Apple Filled Oatmeal Cookies

This last weekend we went apple picking at Reisinger’s Apple Country in Watkins Glen, NY. The small dwarf trees made picking perfect, and although it’s still a little early in the season to pick some of the varieties I really love I didn’t let that deter me.

Above are some other eager apple pickers.  The trees were loaded and it didn’t take long to fill our bag.

I love to bake with apples.  Everything tastes good with apple in it – pies, cakes, muffins and cookies.   The majority of apples we picked were Ginger Golds, an early apple that doesn’t store well for long.  They make a great eating apple and are a good pie apple.  Ginger Golds are mild in taste but have a slightly tart finish.

I decided to make cookies with some of the apples we picked.  The recipe I used is modified slightly from my Better Homes and Gardens (red & white check) Cookbook.

Recipe – Apple Filled Oatmeal Cookies

Filling

1 1/2 c. finely diced peeled apple

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 TBSP. water

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 dashes of nutmeg

Put all ingredients into a small saucepan and cook until the apples become tender and the filling thickens.  Set aside.

Cookie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray non-stick cooking spray on two small, or 1 large cookie sheet  

1/2 c. margarine, softened

1 egg

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. milk

1 TBSP. honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. quick-cooking oats

1 c. all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, add margarine, egg, and brown sugar.  Beat for about 30 seconds until fluffy.  Add remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly.    Drop with tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets about 2” apart.  Make a depression in the center of each cookie and fill with a teaspoon of filling.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the cookies from cookie sheet and place on baking rack to cool.  Makes about 1 dozen.

The jury is still out on one aspect of this cookie – the filling.  I think it’s a little too sweet, hubby doesn’t thing it is.  I think I would cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup.  I’ll let you be the judge on this one.

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Enjoy!