Applesauce Cookies

Recipe No. 81 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Cakes and Cookies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Flour, sifted — 3 pounds (3 No. 56 dippers)
• Baking powder — ¾ ounce (2 mess kit spoons)
• Salt — ½ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Baking soda — ¼ ounce (½ mess kit spoon)
• Cinnamon — (½ mess kit spoon)
• Nutmeg — (⅛ mess kit spoon)
• Raisins — 1 pound (1 mess kit cup)
• Shortening — 1 pound (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Sugar, granulated — 2 pounds (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Eggs, beaten — 5 eggs (¼ No. 56 dipper)
• Applesauce, thick — 1⅛ quarts (1⅛ No. 56 dipper)

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Cinnamon

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, soda, and spices together. Add raisins; mix well.
2. Mix shortening and sugar; stir until light and fluffy.
3. Add beaten egg gradually, mixing well after each addition. Add applesauce.
4. Add flour mixture gradually; mix well.
5. Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased baking pans. Bake in hot oven (400° F.) 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Remove from pans at once.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — 3¾ oz Baking powder — about ⅓ tsp Salt — a pinch Baking soda — a pinch Cinnamon — scale to taste ((½ mess kit spoon)) Nutmeg — scale to taste ((⅛ mess kit spoon)) Raisins — 1¼ oz Shortening — 1¼ oz Sugar, granulated — 2½ oz Eggs, beaten — ⅓ eggs Applesauce, thick — 5¾ tbsp

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 81, Cakes and Cookies. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.