Yesterday I made my first batch of these, and they were terrific.  I managed to eat four of the 24 as the cookie sheets cooled. They were also soon spouse-approved. And you know they are adult-kid approved when you later get a text with the word AMAZING capitalized. (I had dropped them off with each of my two sons, who have been kind enough to do grocery shopping for us during this COVID19 pandemic.)

This all started with a "banana drop cookie" recipe I found at lovefoodies.com. I changed up the sugar a bit, by replacing some of the white sugar with brown sugar, replaced two mashed bananas with one cup of apple sauce, and added one diced apple.

Although I started with a "cookie" recipe, I am reluctant to call these cookies.  They are softer and less dense than a cookie, and frankly taste more like a muffin.  I figured since they spread out on the cookie sheet, and look like the tops of muffins, I'd just call them that... muffins tops.

I used a convection oven.  For crisper edges, use a conventional oven.

O4231735-LR What is needed:

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 diced apple (optional)

topping:

• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

What to do:

1. In one bowl add the dry ingredients and whisk together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  (I forgot to add the cinnamon so instead I stirred it into the 1 cup of apple sauce.)
2. In a second bowl, combine white and brown sugar, butter (softened; our microwave has a "soften butter" setting), and vanilla. Cream together until the mixture gets light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and beat well.
4. Add apple sauce.
5. Dump dry ingredients from step one into the wet ingredients and mix together.
6. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.  After  the first 15 minutes, grease your cookie sheets and preheat the oven to 400F. (375F for convection cooking.)
7. I use an ice cream scooper (the kind with a release lever) to drop batter onto the cookie sheets, about 2" apart (they will spread more than, say, toll house cookies)
8. Sprinkle with the topping (sugar/cinnamon mixed together)
9. Bake 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.
10. Cool 2 minutes before moving the cookies with a pancake flipper to a cooling rack.

A few of the steps with photos:

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Dry ingredients whisked together.

(I forgot to add the cinnamon, so instead I added it to the apple sauce)

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This is what the sugar, butter, and vanilla should look like once mixed.

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One cup of apple sauce with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon mixed into it.

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Apple sauce added. Mix together.

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Beaten eggs added.

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After mixing in the eggs.

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Add the dry mixture.

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Batter should look like this.

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Mix in one diced apple using a spatula or wooden spoon.

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Ready for the oven

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All done!

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