Cardamom Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Submitted by chinadoll30
Low-fat oatmeal raisin cookies built on applesauce instead of butter, with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest. Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced.
YIELD
36 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minOatmeal-raisin gets the spice cabinet treatment. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and a hit of fresh orange zest punch up the flavor of these soft, chewy oatmeal cookies, while applesauce stands in for butter to keep them light without going dry.
Applesauce is the workhorse here. It brings the moisture and fruit-pectin chew that butter would normally give, and it lets the spices come through cleaner since there’s no fat coating the tongue. The trade-off is that these brown faster than butter cookies, so the bake time runs short and the watching is heavier.
The orange zest is the move that takes this from good to memorable. Just a teaspoon and a half of fresh zest brightens the warm spice notes and pairs naturally with the raisins and oats.
Wet-spatula flattening before baking is crucial. The applesauce-based dough doesn’t spread on its own the way butter dough does, so the cookies stay puffy and undercooked in the middle if you don’t press them down.
Pro Tips
- Use freshly ground cardamom and nutmeg when possible. Pre-ground cardamom in particular fades fast and goes flat.
- Watch the cookies closely from minute 10 onward. They burn faster than butter-based cookies, just like the directions warn.
- Plump the raisins in hot water for 5 minutes and drain before mixing in. Plumped raisins stay juicier through baking.
- Store in an airtight tin with a slice of bread to keep them soft for up to 4 days.
Variations
- Swap raisins for dried cranberries, chopped dates, or dried cherries.
- Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
- Use a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice in place of the individual spices for a shortcut.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Combine applesauce, sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl; whisk until smooth.
Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves and zest; stir just to mix.
Stir in oats and raisins.
Coat three cookie sheets with cooking spray.
This is unnecessary with nonstick pans.
Spoon the batter onto the cookie sheets, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, leaving 3 inches between cookies.
Gently flatten each cookie with a wet spatula.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until firm and lightly browned on the bottom.
Watch closely; they burn faster than butter-based cookies.
Let cool on the cookie sheet 1 minute, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
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