Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup peeled apple pieces, cut into 1/8 inch pieces, from about 1 Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts

Directions

1. Combine the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl with a whisk, then put that bowl aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and sugar until the mixture looks even and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, whisk again, then whisk in the applesauce.
3. Stir the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Add the apple bits and walnuts, and stir until they are worked through the dough.
4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap right in the bowl, since it is very wet, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Set an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, dropping rounded tablespoons onto the lined baking sheets.
7. Bake the cookies until the edges turn golden, about 15 minutes.
8. Let the cookies cool all the way on the pan. They will be a little sticky at first, but they firm up as they cool. Keep them in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers.