Applesauce Oatmeal Drops

No butter. No oil. No eggs. These oatmeal drop cookies run on applesauce and not much else, which makes them one of the leanest cookie recipes around without trying to be a health food.

Three-quarters cup of unsweetened natural applesauce carries all the moisture the dough needs. A quarter cup each of brown and white sugar does the sweetening, which is genuinely minimal for a cookie. Rolled oats give body and a satisfying chew. Raisins add natural sweetness and keep the cookies from tasting sparse.

The dough comes together in one bowl without a mixer. Stir the sugars into the applesauce, sift in the dry ingredients, then fold in the oats and raisins. Drop by spoonfuls, bake 10 minutes. That’s the whole thing.

Naturally vegan and low in fat, these work as a cookie you can eat a few of without much thought, or pack for lunchboxes.

Kitchen Tips

• Use unsweetened applesauce as the recipe calls for. Sweetened applesauce throws off the sugar balance and makes these too sweet.
• The dough will be stickier than a butter-based dough. That’s normal. A damp spoon or cookie scoop helps with even dropping.
• Don’t overbake. Ten minutes gives a soft, chewy center. A minute or two extra turns them dry.
• These store well in an airtight container for 3-4 days and stay soft because of the applesauce.

Variations

• Add cinnamon: A teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg in the dry ingredients gives these a warmer spice profile that pairs beautifully with the raisins.
• Chocolate chips: Swap the raisins for mini chocolate chips for a version that reads more like a treat.