Low-Fat Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

FAQs

What is the purpose of baking soda in oatmeal cookies? ›

A recipe that calls for both ingredients probably contains an acid, but not enough to completely leaven the batter or dough. Baking soda also serves another important purpose when it comes to cookies: It encourages spreading by raising the mixture's pH, which slows protein coagulation.

Both whole grain oats and raisins are a good source of fiber. The presence of whole grain oats will also help you stay fuller longer. That said, oatmeal raisin cookies are still cookies with higher butter and sugar content than other snacks, so they should only be considered a healthy snack in moderation.

Applesauce can be used as a substitute for oil, butter, or eggs, and still give you delicious baked treats. “How?” you ask? Let me tell you! The first thing to know is that you should always use Unsweetened Applesauce, as apples have a natural sweetness already.

Not Enough Moisture: Ensure you're using the right amount of butter in your recipe and that it's at the correct temperature (softened not melted) when you start. Oatmeal cookies require more moisture to stay soft. Consider adding an extra egg yolk or a touch of milk to your dough to enhance moisture content.

That is why you will notice that recipes usually call for a small amount of baking soda, typically ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of flour. Do not make the mistake of trying to substitute equal parts baking soda for baking powder in recipes. Your baked goods will have no leavening, be quite flat, and have an altered taste.

To replace baking soda in baked goods like cookies and muffins, add three times the amount of baking powder to produce the same leavening effect. However, be aware that larger amounts of baking powder may leave your baked goods tasting saltier, so you may need to adjust your recipe's salt content.

Can You Eat Cookies and Get Lean? Of course you can. Simply pay attention to consistently eating the amount of calories that keeps you at the weight you'd like to be, and make the majority of your foods “healthy.” The cookies (or whatever treat you love) are part of the diet—not the entire diet.

As a type of whole grain, the oats in this recipe provide fiber, which supports healthy cholesterol levels. Plus, their antioxidants can help reduce inflammation. Walnuts supply ALA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, which is great for heart health and supports balanced cholesterol and blood pressure numbers.

Applesauce is a 1:1 replacement for oil, so if your recipe calls for half a cup of oil, use half a cup of applesauce instead. If you find yourself in the middle of a recipe and out of oil, use applesauce instead! This trick works in cakes, muffins, cookies, brownies, and any kind of sweet baked good.

Can applesauce replace butter in cookies? ›

Unsweetened applesauce makes a great butter substitute for lightening up brownies, cookies, cakes and quick breads. For every cup of butter called for, use 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce.

Applesauce. Use applesauce to add moisture. Replace one egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce in sweet desserts. If you want a lighter texture, add an extra 1/2 teaspoonful of baking powder, as fruit purées tend to make the final product denser than the original recipe.

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Warm cookie sheets cause the fat in the dough to melt. As a result, cookies start to spread before they even get into the oven. Allow cookie sheets to cool completely before baking additional cookies.

The best oatmeal cookies, like the kind we're sharing here, are soft and chewy through the center with crispy edges.

You technically can leave out baking soda in certain recipes (like chocolate chip cookies or pancakes) in a pinch, but you need to understand that your finished product will not be as light and fluffy as the recipe intended.

Baking soda is also present in baking powder, but in a smaller amount, so it has a lower pH level which results in less browning. Baking soda in cookies leads to more spread and a crispy edge compared to baking powder, as shown in the photos below.

The type of leavening you use in your cookies doesn't just help them rise while baking, it affects their texture and structure too. Baking soda in cookies yields a denser cookie with craggy tops, while baking powder causes cookies to rise higher during baking for a cakier texture.