Easy Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies (Soft & Chewy!) – Beauty Cooks Kisses

Get ready for a cookie experience that’s pure bliss! These aren’t your average crunchy chocolate chips. My easy applesauce chocolate chip cookies deliver a delightful softness with a satisfying chewy quality in every bite. The secret? A touch of applesauce that keeps the inside wonderfully moist and tender while the butter gives it extra flavor and firmness on the outside. If you love a cookie that practically melts in your mouth, you’ve come to the right place!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder, leveled
½ teaspoon baking soda, leveled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or your favorite kind!)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Soft and Chewy Cookies:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. To prevent any potential sour spots from clumps of baking soda or baking powder, it’s a great idea to sift these dry ingredients together. This ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and creamy. This usually takes 2-3 minutes.
3. Beat in the large egg until fully incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Stir in the applesauce and vanilla extract until just combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled at this point, which is normal.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix because this can lead to tougher cookies.  
6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
7. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour. This chilling time helps the flavors meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
8. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease your cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper for an easier cleanup.
9. Use a small cookie scoop (or two spoons) to drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about two inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.  
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. Baking time can vary depending on your oven and the size of your cookies.
11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. ENJOY!

Tips for the Best Soft and Chewy Cookies:

1. Don’t Overbake: This is the key to soft cookies! Take them out of the oven when the edges are just starting to brown. They will continue to set as they cool.
2. Use Softened Butter: Make sure your butter is softened but not melted. This helps with proper creaming. (You can always stick it in the microwave if frozen for about a few seconds to soften it up).
3. Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can pack the flour, leading to drier cookies.
4. Don’t Skip the Chilling Time: Refrigerating the dough is crucial for preventing excessive spreading and developing better flavor.

Storing Your Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three or four days.
2. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months.

Enjoy your delicious, soft, and chewy applesauce chocolate chip cookies! Let me know in the comments below how they turned out for you.

More of My Favorite Recipes Using Applesauce:

Below I shared just a few of these delicious recipes with you. You can find more using my search box.

Anise-Spiced Applesauce Scones

Applesauce Cornbread

Chocolate Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon

Applesauce Molasses Bars

My recipe for applesauce chocolate chip cookies delivers a delightful softness with a satisfying chewy quality in every bite. The secret? A touch of applesauce that keeps the inside wonderfully moist and tender, while the butter contributes extra flavor and a slight firmness to the outside.

Course:

Dessert, Snack

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

applesauce chocolate chip cookies, applesauce cookies, chocolate chips, moist cookies, soft cookies

Author: Mary Balandiat

• 1-3/4
  cups
  all-purpose flour
• ½
  teaspoon
  baking powder
  leveled
• ½
  teaspoon
  baking soda
  leveled
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  salt
• 1
  large egg
• 1/3
  cup
  unsalted butter
  softened
• 3/4
  cup
  packed light brown sugar
• 1/3
  cup
  unsweetened applesauce
• 1
  teaspoon
  vanilla extract
• 2/3
  cup
  semi-sweet chocolate chips
  or your favorite kind!

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. To prevent any potential sour spots from clumps of baking soda or baking powder, it’s a great idea to sift these dry ingredients together. This ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the flour.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and creamy. This usually takes 2-3 minutes.

3. Beat in the large egg until fully incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.

4. Stir in the applesauce and vanilla extract until just combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled at this point, which is normal.

5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix because this can lead to tougher cookies.

6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

7. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour. This chilling time helps the flavors meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.

8. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease your cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper for an easier cleanup.

9. Use a small cookie scoop (or two spoons) to drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.

10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. Baking time can vary depending on your oven and the size of your cookies.

11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

12. ENJOY!