Raw Apple Cookies

These apple cookies use raw diced apples stirred directly into the batter, not applesauce or apple butter. The fresh fruit releases moisture as it bakes, keeping the cookies soft and cake-like instead of crisp. Each one has little pockets of tender apple throughout.

This is a big-batch recipe. A full pound of butter, six eggs, and six cups of flour produce enough dough for a serious pile of cookies. Dark brown sugar alongside granulated gives them a deeper, more molasses-forward sweetness than white sugar alone.

Cinnamon, ground ginger, and cloves make this taste like autumn in cookie form. The spice levels are generous, which they need to be since there’s so much batter to flavour.

Raisins or chopped walnuts (or both) add chewiness and crunch to the soft crumb. They’re optional, but the cookies are more interesting with them in.

Pro Tips

• Dice the apples small. Big chunks don’t cook through in 10 to 12 minutes and leave raw, crunchy spots in the cookie.
• Don’t overmix after adding the flour. The cookies should be tender and cakey. Overworking the dough makes them tough.
• Pull them when lightly browned. They’ll look slightly underdone, but they firm up as they cool. Overbaked apple cookies dry out fast.

Variations

• Caramel apple: Fold in caramel chips or drizzle cooled cookies with caramel sauce for a candy apple effect.
• Oatmeal apple: Replace one cup of flour with rolled oats for a chewier, heartier cookie.
• Cream cheese frosting: Top cooled cookies with a simple cream cheese glaze for a dressed-up version.