topping) *Optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, salt, soda, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add the egg, applesauce and honey and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture, fresh apple and raisins, and blend at low speed until just combined. The dough will be quite soft.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. If you wish, sprinkle the cookies with oats.

Bake the cookies for 23-25 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.