Puffed-Up Chocolate-Chip Cookies

This is one of the best chocolate-chip cookies you'll ever make--and it doesn't scrimp on chocolate. Applesauce is the secret.

Yield: 3 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  applesauce
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  butter, softened
• 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
• 1  large egg
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate chips
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Spoon applesauce into a fine sieve over a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Discard liquid. Scrape drained applesauce into a large bowl. Add sugar and butter; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until well-blended. Fold in chips.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pan 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

78 (33% from fat)

Fat:

2.9g (sat 1.7g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.2g)

Protein:

0.8g

Carbohydrate:

12.8g

Fiber:

0.2g

Cholesterol:

10mg

Iron:

0.5mg

Sodium:

87mg

Calcium:

20mg

Find more delicious, all-time favorite cookie recipes in our 25-Days to Christmas Cookie Countdown., Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001