If you're looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe with applesauce that still delivers on soft, chewy texture and rich flavor, you're in the right place. This version skips the butter and uses a modest amount of coconut oil, which helps create that classic cookie texture—soft in the middle with slightly crisp edges—without veering into cakey territory like some apple sauce-only recipes tend to do. While it’s not a health food by any means, this recipe is a lighter twist on the traditional cookie, making it a great option when you want something a little better-for-you without sacrificing taste.
Chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite so you will find a plethora of chocolate chip cookie recipes including my Crisco Chocolate Chip cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies without Vanilla, or even Chocolate Chip Cut-out Cookies.
For other chocolate chip cookie flavors you can try my Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links at no cost to you.
Ingredients
Jump to:
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Unsweetened Applesauce
- Coconut Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar (White Sugar)
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats. If you are using the silicone mats, it is best to spray it with cooking oil.
- Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the apple sauce, sugar, brown sugar, and melted oil for 30-60 seconds on high speed with an electric mixer (either a hand mixer or stand mixer will work).
- Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat with electric mixer.
- Step 3: In three sections, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined.
- Step 4: Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly dispersed.
5. Step 5: Make heaping tablespoons (45g) cookie dough balls and bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Substitutions
Oil: I tested these applesauce chocolate chip cookies recipe with coconut oil, vegetable oil, and without oil entirely. The melted coconut oil gave the final outcome the most similar texture to a cookie and also reduced the applesauce flavor the most. Vegetable oil was a close second, hiding the applesauce flavor but a slightly softer cookie. If you omit the oil entirely, the texture of the cookie is much cakier and will have a stronger applesauce flavor. It's still delicious, but a very different cookie. I did not try canola oil, but it should act similarly to vegetable oil.
Chocolate Chips: I used Semi-sweet chips but you can definitely use milk chocolate chips or experiment with adding white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or even M&Ms!
Equipment
Here are a few of my go-to baking supplies that I used for this recipe:
- Mixing bowls
- Food Scale
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Silicon Mats or Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheets
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Spatula
- Cookie Scoop
Storage
Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips for Making Applesauce Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cookies:
- Add Extra Chocolate Chips: Add a few extra chocolate chips to the top and sides of the cookies either before baking or right when they come out of the oven. This trick will make the cookies look prettier and also… more chocolate!
- Measure your Flour Properly: If you have a kitchen scale, that is ideal. If not, use the scoop and level method. Essentially, scoop the flour into your measuring cup until it is overflowing. Then, take the straight edge of a knife or spatula and scrape off the excess flour back into the container. Too much flour in cookies will lead to a dryer final product.
- Don’t Overmix: A common mistake in cookie baking is overmixing your cookie dough. The more you mix, the more the gluten develops, which then leads to a tougher, less soft cookie. Stop mixing as soon as you see the flour has been incorporated.
- Make Sure Your Oven Temperature is Correct: Using an oven thermometer can be super helpful for both cooking and baking. Your oven may be running hot or cool and you would really never know without a thermometer. They are pretty reasonable and you can just let one hang on your oven rack and be assured your cookies are baking at the right temperature.
Related
Looking for more chocolate cookie recipes? Try these:
Remove this block, and replace it with the recipe card here
Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour (308g)
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda (4g)
- ½ Teaspoon Salt (5g)
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce (110g)
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil*, melted (24g)
- ⅔ Cup Brown Sugar, packed (172g)
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar (105g)
- 1 Egg (50g)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (5g)
- 2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (300g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats**. If using silicone mats, spray them with cooking oil or the cookies will stick.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the applesauce, melted coconut oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. With an electric mixer, beat on high speed for 30-60 seconds on high speed until fully combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and again use the electric mixer to combine. The mixture will be very thin.
- In three sections, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold in with a spatula. After you add the final section of dry ingredients, fold until the its just combined. It's okay if there are a few streaks of flour left.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold in gently until they are evenly dispersed throughout the dough. The texture of the dough should be a classic, thick cookie dough that is somewhat sticky.
- Place a heaping tablespoon, about 45 grams of dough on your prepared cookie sheets with a cookie scoop. Make sure each cookie is spaced about 2-3 inches apart. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
