Baking Up a Little Lovin

Well I’ve finally moved on from the lemons and have found a new ingredient to inspire me. As I walked through the door of the grocery store this week I was enveloped in the sweet perfume of fresh apples and immediately began a mental review of my recipe box.  Now traditionally, although I love munching on a nice crispy fresh apple, I tend to avoid cooked apples with a vengeance. There’s something about the texture that just creeps me out. That’s why when I decided to go for an apple recipe, I had resigned myself to allowing others to enjoy something I personally would rather not eat. But being the good little baker that I am, I tested a cookie from the first batch out of the oven and was happily surprised at the outcome.

It kind of reminded me a little of carrot cake and granola all at the same time. And the best part was that the apple chunks kind of dissolved in the baking process (probably because I practically minced them instead of giving them a rough chop). So for all of you none-apple lovers out there, I offer an apple cookie that you will find not only acceptable, but also quite possible a favorite! Apple Hermits!

Now being the anti-apple person I am, I didn’t really find any suitable recipes in my own box and so had to fall back on the ever faithful Allrecipes.com.  The Apple Hermits recipe was generously donated by Aunt Mikie and rated 4.5 stars. And after seeing that 4,386 other people had also saved the recipe I was sure it would be a winner!

So what you will need:

·         2 cups flour

·         1 tsp baking soda

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         1 tsp cloves (I didn’t have any so I added a little allspice instead)

·         ½ tsp nutmeg

·         ½ tsp salt

·         ½ up softened butter

·         1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

·         1 egg

·         1 cup chopped walnuts

·         1 cup chopped apples

·         1 cup golden raisins (I don’t like cooked raisins either so I chopped them up as well)

• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 Tbls milk

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lining a cookie sheet with parchment. Then in a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt and spices together and set aside. Next, in a large mixing bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Mix in sugar and egg until well incorporated.

Stir in the dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Now fold in the nuts, apple and raisens.

Drop rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.

In a small bowl mix the confectioner’s sugar and milk (I added a little vanilla) to make a this glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised by these cookies. Not only were they flavorful but they had the ever important chewy+crispy combination that makes my heart melt. And best of all I finally have an acceptable apple recipe to add the box!

 Hope you enjoy!