Knobby Apple Cookies

Apple cookies? In January? Really?

Yes, really, because if you are like me every season is knobby apple season! You know how it goes. You buy the apples, you and the kids eat almost all the apples within the first couple of days and then there are those 2 or 3 apples that just sit in the fridge getting knobby. Plus, lately I've been buying misfit produce from my local grocery store. They bag up the fruits and veggies that are still good, but don't look as pretty as the rest and sell them at a discount. Buying them makes me feel environmentally and fiscally responsible. (It's the little things, right?) We usually go through fruit pretty quickly, but if you don't eat those misfit apples right away...you're in trouble. They get softer than you like, and their skin starts to get bumpy, and no amount of persuasion can convince anyone to eat them.  

But they're not bad! They're just ugly and it isn't their fault, poor apples! So I gave them a second chance, and it was delicious. I chopped them up, tossed them with cinnamon, and put them into a cakey, brown sugar cookie. The result wasn't the prettiest cookie I've ever made, but it definitely was tasty. The apples keep the cookie from becoming too dry, and if you under-bake them, they become almost too moist. But is that so bad? Nope. Normally I lean on the side of under-baking cookies, but these ones I prefer more done. One more thing: I think you should enjoy knobby apple cookies within 1-2 days of baking them. That is an easy disclaimer for me in that I always eat all the cookies within that time frame anyway, but if you are one who savors, these cookies will peak, so be careful. I also kept them in the fridge. Cookies with fresh fruit are awesome, but they do need a little more attention than your average chocolate chip cookie.

Knobby apple cookies are the kind of cookie you can easily justify eating for breakfast. They kind of feel like a muffin, and they aren't overly sweet. So you start eating them at 9 am and you can continue eating them  all day long. I guess those knobby apples get their revenge that way. Ha, they think. Once you avoided eating me and now you can't stop.  Well played, my fruity friends. Well played. 

Knobby Apple Cookies

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbs milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss chopped apples with cinnamon, 1 tbs granulated sugar, and 1 tbs flour. Set aside.
2. In a medium size bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined.
3. Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder. Add milk and apple mixture. Stir until well combined.
4. (Optional: Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes for easier scooping.)
5. Using an ice cream scoop, form dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes, depending on the size of cookies, until firm and lightly golden. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.