Pumpkin-Applesauce Drop Cookies

You may have noticed that there's a bit of a theme to the last few recipes that I have posted.  I love to cook seasonal food, so I have been trying to develop recipes that make the most of the season.  Seeing that many people aren't particularly fond of Brussels sprouts, I decided to focus on apples and pumpkins/butternut squash instead.

Lightly sweet, these Pumpkin-Applesauce Drop Cookies are somewhere between drop cookies and scones, but despite their existential crisis, they are delicious.  

Pumpkin-Applesauce Drop Cookies *

3 ½ c whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup cold butter

2 cups cooked pumpkin/butternut squash (or Libby's 100% Pumpkin)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (homemade or store bought)

1/3 cup honey

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice. Cut in butter, adding a bit at a time until it is mostly incorporated (it will probably be lumpy, but that's ok).

Add pumpkin, applesauce, and honey.  Mix until combined, but try not to overmix.

Drop the cookies by the spoonful onto a lined/buttered cookie sheet. 

Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes.  Makes approximately 36 cookies. 

* This recipe can be easily converted into a vegan recipe by replacing the honey with 1/3 cup of sugar and by replacing the butter with vegan margarine.


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Vegan Applesauce Peanut Butter Bread Recipe

Today I wanted to make banana bread, but I didn't have bananas.  I did, however, have apples.  Is it possible to make banana bread with apples? 

The first difficulty is that chopped apples do not have the same consistency as mashed bananas.  I solved this problem by making a quick applesauce.  While making my applesauce, I realized something else: apples and peanut butter are absolutely delicious together.  Could I add peanut butter into the mix?  How about chocolate chips?  Could this actually work?  Am I losing my mind or am I a genius?  What is this sticky stuff on my foot?  Why am I asking so many questions?  Scroll down to find out...


Vegan Applesauce Peanut Butter Bread Recipe

You can either make your own applesauce or use store bought. 

Applesauce Recipe:
     2 peeled, cored, and diced large apples (I used Granny Smith)
     1/2 cup of water
     1/8 cup of honey (or 1/4 cup sugar)
     1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine apples, water, honey, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.


Applesauce Peanut Butter Bread Batter:
     1 cup whole wheat flour
     3/4 cup dark brown sugar
     1 tsp baking powder
     3/4 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 cup applesauce (homemade or store bought)
     1/3 cup peanut butter
     1/2 cup rice (soy or almond) milk
     1 tsp apple cider vinegar (white vinegar will also work)
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     1/2 cup diced apples
     1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (or chopped peanuts)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Combine the whole wheat flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  Stir in the peanut butter and applesauce (if you just made the applesauce, allow it to cool before adding or your chocolate chips will melt).


Add the rice (soy or almond) milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract to the mixture and stir thoroughly.  Stir in the diced apple and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a bread pan which has been lined with parchment paper.


Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.





(The sticky stuff on my foot was honey that I dripped onto my foot while making the applesauce.  As for the other questions, you'll just have to find out for yourself).

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