Applesauce-Toffee Cookies with White Chocolate Zwizzle

You might want to contemplate life with this cookie. Pour yourself a cuppa and take a moment. This decadent cookie is a contrast in textures – just like life! A cake-like cookie with little bits of melted toffee and toasted pecans, drizzled with white chocolate and sprinkled with crunchy toffee bits. Who knows where this cookie will take you!

Makes about 32 cookies

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ cup butter

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup unsweetened applesauce seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg*

½ cup chopped toasted pecans

½ cup toffee bits, such as Chipits Skor Toffee Bits

2 cups white chocolate chips

3 tsp shortening

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, and salt.

In a mixture bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well, scraping down the bowl. Add the vanilla and beat again. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Remove the bowl and using a wooden spoon, stir in the pecans and toffee bits.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto the cookie sheet, leaving about 2” between each mound of cookie dough. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Place the white chocolate in a large glass measuring cup. Add the shortening and microwave for 30 seconds. Give a stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. The chocolate will not appear melted but continue stirring until all pieces are melted. If necessary microwave for 10 more seconds. If small little hard bits appear in the white chocolate that’s an indication that the chocolate is starting to burn. White chocolate melts at a lower temperature than regular chocolate.

Drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies in a cross-hatch fashion then sprinkle with toffee bits. Let cool completely until the chocolate firms up.

*make your own applesauce (see below) and season with cinnamon and nutmeg. If you purchase store-bought, you’ll probably have to season it yourself.

Applesauce

Makes a much as you want

As many apples as you’d like – I used 10 for this recipe

½ cup water

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

Wash the apples. Cut into 4 and toss into a large stock pot. Add the water. Cover with a lid and cook over medium to medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, or until the apples have completely broken down to a mash.

Set a food mill over a deep bowl. Scoop the apple mixture into the food mill and turn the blade around and around and back and forth. Strain the contents until all that’s left are the skins, seeds and stems.

Season the applesauce to your taste with cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer to containers and refrigerate or freeze.